Merry Christmas from the Express

On behalf of everyone at the Express, we would like to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas today.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting our newspapers and websites over the past year.

Times are harder than ever for independent local papers like the Express, and your support allows us to continue to bring you the latest news from where you live, to fight important battles on behalf of the communities we serve, and to hold those in power to account.

But we are far more than just a local newspaper. We are owned by the Louis Baylis Charitable Trust, which receives at least 80 per cent of the newspaper’s profits – meaning every time you buy a paper or take out an advert you are in fact helping to fund local good causes.

This is unique in the world of newspapers. In 2016 alone, the Trust has given out more than £225,000 in grants to a wide range of groups and organisations.

By investing in us you are investing in your community and helping to make a huge positive difference to people’s lives.

I would also like to thank the many readers who have supported the campaign to prevent the introduction of a draconian piece of legislation that threatens the very future of local papers and their ability to report the news.

Under Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, newspapers which refuse to accept a state appointed press regulator would have to pay both sides’ costs in court actions for libel and privacy cases – even if they win.

Even if the newspaper won the case, proved its report was true, had been lawfully published and was in the public interest, it would still have to pay the losing claimant’s costs along with its own.

For independent papers like ours the costs would be ruinous. It will be an invitation for baseless and risk-free claims made in the knowledge the mere threat of legal action will have a chilling effect on the freedom of the press to report the news.

We would have a choice between being bankrupted in the courts or shying away from anything remotely controversial that could attract a complaint.

We are asking readers who value the freedom of the press and the vital role it plays in championing local democracy to fill out a Government consultation calling for Section 40 to be repealed. Full details can be found at www.freethepress.co.uk

You can pick up your final Express of 2016 on Friday.

We hope you have a very enjoyable Christmas and New Year and we look forward to bringing you the news in 2017.

We also have these Christmas messages to share:

Fiona Mactaggart, MP for Slough

At this time of year the most important message I want to convey through these pages is to wish all readers and especially my constituents a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

At this time of year many people are giving generously to charity. Local businesses are helping too. Blues Smokehouse in Slough offered tasty treats to people who donated warm clothes for the homeless. Employees of Reckit Benckiser in the Bath Road donated 4,000 gifts which were packed into shoeboxes to ensure 610 vulnerable local people had a special Christmas.

Local people have given generously to a toy appeal organised by Slough Town football club, Slough Borough Council and Slough Children’s Services Trust have asked for items such as toiletries, gloves, hats, scarves and hot water bottles to give to vulnerable young adults.

Of course all this giving is expensive, and it’s coinciding with many people’s pay packets shrinking: as companies use the government’s new national living wage as an excuse to end Christmas bonuses, cut overtime and other benefits. The household-name businesses which do this are behaving like Scrooge. I joined other MPs to sing about this, we are more passionate than tuneful, but you can hear our effort eat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY-FhQFnl1w

Scrooge changed his ways after he had been thoroughly haunted and I hope our ditty might help to make the companies who are expecting their hard working staff to bear all the risk of this new policy to change their ways.

Giving is one way we can improve the world we live in, and campaigning for justice is another. I promise I will always campaign for the needs of the people of Slough and work for a better future for us all.

I hope you and all those you love have a happy Christmas and a wonderful new year.

Adam Afriyie, MP for Windsor

This year politics featured more heavily in our national story than in any other year in recent times.

A new Prime Minister, a new Government and a European Union referendum result are stories which continue to run and, of course, a US event may have trumped it all. The political thermostat was turned on high too with debate leading to disunity and the focus shifting from arguments to identities.

Christmas is a time for taking stock. It is also a time for family, friends and community. A time for coming together.

The road ahead may be bumpy, both economically and politically, however I am encouraged that we have a Prime Minister, a Government and, still I believe, a set of British values with which to do it.

Despite the challenges, I continue to be overwhelmed by the good spirit and togetherness shown in the constituency. Residents are always keen to get involved in good works.

Our charities, volunteers, community groups, residents associations and other groups concern themselves with making our area a better place to live.

I want to take this opportunity to say a big ‘thank you’ for your support for others and your hard work throughout the year.

Windsor is a fantastic constituency, and I am honoured to serve as Member of Parliament for the area. You have my commitment that I will continue to fight tooth and nail for local services and to represent residents in Parliament on the issues that affect us most. Be it Heathrow or hedgerows I will keep at it in 2017! I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope that you have a wonderful new year with friends and family.

Sohail Munawar, leader of Slough Borough Council

Christmas will shortly upon us. For many it will be a busy time, for others it will be a time of reflection and a joyous time with family and friends. However, for others Christmas will remind them of those who are not around them, so please be a good neighbour and share Slough’s famous sense of community cohesion and let them know they are not alone.

For the council it has been a challenging year. We have had to make further savings to deal with the 68 per cent government cuts we have faced – but we have strived to protect frontline services.

We have had some tremendous achievements as well – we opened The Curve and our community sports stadium, as well as laying out ambitious proposals for our leisure facilities. We also launched an ambitious housing strategy which will expand our supply of affordable housing, including 190 new council homes.

The Government’s decision to back the expansion of Heathrow is a real game-changer for Slough. Expansion secures the long-term economic prosperity of Slough while providing a once in a generation opportunity for our residents and businesses. It is now down to us to work with Heathrow to maximise the opportunities for Slough that an expanded airport brings us all, leaving no stone unturned in fighting to negotiate the best possible mitigation package for all those affected by expansion. I wish you all a joyous Christmas and a peaceful New Year and I look forward to serving the town and you throughout 2017.

Cllr Simon Dudley, leader RBWM

I would like to wish you, your friends and family season’s greetings and a well-deserved rest. I would also particularly like to thank our hardworking staff who will be working to keep council services running over the festive break. Locally we remain committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities, be they homeless or the elderly and infirm. I would like to specifically single out everyone who is a carer. Carers can be both young and old. Without your selfless commitment we at the Royal Borough would simply be unable to support everyone by ourselves. Thank you.

We live in a beautiful and prosperous place but times are not easy for all of us. Our Christmas message from the Royal Borough is that we will do all we possibly can to protect the vulnerable, be on the side of those less fortunate and champion a caring society locally. Have a wonderful festive season, take a walk if you can around our beautiful borough to work off the calories, and remember acts of random kindness make others happy but often even more the giver.

Arvind Singh Dhaliwal, Mayor of Slough

I am very pleased to have the opportunity to send a message to the residents of Slough at this special time of year.

It has been a great privilege to meet so many people while undertaking my civic duties this year and I would like to thank everyone for their friendliness and welcome on each occasion.

There is great warmth and generosity of spirit that exists between the diverse communities that make up our town and I have been humbled and touched by the kindness of so many people from within the community and voluntary sectors who give so much of their time for the benefit of others. I also appreciate that others will be working right through the Christmas period ensuring vital services are delivered. May I take this opportunity to send my sincere thanks for your dedication now and throughout the year. I have been very impressed by our young people and would like to acknowledge their passion and contribution to the success and vibrancy of the town. They are the future and we wish them all well in their endeavours. As we join together to celebrate this special season of goodwill, let our thoughts reach out to those who may be facing difficult times either in their personal lives or through international troubles and let us hope for greater peace and harmony at the close of this year and for 2017 and beyond.

The Mayoress joins with me to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sayonara Luxton, Mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead

I am delighted Christmas is nearly here. For most of us it brings family and friends together to enjoy the festivities and remember the birth of Jesus.

During the last few months I have met so many wonderful people dedicated to helping others and it is truly humbling to know there are so many committed to making a difference and caring about the community around them.

My prayers are with our armed forces and also those who will be working over the holidays, especially the emergency services and those who will continue to deliver essential services to residents who are vulnerable or at risk.

My charity for the year is the Household Cavalry Foundation. We are indebted to our armed forces and, as we have the barracks based in Windsor and so many of the soldiers living in the borough, I wanted to support them. It was very hard choosing only one charity though as there are so many deserving ones.

Have a very happy, healthy Christmas and New Year!