The following awareness days in April are a good time to learn more about our community, by using the statistics and information available through West Berkshire Observatory.

9-10 April 2024: Eid al-Fitr – This is a celebration observed by Muslims worldwide, marking the end of Ramadan, or the holy month of fasting. See the “religion” section of the Population & Demographics report for data on the Muslim population in the Borough.

27 April 2024: Lesbian Visibility Day The 2021 Census was the first national census to ask a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity. Data on our local population is available through the Data Explorer – search using keywords such as “sexual orientation” or “gender identity”.

22-28 April 2024: World Immunisation Week – The World Health Organization designated this week to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease, highlighting the collective action needed to make this happen. On the Data Explorer, search using keywords such as “vaccine”, “vaccination” or “immunisation” to find out the coverage of various vaccines in our local population.

22 April 2024: Earth Day This is a worldwide event to raise awareness of environmental issues that affect our planet, and to promote sustainability and reduction of pollution.  See the Environment report for indicators such as energy consumption, waste and carbon emissions in our area. Our Place Summary provides a narrative on how the local authority is performing.

22-30 April 2024: Passover – Also known as Pesach, this is the major Jewish spring festival which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from ancient Egypt. Look at the “religion” section of the Population & Demographics report for data on the Jewish population in the local authority.