Mark Wilson and Hilary Lade have very kindly donated a new cup to be awarded annually by the Charlbury Horticultural Society to the holder of the best cultivated allotment in Charlbury. This will include both Town Council and Blenheim allotments. The judging will be done in early June and the cup awarded at the Summer Show.
Geoff Holmberg · Mon 27 Mar 2006, 10:35 · Link
The Best Kept Garden competition will be held again this year and judging will take place sometime in June or July. No formal entry is required, the only criteria is that the garden must be visible from the road or public footpath.
Geoff Holmberg · Mon 27 Mar 2006, 10:34 · Link
750 years ago, Charlbury officially became a market town. To mark this anniversary, the Charlbury Chamber of Trade and Commerce will be accepting applications for sponsorship or prize money for any Charlbury groups organising a 750-themed event or competition that in some way reflects business in Charlbury, either past of present.
The total contribution available is £100. Any groups wishing to apply should send a letter to the Chamber Secretary, Cally Robson, 2 North Lodge, Cornbury Park, Charlbury, OX7 3EH by 1 April 06, and a decision will be made at the next Chamber meeting on 11th April 06.
Cally Robson · Thu 23 Mar 2006, 12:31 · Link
20 year plus Charlbury resident and English dramatist David Halliwell was found deceased in his Charlbury home last Friday, March 17th. He is survived by his brother.
Further details to follow.
Igor Goldkind · Tue 21 Mar 2006, 15:45 · Link
Train travellers have until this Wednesday to object to a controversial timetable change.
The draft timetable for December envisages that the 17.22 train from Oxford to Charlbury - one of the main trains for those commuting back from Oxford - will be moved to 17.08. This change, first publicised on the Charlbury Website forum, would make it much more difficult for many Charlbury people who work in Oxford to catch the train.
Those wanting to object are asked to contact TT06@firstgroup.com by 8th March.
One regular Charlbury-Oxford commuter received the following reply from Oliver Lovell, First Great Western's "Customer Champion" for the Cotswold Line and a stalwart of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group.
Along with many, many others, you have rightly voiced concern that the existing 1722 stopping train is - in FGW's draft - shown to run 14 minutes earlier from December 06, than at present.
The Cotswold Promotion Group's timetable sub-committee is putting forward possible alternatives, for we all agree that a significant number of rail commuters to/from Oxford will desert the line if a satisfactory solution for the timing of this train is not found. This is, therefore,very much in the Company's own financial interests. In instance after instance, it is the long sections of single line which is the bugbear - a significant restraint and a severe headache for the timetable planners!
Given the draft timings of the London-bound train at this busy hour in the evening, we have established that a 1715 departure from Oxford (also too early for most travellers) would be the latest it could be made without conflicting with the path of this southbound train on the single line. The CLPG is also looking into the possibility of running the stopper at 1738 from Oxford - a timing, I feel,which would be close to ideal. This, though, would involve re-timing other services. Our proposals are being put to First Great Western for their perusal.
It is also most important for individual rail users to also to express their concerns, and, therefore, I would ask you - as a regular user of Cotswold Line trains - to contact the FGW Timetable planners who are inviting comments by setting up a special e-mail address for this purpose. This is: TT06@firstgroup.com .The deadline, however,is now close (8th March).
Please be assured that you are one of a great many rail users who have similar concerns, and I and others are making FGW fully-aware of shortcomings in their draft timetable. Please contact me again if you feel I could be of further help.
With best wishes,
sincerely,
Oliver Lovell (Customer Champion - Cotswolds)
Richard Fairhurst · Mon 6 Mar 2006, 18:01 · Link
The little-loved and much-defaced signs on the entrances to Charlbury have been replaced with new, smaller versions.
These retain the same content as the old ones - "Charlbury, historic market town, please drive carefully" with a selection of pictograms - but are significantly more sensibly proportioned. As yet none of them appear to have been modified to read "ease die carefully"...
Richard Fairhurst · Mon 6 Mar 2006, 17:54 · Link
The Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) has continued to problem-solve the issue of youth-related anti-social behaviour. There has been a reduction in anti-social behaviour at the four locations identified as hotspots; Chipping Norton town hall, Middle Barton bus shelters, Charlbury Spendlove centre and Ascott under Wychwood. The NAG has produced posters to combat under-age drinking, which will be distributed to licensed premises across the area.
Throughout February the neighbourhood policing team has made use of the SID (Speed Indication Device) across the region, in conjunction with NAG members and other volunteer residents. Letters have been sent to the drivers of all vehicles exceeding the speed limits; the vast majority of whom live in the parish in which they were speeding. The NAG is developing an educational and locally-based leaflet for these offenders, which highlights the consequences of their actions.
The third priority raised at last year’s public meeting is that of parking, and the NAG will begin to explore this issue at April’s meeting. If there is a parking issue in your neighbourhood, please get in touch with the neighbourhood team on the details below.
Criminal damage currently accounts for 60% of all crime across West Oxfordshire, and the neighbourhood team has been working hard to reduce this figure. This has included high-visibility and plain-clothes patrols in target areas, most recently including Charlbury and Kingham.
For more information about your local neighbourhood policing team, or to discuss any issues in the community, please contact Sgt Clare Mackintosh on 08458 505 505 or via chippyneighbourhood@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
Clare Mackintosh · Wed 1 Mar 2006, 22:29 · Link