News

The church chimes are back

Rejoice, rejoice! The clock chimes are now working in time for Christmas; the residents of Charlbury can sleep easy in the beds again.

The motor which winds the weight up was found to have a fault and needed rewinding. When this came back, all shiny and new, it worked beautifully, but something had got out of alignment with the clock and the chimes refused to work. After several visits to trace the problem, we dismantled and reassembled the mechanism (3 times) until we had everything lined up and the quarters ringing out again.

Thanks to Ed Stuart for his expert advice and the neighbours for their tolerance while they had to listen to the hours strike without the warning notes of the Westminster chimes to precede it.

Richard Fairhurst · Mon 24 Dec 2007, 14:15 · Link

Charlbury Community Projects has funds for local groups

Charlbury Community Projects is the organisation that distributes the money raised through the annual Charlbury Beer Festival, and the other events we organise.
A lot of the cash we raise goes to support the Primary School, our original partner in the Beer Festival, but we also want to support other groups in the town.

You can see some examples of groups we have supported by going to our website www.charlburybeerfestival.org.uk.

If you have a group or event that you think we could help, ask for an application form through the website.

You can also enquire by contacting jimholah50@yahoo.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.

Jim Holah

Jim Holah · Tue 18 Dec 2007, 22:38 · Link

'Charming and captivating' Christmas show comes to Charlbury

If you're not sure what to expect from 'Princess Ruby Slippers', the new Christmas play from the ever-popular Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company, you probably missed the recent rave review in the Oxford Times. Reviewer Angie Johnson wrote that 'their latest show has all the hallmarks of their continued success', and describes the show as 'a charming adventure into the imaginative world of children and their play'. She continues: 'This is a well-thought-out family show for all ages. The audience where I saw the show ranged from babes-in-arms to senior citizens, who all seemed entranced.'

You can see 'Princess Ruby Slippers' at Memorial Hall on Thursday 3rd January, at 7.30 pm. Tickets (£7 and £5) are available from Evenlode Books and Cotswold Frames, or by calling 811196.

Edward Fenton · Mon 17 Dec 2007, 16:49 · Link

Oxford Mail reports on FGW campaign

This week's troubles with train boarding, and the subsequent reports and petition on the Charlbury Website, have been reported in the Oxford Mail under the headline "Commuter Pressures Force Rail Victory".

Excerpts from the full story:

"Passengers using one of the worst rail services in the country have forced a climbdown from their train operator over delays...

"From the start of its new timetable this week, FGW decreed that the front end of a train, normally first class on trains heading into Oxford and London, would be on the platform. However, the majority of commuters have standard class tickets and at Charlbury's four-coach platform they were forced into long queues to enter the doors of the only standard coach on the platform.

"Trains were heavily delayed as a result and complaints piled in to a Charlbury website. On Thursday, FGW instructed drivers to resume the previous practice of stopping four standard class coaches on the platform."

"[FGW spokesman] Mr Ruck added that they had [now] "tweaked" the boarding system. First class passengers were not comfortable with people squeezing by them as people boarded the train and standard fare passengers were also uncomfortable about having few doors to get in by."

Richard Fairhurst · Sat 15 Dec 2007, 17:32 · Link

Thank You for Supporting the Annual Combined Charities Christmas Card Sale

thanking people for their support of the

Annual United Charities Christmas Card Sale and Coffee Morning.

The annual sale which took place in the Corner House on the 10th November was well supported. As well as the profit raised directly by the local charities selling Christmas cards a further £125.75 raised from the coffee morning was shared equally amongst the participating charities.

Many thanks to all who supported this event.
Linda Akers