News

C1 Bus new timetable from 1 December

Further to alterations to the C1 Bus service, which will now no longer call at Witney or Burford, please see the new timetable which can be found here

Susie Finch · Fri 28 Nov 2014, 13:11 · Link

Charlbury Day Centre 'Open Morning'

Apologies to all, but the date advertised in The Chronicle and in The Leaflet is unfortunately wrong .It will be on the morning of the 10TH DECEMBER and not on the 3rd. I hope this will not cause too much confusion in your diaries.
Bob Tait.

Bob Tait · Fri 28 Nov 2014, 11:32 · Link

Lorry driver fined for travelling across Evenlode bridge

A case brought by Oxfordshire County Council has led to a Gloucester lorry driver being fined £405 for ignoring the weight limit on the weak river bridge.

A Trading Standards enforcement officer spotted Alan Moss, 55, driving his 18-tonne lorry past the 7.5-tonne weak bridge weight restriction at Forest Road, Charlbury on 8 May 2014. Moss, of Sapphire Close, Tuffley, admitted the offence.

Richard Wightman, Environmental Protection Unit Team Leader for Oxfordshire County Council's Trading Standards team, said: "Weight restrictions are there for very good reasons either to protect bridges that have become structurally weakened or because the use of particular roads by heavy goods vehicles is not suitable. It may be tempting for drivers to ignore such regulations for a short-cut, but by doing so they are potentially putting other road users or roads and bridges at risk.

Most of central Charlbury, as well as the river bridge, is subject to a 7.5-tonne limit. You can report infringements on the Oxfordshire County Council website.

Richard Fairhurst · Wed 26 Nov 2014, 23:08 · Link

Café Culture comes to Charlbury

A novel way of learning about contemporary art comes to Charlbury next week when Art Insights launches Café Culture at White Hart Cottage, Thames Street.

Café Culture takes the tradition of the salon and themes it to the contemporary art being shown in galleries and museums in our region. It is an opportunity to learn about some fascinating art through an illustrated talk in the relaxed setting of a lovely home. Café Culture events are informal small group events and serve delicious homemade refreshments during the presentation.

The first Café Culture in Charlbury will examine the art of the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei who is currently exhibiting at Blenheim Palace. For those who have seen this exhibition and perhaps feel rather baffled by what they have seen, this is an ideal opportunity to learn more about the art of this controversial artist, how it is shaped by his life and his politics and how he has become a global superstar.

Art Insights talks are given by Clare Carswell MA(RCA) and offer the insights of an experienced artist, critic, curator and lecturer into the work of contemporary artists and the concepts that preoccupy them. The talks are enjoyable and informative and are delivered in a friendly and approachable manner. The art that is discussed raises interesting questions about what modern art is and how we might relate to it and questions and comments are welcomed.

Clare says of Art Insights talks

"I hope that the Art Insights talks will interest dedicated followers of modern art and also encourage some to look at art that they may find challenging, to step outside their art-viewing 'comfort zone' and to consider why contemporary artists make what they do and why galleries and museums validate it by exhibiting it. The talks will explore some of the ideas preoccupying contemporary artists and help make the experience of the art of today more accessible and enjoyable for the viewer".

Clare has taught fine art since 1988 in the UK and in Scandinavia in many art departments including The Ruskin School of Fine Art Oxford University, Oxford Brookes University, Chelsea School of Art London, Royal College of Art London, Nordland Kunst of Filmskole, Norway. She is Director of AYYO Contemporary Art based at Overlay Studio Charlbury where she curates the work of UK and international artists through the residency programme Art Pitch. She writes on art and has been published in the UK for The Oxford Times and for the international arts press including for Flash Art and New York Arts Magazine. She works in performance and drawing and will exhibit in Harstad, Norway and New York in 2015.

Details of the first Café Culture Charlbury event can be found in the events section and at www.artinsights.org

Clare Carswell · Fri 21 Nov 2014, 22:55 · Link

Charlbury Artweeks video

You can see a selection of Charlbury artists explaining their work, on show this weekend, in this new video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti_wpazXQwk

For details of the open studios and galleries, see the events section.

Richard Fairhurst · Fri 21 Nov 2014, 18:18 · Link

The Great Debate

Inhabitants of local nests and burrows may be interested to know that the illustrious Charlbury Debating Society held its stormy autumn session on Thursday night.

The highly charged motion, "Law and morality should be treated separately" - proposed by Nick Johnson (Justice and Reconciliation, Rwanda) and opposed by Paul Craig (Professor of English Law, Oxford University) - was defeated by a single vote...

Be at the next debate on 26th February - you could make all the difference!

Jonathan Luxmoore · Thu 20 Nov 2014, 23:05 · Link

Charlbury WI November meeting

Thank you to everyone who came along to Charlbury WI's monthly meeting last night. We had a full house for local speaker, Gillian Cane, who gave a lively and entertaining talk about the Mitford sisters. We appreciate the support and hope everyone enjoyed the evening as much as we did. Our 2015 programme will be available from next month, so do keep an eye on the Charlbury website for further details or look out for printed copies around the town.

Louise Cashman · Thu 20 Nov 2014, 13:45 · Link

Charlbury politician defeats Government

A familiar face in Charlbury has inflicted the first Commons defeat on Conservative/LibDem coalition ministers.

Gareth Epps, a LibDem and CAMRA activist and former Town Councillor, is one of the guiding spirits behind the "Fair Deal for your Local" campaign. The campaign yesterday succeeded in an amendment to loosening the "beer tie". The tie restricts brewery-owned pubs - such as the Bell in Charlbury - from buying beer elsewhere at market rates. Gareth now lives in Reading but is still well known to many in Charlbury.

The campaign explains its aims as:

"We support the principle that a tied licensee should be no worse off than a free-of-tie licensee. Join us in calling for:

• Market Rent Only (free of tie option) and Guest Beer Options for licensees of large Pubcos
• A powerful Code and Adjudicator to monitor large Pubcos and end abuses."

You can read more at www.fairdealforyourlocal.com/ .

Richard Fairhurst · Wed 19 Nov 2014, 12:26 · Link

Local author coins 2014’s Word of the Year

The Oxford Dictionaries have chosen 'vape' as 2014's 'international word of the year', according to an article on the BBC website, which also acknowledges that the word is actually far from new. It was first used in print by local author Rob Stepney, in an article 'Why do people smoke?' as long ago as 1983. For the full news item, see www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/30092689

Edward Fenton · Tue 18 Nov 2014, 13:14 · Link

No new vicar yet

The Bishop of Dorchester, the Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, has issued a statement following the appointment panel's failure to appoint a new vicar for Charlbury.

"First of all may I thank everybody who made the interviews on Friday go so well. I thought that there was a lovely atmosphere and wonderful organisation from start to finish and I was very grateful for that.

"However, although we met three excellent priests we concluded, after a great deal of thoughtful and prayerful discussion, that it was not right to invite any of them to become the next Vicar of Charlbury with Shorthampton and Area Dean of Chipping Norton.

"Clearly this was a big disappointment both to them and to us but, as I have stressed to your representatives on several occasions, it is much better not to go ahead with an appointment than to make one that we were not convinced was the right one. As I said after the Eucharist on the day, such appointments, in my experience, do not work out well either for the individual or for the parish concerned

"What will happen now is that we will re-advertise the post in January, with the aim of interviewing sometime just before Easter. This will delay the arrival of your new incumbent by 3-4 months and I am very conscious of the extra burden this will place on all those who do so much in the life of the Church but, having said that, I am sure that we made the right decision on the day and I look forward to being with you again for the next round of interviews.

"Finally, please pray both for the candidates and for all of us on the panels."

Richard Fairhurst · Wed 12 Nov 2014, 14:41 · Link

Face Paint or Face Bling?

With Halloween past and bonfire night too, the winter nights are drawing in with the comforting crackle of the fire and the berries on the holly tree reminding us of pomegranates, mulled wine and that party season is just around the corner with all its sparkling and magic.

Midnight Faces, a new Charlbury make-up and face painting service, promises to bring some theatrical elegance to that masquerade ball, a night out at the theatre or themed dinner with friends; with beautifully iridescent siren masks, holograph eye details or expertly blended eye make-up designs. So, why not treat yourself to a beautiful eye design, an enhanced geisha make-up or wear a subtle adornment like a painted veil?

Face painting has grown up and while the kids still enjoy their tiger faces, butterflies, rose princess designs and monstrous Machiavellian masks, Midnight Faces offers more subtle, beautiful designs for adult parties and special occasions.

A fancy dress should be more than the clothes you wear, to really become the character, monster or hero of your dreams, you must show it in your face. We can create themed designs for book launches and festivals, fundraisers, fashion and hair shows, or just a little face-bling to stand out from the crowd.

To find out more please do visit the Midnight Faces website at midnightfaces.co.uk

rebecca valentine · Wed 12 Nov 2014, 13:39 · Link

Another Way to Have Your Say

This Saturday the West Oxfordshire Patient & Public Forum is hosting a drop-in session to give Charlbury residents an opportunity to give their comments, opinions, suggestions and complaints about NHS services. See the Have Your Say posters around town and on the Events page.
For people who cannot come to the Memorial Hall between 10 and 12, and want to have their say they can email comments to Kathy Broughton at kathy@kbroughton.co.uk or leave a message at 811991.

Kathy Broughton · Wed 12 Nov 2014, 10:45 · Link

Corner House - event web listing task

Can you spare half-an-hour a week to upload booked events in the Corner House and Memorial Hall to this website? You would need a laptop or tablet computer - to fill in a supplied spreadsheet and to come to the Corner House to access the diary in situ. Please call, Stephen Andrews, Chairman 811212 or stephen.andrews@phonecoop.coop

Susie Finch · Wed 5 Nov 2014, 10:51 · Link

‘Just Giving’ - an easy way to support the new Community Centre

Will you be using the new Community Centre? Its sports facilities for you and your children? The hightech library and IT suite? Maybe to meet friends for socialising? Or for a host of other things that the Centre will provide? If you feel that you'd like to be part of this exciting project, now or in the future, please read on!

As you're probably aware, Charlbury's eagerly anticipated Community Centre is set to become a reality since £1.2 million of funding has been secured to construct the building. Massive thanks to everyone who has stalwartly supported us, especially those of you who contributed to the £170,000 raised by the Charlbury Community Centre Appeal. Now it's time to turn our attention to fundraising for the all-important fixtures and equipment that will make the Centre a really outstanding facility for our Town.

We need to kit out the Centre for various sports, a state-of-the-art library, other suites depending on local demand, a social meeting place, external landscaping, and much more. To raise this money we'll be applying for grants, holding more fundraising events - which you'll see advertised around the town and on our website. We're also seeking support from local companies and individuals - especially future users.

Go to www.justgiving.com/thomasgiffordcharity and from midnight on November 3rd you'll find us on the search facility and can start giving, perhaps a one-off gift, a monthly direct debit or maybe consider doing something worthy of sponsorship. However small - we welcome your contribution. The more we raise, the better equipped the Centre will be for everyone to enjoy!

Jim Holah · Mon 3 Nov 2014, 14:23 · Link