News

Easter Good Turn

About forty five years ago Tegwyn Kearsey (Guide Captain) took the Girl Guides to Dean Grove on Good Friday to pick primroses, these were distributed to older people in Charlbury.When it was no longer possible to pick wild flowers,an egg and a piece of fruit were taken, later this was replaced by a plant,the Brownies and Rainbows took over this wonderful effort when the Guides closed.Now sadly there are no Brownies or Rainbows in Charlbury and the Easter Good Turn which has been so much appreciated will not happen. A great vote of thanks is due to the Leaders , girls and all who helpedto maintain this tradition for so many years.

Leah Fowler · Sat 29 Mar 2014, 09:44 · Link

Inaugural Meeting of Charlymog

The inaugural meeting of Charlymog (the Charlbury Morgan Owners Club) took place on the cool but sunny morning of Saturday, 22nd March,2014. The cars drove in convoy through Charlbury and the surrounding Cotswold countryside before visiting a cafe for a very pleasant breakfast.

Patrick Gallagher · Sat 22 Mar 2014, 14:52 · Link

Wilderness Festival Local Resident Tickets are now sold out

As of 5pm today (21st March), all Local Resident Tickets for Wilderness Festival 2014 have sold out.

Selected outlets (to be confirmed) will be on sale with regular priced Adult Weekend Tickets as of next week.

Adult Weekend Tickets, Child, Young Person Car Passes are available now from the website - www.wildernessfestival.com

Rupert Davies · Fri 21 Mar 2014, 17:46 · Link

Local Masters Swimming Sessions

4 Shires Swimming Club, based in and around the Chipping Norton area, is looking to introduce a Masters' (adult) section in addition to its very popular training sessions for young competition swimmers. No session time or day has been finalised as yet but the Club is interested in gauging interest from potential members to its Masters section. If it goes ahead, the session(s) would be suitable for existing Masters swimmers, former competition swimmers who are looking to get back in the water, triathletes and competent adult swimmers looking to improve their strokes and fitness. Please go to the website www.4ssc.co.uk and contact the Chair, Caroline Mills, to register your interest.

charlie clews · Fri 21 Mar 2014, 14:21 · Link

Thames Valley Police Spring Time Burglary Campaign

As spring approaches and people start using their garden tools again they become more accessible and attractive to thieves. Garden sheds, outbuildings and garages are a popular target as they are likely to contain expensive items such as lawn mowers, hedge cutters, pedal bikes and power tools.

The campaign will be running in addition to normal policing activities and is due to start on Thursday (20/3) until Saturday 5 April. The local neighbourhood policing teams aim to raise awareness of the importance of revisiting and strengthening the security of your home and outbuildings, to help prevent you from being a victim of burglary.

Officers and members of the Trading Standards will be offering vital crime prevention advice to raise awareness of the importance of securing your home, outbuildings and garages, during the spring period, at the following events:
•Deddington Farmers market, between 9am and 12.30pm on Saturday 22 March. Officers will be accompanied by Trading Standards, offering crime prevention advice in relation to home and outbuilding. We will also be offering a tack marking service.
•Bicester crime prevention event from 10am until 2pm on Saturday 29 March in Sheep Street, Bicester.
•Banbury crime prevention event from 10am until 2pm on Saturday 5 April at the Castle Quay Shopping Centre.
•The Carterton Neighbourhood Team will be running Advice Days at the Carterton market on Thursday 20 March and Thursday 27 March between 10am and 2pm.
•The Chipping Norton Neighbourhood Team will be running a crime prevention event on Friday 28 March and Saturday 29 March from 10am until 5pm, at Market Square, Chipping Norton.
•The Woodstock Neighbourhood Team will be running a crime prevention event on Wednesday 2 April from 10am until 5pm in the Town Centre.
•The Witney Neighbourhood Team will be running a crime prevention event on Thursday 27 March from 10am until 2pm in the Market.

Valou Pakenham-Walsh · Fri 21 Mar 2014, 09:43 · Link

Charlbury Swifts

There has been a lot of interest in the Charlbury swifts, following Chris Mason's inspiring talk and film on 14th March.

If you'd like to encourage swifts to nest in your house, please get in touch with me. I can help you choose a site, and advise on nesting boxes etc. If you are having scaffolding up on your house, it would be an ideal opportunity to act now, to save our swifts!

Andrew Lawson
01608 811483

Judy Dod · Thu 20 Mar 2014, 11:20 · Link

Prime Minister shows support for Little Wild Things

New Charlbury business, Little Wild Things, has received a very exciting letter from David Cameron. He strongly supports our plans to run woodland sessions for the local children, connecting them with the natural world. This is what he has to say...

"I was so pleased to hear about the launch of Little Wild Things in Charlbury. It is so important for children to spend time outside and it is good to see projects, like this one, making the most of the local area. West Oxfordshire really is a beautiful place, it's where my family and I feel most relaxed and I never forget how lucky we are to be able to call it home.

I know how much hard work has been put in by Charlotte and Christine for the benefit of the children, their families and the wider community and so I want to wish the project the very best for the future."

Maybe we can rope him into some mud painting this summer!

Things are progressing well for our launch in June, and our fundraising total for the minibus has now reached nearly £4,000! Thank you so much to everyone that has donated - we have been overwhelmed by your support. Our project page on Crowdfunder is live for another three weeks so if you'd like to find out more or if you can spare some pennies to help us reach our target of £6,500 then please visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/littlewildthings/

Thank you!

Christine Donaldson and Charlotte Hansford

Christine Donaldson · Wed 19 Mar 2014, 12:50 · Link

Charlbury Police Office Closure

On the 31st of March the Charlbury Police Office will close. This year the police post would have been open for ten years. I would like to say a huge thanks to all of the volunteers who spared their time, without them the office would have closed a long time ago. The town will still have a police presence; I will still be your local PCSO and Chipping Norton and Witney Police Station will have officers based there 24hrs a day. Once a week every Monday between 12 and 3pm at the Corner House our volunteers will have a front counter service.

You can still contact your local neighbourhood team on 101

PCSO Wesley Smith c9837
Chipping Norton

Wed 19 Mar 2014, 08:48 · Link

Another town councillor vacancy

Jim Holah has unfortunately resigned from Charlbury Town Council which means that there is another vacancy.

The official notice is pasted below, but in brief:

"A vacancy now exists in the office of Councillor for the Town. If, no later than 9 April 2014, a request for an election to fill the vacancy is made to the Chief Executive, West Oxfordshire District Council, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 1NB by TEN electors for the Town, an election will be held to fill the vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option. If there is an election, it will take place not later than 12 June, 2014."

This is the second vacancy to arise in 2014. An election was requested for the previous vacancy, but in the event, only one candidate stood (Ron Prew, who had previously stood at the 2012 elections) and was therefore "elected" by default.

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on 4th April in the Memorial Hall. The Annual Meeting of the Town Council itself is usually held at the council's May meeting, which this year will be on Wednesday 28th May; this is the meeting at which town councillors are elected as chairman, vice-chairman, committee members, and representatives to other bodies.

The full wording of the notice is:

Notice of Vacancy in the Office as Councillor - Town of Charlbury

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972, that Mr J Holah, formerly a Member of the above named Town Council, has ceased to be a Member of the Town Council, and that a vacancy now exists in the office of Councillor for the Town.

If, within 14 days* after the date of this notice (i.e. no later than 9 April, 2014), a request for an election to fill the vacancy is made to the Chief Executive, West Oxfordshire District Council, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 1NB by TEN electors for the Town, an election will be held to fill the vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option. If there is an election, it will take place not later than 12 June 2014.

In computing any period of time for this purpose, a Saturday or Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a bank holiday or day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning must be disregarded.

Richard Fairhurst · Tue 18 Mar 2014, 11:35 · Link

The Corner House has started an upstairs second-hand bookshop

The Corner House has started an upstairs second-hand bookshop! All books are 50p each and all proceeds go towards the maintenance of the Corner House and Memorial Hall.

We currently have about 200 books and they are available to browse in the Oliver Watney room (middle room). The room is open to the public whenever the Corner House is open: 9am - 5pm weekdays plus Saturday mornings and some evenings.

We have space for 800 more books. If you have any spare books you would like to donate to the Corner House, please email Neil.Pakenham-Walsh@ghi-net.org or phone 01608 811899.

Neil Pakenham-Walsh · Mon 17 Mar 2014, 14:28 · Link

Tour of the Agrivert food waste recycling plant, Cassington

WODC are organising tours of the food waste recycling centre at Cassington on April 9th, and there are places available for local residents who would like to see how our food waste is processed. The tour takes an hour and is very interesting and informative. You can find out more at www.westoxon.gov.uk/news/april/food-waste-tour. To book a place please call 01993 861742.

Liz Leffman · Mon 17 Mar 2014, 11:09 · Link

Girl Rising Film Screening - THANK YOU

On 14th March, One Woman a Year International hosted it's first ever film screening of the film "Girl Rising" in Charlbury, a documentary film about the poser of education to change societies. This post is to say a massive thank you to everyone to came and saw the film and who donated so generously to OWAY. We had over 50 people through the door and raised over £250.

Thank you so much your interest and generosity. You have already made a difference.

Tess Woolfenden · Sun 16 Mar 2014, 17:31 · Link

Wilderness news - discounted tickets for locals nearly sold out

OX7 residents wanting tickets for Wilderness are advised that the discounted day tickets have now sold out and there are only a few weekend tickets remaining. Charlbury Post Office is one of the exclusive outlets for this special offer for local residents, so if you've been meaning to buy some tickets, and somehow haven't got round to it, now is the time to do it!

Wilderness takes place at Cornbury Park from 7-10 August 2014. Further details at www.wildernessfestival.com

Alison Wright · Fri 14 Mar 2014, 16:46 · Link

Spendlove offices to become housing

The majority of the office block at the Spendlove Centre is to be converted into flats.

A planning application lodged with West Oxfordshire District Council envisages that the whole of the first floor, and most of the ground floor, will become nine flats. The vets and dental practice will remain as they are.

The developers ("Kildrummy Charlbury Syndicate") and their agents (Allen Planning) are using a new law that allows offices to be converted into housing without the need for a full planning application. Instead, it qualifies as "Permitted Development" and can only be refused on transport, contamination or flooding grounds.

The law was introduced by the present Government in 2013 and seeks to ensure "a swift and responsive planning system... for securing sustainable development" and to "unblock" the planning system. (More details.) Kildrummy purchased the offices in June 2011.

The change would effectively remove the largest employment site in central Charlbury.

Richard Fairhurst · Fri 14 Mar 2014, 14:35 · Link

WILDERNESS TICKETS - LAST FEW TICKETS AVAILABLE

Wilderness Day Tickets have now all Sold out. Last few WEEKEND tickets are still available for OX7 resident's (max 4 per household) - Please purchase asap to avoid disappointment. CHARLBURY POST OFFICE

Elaine Newbold · Fri 14 Mar 2014, 14:21 · Link

Could you run a shop in Charlbury?

The former bookshop in Market Street is available for a suitable commercial or charitable venture at a reasonable quarterly rental.

For further details please contact admin@dustscan.co.uk .

(Originally posted in the adverts section.)

Richard Fairhurst · Fri 7 Mar 2014, 17:31 · Link

Police Warning: Bank Card Scam

Please be aware that this scam is still continuing in the Chipping Norton area. The latest incident was in Charlbury on 05/03/14
A fraudster 'cold calls' the victim on their land line and claims to be from a bank or the police where they claim they have identified a discrepancy on one of the victim's accounts. To gain the victim's trust they will ask the victim to call them back straight away, but unknown to the victim they have not disconnected the call and when the victim dials the real number they are still connected to the fraudster. The fraudster will then ask for the victim's bank account details, PIN numbers and / or sometimes cash.
• Finally, the fraudster sends an innocent taxi driver or courier to the victim's house to collect the items. The fraudster will then use the card to withdraw cash, make purchases in stores or online. On this occasion the call was made in the early hours of the morning and the fraudster claimed to be a police constable form another area stating the victim's cards had been found in possession of a male they had arrested. The victim was asked to hang up and call the bank immediately; again the fraudster does not hang up the phone. The victim is then asked for all bank details including pin numbers however they don't ask the victim to say the pin numbers but only to type the numbers using the phone keypad. Then the cards are picked up by taxi or courier. REMEMBER your bank or the police will never ask for your pin or bank card.

Valou Pakenham-Walsh · Fri 7 Mar 2014, 06:50 · Link

Canon Judy French appointed Archdeacon of Dorchester

Charlbury's vicar, Canon Judy French, has been appointed to the newly created post of Archdeacon of Dorchester. The appointment means that Judy will be leaving Charlbury after 17 years at St Mary's.

The post of Archdeacon is the most senior currently available to female clergy in the Church of England. Its responsibilities include the church's buildings, the welfare of the clergy, and reconciling divided parishes.

Judy's last service here is likely to be at the end of May, after which there will be an "interregnum" until a new vicar is appointed - typically of six months or more. St Mary's is however blessed with the services of Revd Jan Fielden, also Area Dean, and several retired clergy.

Separately, the Chipping Norton Deanery is being reorganised; it has been proposed that Charlbury is amalgamated with the benefice of Chadlington, Ascott, Spelsbury and Enstone. A final decision on this has not yet been taken but St Mary's PCC has made a case that a Charlbury-based stipendiary priest should be retained.

(Photo of Judy with the Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, the Bishop of Dorchester, by Maureen Sparling from the St Mary's website.)

Richard Fairhurst · Sun 2 Mar 2014, 12:51 · Link