News

Corner House Book Sale raises £100!!

The Corner House Book Sale has raised £105.70 to date - all proceeds go towards the maintenance of the Corner House and Memorial Hall. Thank you to those who have donated bookshelves and books. If you have books you no longer need, please call Neil Pakenham-Walsh on 01608 811899 or email neil.pakenham-walsh@ghi-net.org

The Book Sale is upstairs at the Corner House (Oliver Watney Room) and is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, and Saturday mornings. We have a great selection of books, new and old, fiction and non-fiction. Come and browse!

Neil Pakenham-Walsh · Sat 31 May 2014, 12:51 · Link

Ninety years since Beating the Bounds tragedy

On May 29th 1924, Ascension Day (as it is this year), an overloaded punt ferrying boundary walkers across the Evenlode near Walcot capsized. Despite the valiant efforts of rescuers, one of whom was awarded the Scout VC for gallantry, three children drowned.

They were Cyril Smith of the Talbot Inn, Jimmy Bishop of Hundley Way, and Evelyn Pickett."Why should it be forgot?" asked Amos George in his contemporary account of the tragedy.

It has not been forgotten, and the website hopes soon to carry a more detailed account of what happened, and why.

Rob Stepney · Tue 27 May 2014, 20:45 · Link

Charlbury Art Society offer an Art Bursary

Charlbury Art Society (CAS) in continuation of its aims to encourage art appreciation and artistic pursuits amongst its members and the local community is now able to offer a Bursary of £300 to a local person who is undertaking, or about to undertake, study for a formal art qualification at a recognised educational establishment.

CAS will select one person to receive this bursary based entirely on its judgement of suitability of those who submit an application on a standard form supplied by the Society. If in the opinion of CAS there is no suitable applicant then no selection will be made.

Application forms can be obtained from the Secretary and must be returned no later than the 1st July 2014. Applications will only be considered when applied for on the correct application form. For these contact: Marion Coates 01608 810116, or after the 15th June Geoff Clifford 01608 811006.

Maureen Sparling · Tue 20 May 2014, 11:44 · Link

Skatepark to close for maintenance

Maintenance now postponed to June 2nd due to weather concerns.

The Charlbury Skatepark will close for repairs and maintenance--weather permitting--on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, May 21, 22, 23. If all goes well, the park should be available for action on Saturday, May 24.

Kathy Broughton · Sun 18 May 2014, 23:39 · Link

Little Wild Things website goes live!

Our website is now up and running, meaning you can now read more about us, find out about our woodland site, and even book onto one of our family sessions.

So please visit www.littlewildthings.org.uk and come out to play!

Massive thanks to the wonderful Adrian Lancini for his amazing design and hard work on all our fabulous branding, and to Angela Moore for all her incredibly wise words.

See you in the woods!

Chris and Charlotte
Little Wild Things CIC

Christine Donaldson · Wed 14 May 2014, 14:20 · Link

Stately Car Boot at Cornbury Park Update

The Stately Car Boot sale held in aid of ROSY at Cornbury Park on Sunday saw a great turnout of stallholders and carbooters. Organiser Ali Wills said "We had cars and horseboxes and a vast range of merchandise from steamer trunks to splendid curtains, and giant planters to brass fire surrounds. We believe the Sale raised around £10,000 for ROSY, every penny of which will go to respite nursing for Oxfordshire's sickest youngsters."

ROSY - Respite nursing for Oxfordshire's Sick Youngsters, is an organisation that raises awareness of the need for respite nursing and funds to boost the extremely limited resources of Oxfordshire's Children's Respite Nursing Team. The team offers respite nursing to terminally, acutely, or chronically ill children and babies in their homes. www.rosy.org.uk

Alison Wright · Mon 12 May 2014, 20:21 · Link

Quiz Night at The Bull

Now the evenings are getting longer and the weather's getting (a bit) better, why not come and try the Quiz at the Bull Inn - every Wednesday evening between 6:30 and 10pm? It's a written quiz, so more relaxed and you can pop in for an hour or make an evening of it with family and friends.

We have changed the focus a bit lately, and are now offering up to five prizes (depending on the number of teams participating). Entrance is just £1 per person - excellent value entertainment!

It's always a fun evening, so come and give it a go - we will look forward to seeing you. (Please note: we are having a special fund-raising Quiz on Weds 28 May - pre booking is essential for that one. More information to follow.)

Alix Blumsom · Fri 9 May 2014, 16:57 · Link

More train services for Charlbury?

A consultation document issued by the Government holds out the prospect of increasing Charlbury's service still further. According to the consultation on the next Great Western franchise:

"FGW are also considering potential enhancements for the North Cotswolds route, and may issue a further consultation in due course. If successful, we expect that these additional new services will be continued in the new franchise arrangements."

It has been suggested elsewhere that First Great Western are considering additional services between Charlbury, Hanborough and London (like the current 07.12 train), to counter competition from the new Oxford Parkway station at Water Eaton, which will be operated by Chiltern Railways.

Richard Fairhurst · Fri 9 May 2014, 12:46 · Link

Southill Solar plans refused

The BBC reports:

"Plans for a solar farm within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have been refused by council planners. Sustainable Charlbury's 5 MW project for land south of the B4022 was expected to power up to 1,100 homes.

"There was concern from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) that the scheme would blight the area. West Oxfordshire District Council officers had recommended the refusal of the planning application. The council report said the solar farm would represent a major development within the Cotswolds AONB and 'would be of harm to the visual amenity of the area'.

"The authority received 23 letters of objection to the proposals for the 30 acre (12 hectare) site on the Cornbury Estate. Other objections included loss of wildlife and that it would 'urbanise the landscape'."

Richard Fairhurst · Wed 7 May 2014, 09:21 · Link

Palmate Newts in Blenheim Farm Pond

The pond dipping last Sunday revealed a breeding population of Palmate Newts in the pond at Blenheim Farm which was created in 2008. This is rather a surprise since they are usually found under more acidic conditions. We are wondering if there are more to be found in other Charlbury ponds, so if you have newts in your pond - are any of them palmate newts? Please let me know and if you want help in identifying them then please contact me by email or phone 01608 811057. More pictures of the Blenheim Farm newts are on the Countryside section of the Charlbury Green Hub website which also contains listing of events such as dawn chorus walks, badger watching, Westmill Solar Farm tours, etc. and Nearby Places to Visit e.g. for bluebell walks.

Christine Elliott · Fri 2 May 2014, 13:55 · Link

Tuesday Evening Badminton

We are a collection of men over 60 who play badminton every Tuesday at 8 pm in the War Memorial Hall. We are not a club - we just share the costs of the hall and shuttles. We rehydrate afterwards at The Bull and also have two social events with wives/partners. Age etc has overtaken some of us so we are looking for two or three new members.

If you would like to join us please contact me at charlmere@talktalk.net or on 810032.
Richard Cocks

Fri 2 May 2014, 13:49 · Link

Charlbury Pre School is part of Art week

Charlbury Pre School will be serving Tea and Cakes on 10th and 11th May to celebrate being part of Art week for the first time.

We warmly invite you to visit CharlburyPre-School and see the work of some of our community's youngest artists. We are situated in the Old Grammar School, a historic building with spectacular views over Cornbury Park.

Our display for Art Week will include individual work by each child who attends the setting and collaborative pieces by the whole group. There will also be an opportunity for visitors, both adults and children, to get creative themselves.

So, come along and have fun with collage, drawing and modelling with dough.

Liz Gupta · Thu 1 May 2014, 18:01 · Link