News
Community Centre Christmas Tree
We would like to say a huge thank you to House and Carriage and Halcyon Honey Farm for sponsoring our amazing tree! Also the wonderful bunch of chaps who laboured in the freezing cold yesterday to put it up. It looks amazing and will make a great backdrop to the carol singing on Saturday 18th December at 7pm. We hope you can join us and that the tree will cheer you on all your visits to the centre over the next few weeks.
(photo courtesy of Edmund Blok)
Charlbury Community Centre ·
Tue 30 Nov 2021, 14:47 · Link
Charlbury Beer Festival: Grants update
Thanks to our successful Oktoberfest in the Memorial Hall, Charlbury Beer Festival is delighted to announce that we now have money available to distribute as community grants. From 1 December, local organisations can apply for funds via our new online procedure found at: https://www.charlburybeerfestival.org/grants/
You will need to supply details of audited accounts and clear description including quotations and / or budget, of the grant required, as well as any additional support information. The more relevant information we receive, the faster we can assess any application.
Nick Millea ·
Tue 30 Nov 2021, 11:34 · Link
Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council
The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.
Mon 29 Nov 2021, 06:15 · Link
Vacancy for a new Trustee on the Thomas Gifford Trust
The
Thomas Gifford Trust is a charity which owns and manages the Charlbury
Community Centre and also the Playing Close. There is presently a
vacancy for a trustee, and we'd like to hear from you if you might be
interested. The trustees meet every 2 months (on a Wednesday evening),
but as a team are involved, with others, in the management and day to
day running of the Community Centre. It is a friendly and committed
team and amongst the existing trustees there is a wide range of skills
and experience. For the new trustee we are not looking for any
particular skill set, but it would be good to have someone who uses and
knows the Community Centre. If you are interested or would like to know
more about what might be involved, please contact Tanya:
comms@charlburycommunitycentre.org.uk
Information about the
Trust and the other trustees can be found here
Charlbury Community Centre ·
Sat 27 Nov 2021, 12:29 · Link
CRAG's response to this week's awful tragedy in the Channel
This week’s awful tragedy, the biggest loss of life by drowning in the Channel in years, has highlighted the plight of refugees trying to get to the UK.
We've suggested some things you can do about this situation on the CRAG webpage as well as a details of our latest fundraising campaign (if you'd like to donate you can go straight to the donation page).
Thank you.
Vicky Buser ·
Sat 27 Nov 2021, 09:15 · Link
The History of Charlbury through .... the Salt Way
Judy Dod for Charlbury Museum
In modern Britain, salt is readily available and very cheap to buy, while we are encouraged to limit our salt intake for health reasons. Yet in the past salt was an extremely valuable commodity which was highly prized and helped shape society. Salt improved flavour in cooking and enabled food to be preserved The name of the Salt Way, a long-distance path which runs close to Charlbury, is a reminder of its importance.
Salt was transported long distances and inspired some of the earliest trade routes. Droitwich was an early centre of salt production. Under the Romans its name was Salinae. Underneath the town are natural salt springs arising from pure beds of rock salt deep underground. The very pure salt that was extracted was highly prized and led to the formation of trade routes which radiated out from the town. The Salt Way that passes close to Charlbury is one of these.
The Salt Way can be accessed via Hundley Way, the Ditchley Road or along the footpath by Dustfield Farm. In one direction the track heads north towards Chipping Norton and then on through Gloucestershire and Warwickshire to Droitwich, while in the other direction it goes to Stonesfield and on to join Akeman Street. Salt was carried by pack horses and also transported by river. The Thames offered a good route to London which required huge quantities of salt for its growing population.
Before the Norman Conquest, various charters refer to salt streets, salters and fords (Salford is spelt Salteford in an Anglo-Saxon charter). The Domesday book names 68 manors which had the right to receive a certain amount of salt, including Rollright and Bampton in Oxfordshire.
Salt provided a valuable source of taxation for governments. In medieval times, the Droitwich salt springs belonged to the king and the town was charged an annual rent for using them. Roman soldiers were given an allowance of salt called a ‘salarium’ from which our word ‘salary’ derives. In 1930 Gandhi led a non-violent protest against the British salt monopoly in India and began the process which led to the overthrow of British rule in India.
The Salt Way today is a pleasant, quiet track, much used by walkers and cyclists. The next time you walk there, remember the pack horses who carried their valuable cargo along it for so many centuries.
Thursday 2nd December Charlbury Society members talk on Zoom 7.50 for 8pm
Dr Janice Kinory: The Production, Distribution and Usage of Salt in prehistoric Britain
To join the Society email treas.charlsoc@gmail.com
Judy Dod ·
Fri 26 Nov 2021, 20:50 · Link
Grants for community facilities: for all community groups
Forwarded for all groups with projects that might benefit from funding. Deadline is next week though!
Grants of up to £100,000 Available for Community Facilities (England)
Registered Charities, churches, Parish Councils, Local Authorities and CASC registered sports clubs can apply for grants of between £2,000 and £100,000 for the provision, maintenance or improvement of community facilities.
This can include:
Village Halls and Community Centres;
Public Play Areas;
Publicly available Multi use games areas;
Skate parks and BMX tracks;
Sport and recreation grounds including pavilions and clubhouses with full public access;
Churches – community spaces only;
Nature Reserves;
Public gardens, parks, country parks and woodlands with at least dawn to dusk access;
Museums.
The funding is being made available through the FCC Community Action Fund and is available to projects located within 10 miles of an eligible FCC Environment site.
Round 4 of the Community Action Fund will open for applications on the 15th September 2021 and close at 5 pm on the 1st December 2021.
The application form is available on the FCC Community Foundation website (link below)
Useful Links:
Application Guidelines
Back to Table of Contents
https://fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk/funds/fcc-community-action-fund
Gareth Epps ·
Fri 26 Nov 2021, 13:23 · Link
St Mary's Choir to sing first performance of a work for 100+ years
This Sunday, the choir of St Mary’s Church will be singing a work which has lain undiscovered for over a century.
The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C by Lizzie Wheeler is believed to be the first setting of the evening canticles by a woman composer, written in 1872. It was reviewed very favourably in the Musical Times and Daily Express of the time, and sung in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. But it was never republished after the first edition, and there is no record of it being sung in the 20th (or 21st!) centuries. Now, rediscovered from an archive copy in the British Library, it will be sung in Charlbury, for the first time in many years.
The canticles will be sung as part of Choral Evensong at 4pm at St Mary’s. Other music in the service, which lasts around one hour, includes Richard Ayleward’s Preces and Responses, and ‘Maranatha’ by David Ogden. All are welcome.
Richard Fairhurst ·
Fri 26 Nov 2021, 09:32 · Link
Christmas Trees at St Mary's
We still have trees to sell. Please buy and decorate a one for your family, charity or organisation. If you haven't got time to decorate one, please consider buying one to support St Mary's church this Christmas and we will put lights on it for you. We want the churchyard to look as full and amazing as possible, but we need to have the trees there for it to look beautiful.
Further information from Hilli.waller@gmail.com
Elisabeth Partington ·
Thu 25 Nov 2021, 21:52 · Link
Reverse Advent Calendar - A way of bringing Christmas hope to homeless people in Oxford.
You are invited to join Churches Together in Charlbury in making a reverse advent calendar.
Wrap a box in Christmas paper and every day of Advent place an item into the box.
The list of 24 useful items to include is also available from St Marys Church and Cornerstone.
Bring your filled box to St Mary’s Church or the Cornerstone at the Corner House between Christmas Eve and the middle of January and they will be delivered to the Porch in Oxford.
For more information email parishoffice@charlburychurch.uk
Many thanks
Jo Paton ·
Wed 24 Nov 2021, 11:06 · Link
Blithe Spirit opens this Thursday / Friday & Saturday
CADs are back on stage with " Blithe Spirit " by Noel Coward, directed by Sue Haffenden
25th, 26th & 27th November curtain up at 7.30pm.
At the Memorial Hall, Charlbury
Tickets: £10 to include programme, Concessions £7.50.
Available from Cotswold Frames, Charlbury or on the door subject to availability.
Please pay by cash/cheque with exact money. Bar opens 7pm.
( Social distancing observed and masks to be worn until seated)
Tim Widdows ·
Wed 24 Nov 2021, 10:29 · Link
110 Christmas Shoeboxes collected in Charlbury!
Many thanks to all who filled a Christmas Shoebox for needy children and families in Eastern Europe this year. Special thanks to the children of Charlbury Primary School and their families for taking part, and to those who used their sewing and knitting skills to make additional gifts to accompany the boxes.
Joan Belshaw
Christine Pearce ·
Fri 19 Nov 2021, 19:59 · Link
Proposal for yellow lines by Hixet Wood, Sheep St & Fishers Lane junction
Today, Friday 19th is the last day for objections and observation to be lodged with the county council. Let's not loose this valuable on-street parking.
Go to the following link https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/charlbury_hixetwood_parking2021/survey_tools/hixetwood_parking21#!
or email christian.mauz@oxfordshire.gov.uk quoting Ref CM/12.6.156
Brian Murray ·
Fri 19 Nov 2021, 14:19 · Link
Warning Nail bandit on the Slade
Just a warning that someone has deliberately thrown a load of nails across the road at the Ditchley corner out side the old coach house, my other half was walking the dog and found nails across the road and on the pavements both sides this was no accident, Amelia picked up as many as she could whilst dodging the traffic.
Please be vigilant and pick up any nails that you see before a terrible accident happens.
Tim Widdows ·
Thu 18 Nov 2021, 13:07 · Link
Charlbury Artroom
There is an exciting art space opening up at the Corner House in the centre of Charlbury ready to be used by anyone who needs creative space, physically or mentally outside the home.
The art spaces are available Monday to Sunday 8am till 5pm throughout the year.
The plan is to have everything in place to welcome artists at the beginning of January.
Maybe a group would like the space to work together regularly, maybe you want to escape the kitchen table or even those tasks that always seem more important than creative endeavours, maybe you just want the discipline of going somewhere regularly to work on your art practice or maybe you want space as a family or group to collectively work on some art. Whatever your need The Artroom could be the place for you.
It will be run as a co-operative with members running The Artroom and will be made up of regular and part time users.
Regular User
- Monday to Thursday. 8am till 5pm slots will be available to artists working in their own space each day paying an annual amount, i.e. an artist has a quarter of the space on a particular day.
Cost: £160 per annum equal to £3.08/ week (£40 paid quarterly in advance by bank transfer) this includes membership.
Part Time Users
- Friday and Sunday would be “pot luck” where artists would use the space on a “first come, first served” basis (hopefully bookable a week ahead on line)
Cost: £60 per annum equal to £1.16/week (£30 paid half yearly in advance by bank transfer) this includes membership.
If you want to meet up with like-minded individuals to be creative or need space to work on a collaborative or family project The Artroom could be the place for you.
If you are interested or know someone who would be please contact
:
Jane Crane : fjanecrane@gmail.com Tel: 07554018691
Tony Lloyd : t.lloyd@live.co.uk Tel: 07729777751
Let's fill Charlbury with creativity!
Tony Lloyd ·
Wed 17 Nov 2021, 18:56 · Link
Traffic proposals in Charlbury: an update
It’s time for an update on behalf of the Town Council on some proposed changes to traffic management in Charlbury that we are looking to take forward in the coming months.
Some of these are proposals that have been around for some time, and would have been addressed by the last Council but for the pandemic. We think that they will help tackle some of the town’s most annoying parking issues, help address a speeding issue and support our town centre traders. Since the town council elections we have been preparing to submit a Traffic Regulation Order [TRO] to do this, and would like to know what you think.
[To be clear, the current County Council proposed TRO to restrict parking on Hixet Wood has nothing to do with the Town Council, and we have objected to it.]
Some of you will have seen that the County Council is making it easier for communities to reduce traffic speed limits and bring in 20mph limits. We will be consulting on expanding the 20mph limit soon. For now, we are proposing to bring forward an extension of the 30mph limit along the Spelsbury Road as requested by local residents some years ago.
The previous Town Council ran an informal consultation on three parking changes in town. These all enjoyed support and we would like to take them forward:
• Restricting parking with double yellow lines at the bottom of Nine Acres Lane, to remove what has become a bottleneck below New Barn garage
• Opening up parking along Market Street by removing the double yellow lines for mail vehicles using the former Post Office, and creating new spaces for shoppers
• Dealing with the visibility issue for vehicles at Grammar School Hill, where parked cars can currently force oncoming traffic dangerously around the bend at the top of the hill. Following consultation with Charlbury Preschool, the proposals will not affect parking below the pedestrian barriers and allow for some parking uphill.
There are three further changes we would like to make, following feedback and in line with the Town Council’s declaration of a climate emergency and the need to help sustainable modes of transport. One is partly forced by the growing width of the cars in the town: at the very bottom of Browns Lane and at the top of Church Street there is one parking space in each location that can cause buses to become stuck, and we think they should be removed. The second is to enable cycle routes by permitting cycling in a contraflow arrangement along currently one-way roads, particularly Market Street and Browns Lane. Both of these changes we propose to submit as part of the TRO, subject to listening to views on whether these are changes that Charlbury supports.
Finally and in the longer term, it is apparent that the dangers from traffic driving at illegal speeds on Banbury Hill, The Slade and Woodstock Road (much of it from through traffic) can only be addressed by physical traffic calming measures. The Council is planning to start budgeting for changes. In some of these locations and on The Slade in particular, we will need to discuss how we do this with the County Council but more importantly with local people, to come up with proposals that are safe and affordable.
We are still at a relatively early stage of this process, which has to be paid for by the Town Council. We intend to submit a TRO application, and will be discussing this at our November meeting. Members of the public have the opportunity to ask questions or put their point of view about any of these changes to the Town Council meeting on 24 November. Some of them have been talked about for many years, and we believe that all of them enjoy broad support in the town. As well as starting a discussion here and on the Forum, we wanted to start a conversation about the wider issues of traffic and parking in the town; for example, the recent, welcome announcement that the County Council is to enable additional 20mph speed limit areas. The formal, statutory consultation will be run by the County Council and will take place in 2022.
Gareth Epps ·
Tue 16 Nov 2021, 09:59 · Link
Please help CRAG support Asylum Welcome
CRAG (Charlbury Refugee Action Group) is supporting Asylum Welcome in Oxford who are currently helping 100 Afghan refugees in temporary accommodation.
If you'd like to help too, please buy The Oxford Mail or The Oxford Times throughout the rest of November, and choose Asylum Welcome as your Readers' Choice Charity. You need to cut out the token form each day (available throughout November in case you have old copies) and then put the completed forms in the labelled orange tub in the Corner House hallway*. CRAG will collect them all at the end of the month and submit them.
Asylum Welcome will receive a share of the Readers' Choice Charity £20,000 cash fund based on their share of the total number of tokens collected by supporters. For more details please go to https://www.asylum-welcome.org/asylum-welcome-needs-your-vote/ - thank you!
*or hand them in to one of the other designed collection points listed here.
Vicky Buser ·
Mon 15 Nov 2021, 18:15 · Link
Royal British Legion Remembrance Day parade and Church Service
On Sunday, 14th November, the Royal British Legion, Charlbury Branch, Remembrance Day Parade will start at the Spendlove Centre at 2.30pm, and the Service of Remembrance will take place at 3pm in St.Mary's Church.
Teas will be served afterwards in the Memorial Hall.
Jackie Hague ·
Fri 12 Nov 2021, 22:14 · Link
Charlbury Corner House & War Memorial Hall charity AGM
Subject to government guidance on public gatherings not changing in the mean time, the charity’s AGM will be held on Monday 29th November in the Memorial Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend.
The AGM will be followed by a public meeting to provide information on progress with establishing the new Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) that will take over responsibility for The Corner House and the Memorial Hall. With the Charity Commission having approved the formation of the CIO towards the end of last month, the CIO’s trustees held their first meeting on Monday. Roy Scott agreed to chair the charity, with the trustees appointing Paddy Gallagher as treasurer and Simon Walker as secretary. More details on the next steps in the process needed for the CIO to take over will be made available at the public meeting.
Simon Walker ·
Fri 12 Nov 2021, 12:30 · Link
Charlbury Town Walking Football gets FA Just Play Status
As part of the FA's programme of developing football in the community, Charlbury Town Walking Football, which is played in the Community Centre, has just received FA Just Play status. To find out more simply google 'FA Just Play' or visit https://charlburytownfsc.co.uk/walking-football
John Munro ·
Thu 11 Nov 2021, 10:26 · Link
Football and Sports Club
Please take a look at the new Club website at charlburytownfsc.co.uk
Many thanks to John Munro for his voluntary work in making this a 'live' site once again.
There are links to all the user groups of our lovely Nine Acres playing fields.
Well worth a visit.
Phil Morgan ·
Tue 9 Nov 2021, 13:24 · Link
Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council
The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.
- Land South East The Slade Charlbury Oxfordshire
Certificate of Lawfulness to allow the continued use of a building and land for storage purposes (Use Class B8) together with the associated loading and unloading space required for the use.
WODC reference: 21/03569/CLE - Fri 29 Oct 2021 - Under consideration
Mon 8 Nov 2021, 06:15 · Link
Stand up for climate justice
A small crowd gathered in front of the Community Centre at 11am on Saturday 6th November to show their concern for the world, especially the less developed countries that have least responsibility for global warming, and support for effective international action on climate change.
There are two photos as some people had to leave hurriedly to catch a train to Oxford, where a far larger rally was taking place, and others arrived to take part after the first photo had been taken. Thank you to everyone who joined in, especially to the children who had made their own placards.
Messages will be sent to Robert Courts, our MP, and to the Government to tell them that people in Charlbury expect ambitious action following the promises being made at the UN conference on climate change and that we want to do our part.
Rosalind Scott ·
Sat 6 Nov 2021, 19:01 · Link
ANOTHER UNMISSABLE MEMORIAL HALL CONCERT
If you enjoy experiencing world-class music-making live, please don't miss tomorrow afternoon's recital in the Memorial Hall given by three internationally recognized artistes, the eminent British flautist Philippa Davies and the wonderful American pianist Maggie Cole and the eminent cellist Sebastian Comberti. They are coming to Charlbury to give a programme of some popular flute trios and duos by Haydn, Villa Lobos, Francaix and Beethoven. Doors open at 1430, the concert will start at 3 o'clock and your ticket price includes a selection of delicious cakes. All proceeds will go to CRAG.
Nick Parker ·
Sat 6 Nov 2021, 13:02 · Link
All Credit To A Helpful Truck Driver
Thank you Tom, an HGV driver for Drainfast in Coventry who, on being unable to reach the Hixet Wood building site, decided against bringing Charlbury to a halt by blocking the road. This man parked his truck to enable other vehicles to pass and then single-handedly unloaded his cargo and man-handled it along Sheep Street - not just once but four times. He did this with the utmost good will. With the assistance of a local resident he then reversed safely along to the Bull corner to continue on his way. Well done Tom.
Brian Murray ·
Thu 4 Nov 2021, 14:30 · Link
Tickets for Christmas Cracker concert now on sale
Tickets for the Christmas Cracker concert on Saturday 11th December at 7pm at St Mary's church are now on sale at Charlbury Deli (cash only) and Charlbury Cornerstone ( also takes cards). This event is part of the Christmas Tree festival. £15 includes a glass of wine ,children free.
Elisabeth Partington ·
Thu 4 Nov 2021, 08:30 · Link
Introducing Lisa Wilkinson, Charlbury's new town clerk
Charlbury Town Council is pleased to announce that Lisa Wilkinson has been appointed as new town clerk with immediate effect. She is working out notice periods so will not be available for her fully-contracted hours until 10th December.
The clerk's phone number is: 07311 259412
The clerk's email address is: charlburytownclerk@gmail.com Please give Lisa a warm Charlbury welcome!
Liz Reason, Chair, Charlbury Town Council
Liz Reason ·
Wed 3 Nov 2021, 17:18 · Link
Revised Staffed Hours for Charlbury Library from 1st November
As we now have more trained volunteers we are able to extend our staffed hours at Charlbury Library from November onwards, with the Library being staffed every Saturday morning. Staff and volunteers will alternate Saturday morning and Monday morning working - please see the new weekly timings below. The library remains accessible to everyone 7 days a week whenever the Community Centre is open. Please remember your library card if you wish to borrow or renew items or collect reservations using the self-service machine.
Monday: 10am-12.30pm
Tuesday: Unstaffed
Wednesday: 2pm-7pm
Thursday: Unstaffed
Friday: 2pm-5pm
Saturday: 10am-12.30pm
Sunday: Unstaffed
Julie Ward ·
Mon 1 Nov 2021, 14:33 · Link
Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council
The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.
- 67 The Green Charlbury
Erection of a first floor extension and alterations to front elevation
WODC reference: 21/03509/HHD - Mon 25 Oct 2021 - Under consideration
- 15 Ticknell Piece Road Charlbury
Erection of rear single storey garden room extension
WODC reference: 21/03469/HHD - Thu 21 Oct 2021 - Under consideration
Mon 1 Nov 2021, 06:15 · Link
booking_form_ctf_2021__3.pdf
