Local news and events
Art Group for Pensioners. Every Wednesday in August, from 10.30 to 12, in the Village Hall. More information: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/9b6d1502-667e-ad2d-9651-b9a1aae245b8.jpg
Uffington Wed Walk 2nd August - Northmoor Circular Walk. It was an enjoyable and interesting walk last month, venturing further afield to Newbury. Thank you for arranging Pamela. See photo: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/28d90a9f-570b-3d11-4d13-36d85425b1c7.jpg
On 2 August, meeting at Uffington Village Hall at 9:20 for car sharing and a 9:30 departure, we will head to Northmoor Village. For those who would like to meet up at Northmoor, our meeting place will be outside St. Denys Church, Northmoor OX29 5SX at approximately 10;00 am. There is roadside parking in the village so please park considerately. See the route: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/3fb71525-8229-ed1e-4a36-7379dfe1d226.jpg
Despite the unseasonal weather recently the forecast for the morning of 2nd looks very promising - cool for the time of year at 17 degrees but a light breeze, sunny intervals and light cloud.
The Red Lion Pub in Northmoor serves lunches on Wednesdays for those who are interested or why not just stop for a well-earned drink. Look forward to sharing a good walk. If anyone has an enjoyable walk they would like to share with the group we are always keen to have fresh suggestions for walks.
Walking committee; Verity, Pamela, Joe and Hilary. Any queries, contact: veritycavanagh@gmail.com or: 07975 861790.
General
OXFORDSHIRE SOUTH AND VALE CITIZENS ADVICE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS. Are you looking for a new challenge, and want to contribute something to your community? Oxfordshire South and Vale Citizens Advice is looking for volunteer advisers and IT specialists to work in our friendly offices in Abingdon, Didcot, Henley or Thame. Citizens Advice gives people the knowledge and confidence they need to find. More information here: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/7b53d211-ad4c-3f67-369d-6916a763de23/Citizens_Advice_needs_Volunteers_July_2023.pdf
White Horse Show - car park marshals needed - volunteers will receive free entry to the show! We need to rally as many volunteers as possible to be car park marshals at the White Horse Show on Sunday 27th and Monday 28th August 2023. Volunteers will be needed to stand at entry gates and direct traffic in the car park.
In return for a few hours of your time, the organisers will donate to local charities, including the Uffington school PTA. On top of the donation, all volunteers who take a 2 hour slot in the rota will get free entry to the show. If two family members volunteer you will receive a free family ticket.
Please click the link to complete the form if you are able to volunteer. A member of the Show organisation committee will be in touch with further information nearer the event.
https://forms.gle/1fEgX38GpWSaC61M8
From the Vale - Cash boost for rural economy across districts. More than £1m is available to help improve the rural economy across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse. Both district councils have secured funding from the government's Rural England Prosperity Fund, which can be used to provide a boost to projects such as creating rural business hubs, setting up community energy schemes and ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
- £155k of longer-term funding for vital information and advice services. Organisations based in the Vale of White Horse who provide vital information, advice and outreach services can now apply for up to five years of funding, thanks to a new grant scheme. Vale of White Horse District Council has launched the £154,920 partnership grant to help ensure that information and advice organisations who help people ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
- How we're 'Letting It Bee' for Love Parks Week. As Keep Britain Tidy's national Love Parks Week starts on 28 July, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils are sharing with residents the latest updates on their work to increase biodiversity in their parks and open spaces. What we've done In March at the start of the growing season the councils' parks ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
County news
Your Oxfordshire. Summer fun, free bus travel, Oxford station and jobs for those who care. See: Summer fun, free bus travel, Oxford station and jobs for those who care (mailchi.mp)
From the Police
August Community Watch magazine. This is not an official Neighbourhood Watch magazine. However, it has some interesting articles which you might like to read, including some advice about pothole damage. See: Community Watch Thames Valley August 2023.pdf
From the Churches of Uffington Benefice
Please find attached the Weekly Sheet which covers the 23rd July, 30th July and 6th August: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/c802bc12-311a-4cdd-1ee7-a6a7c4afd171/wsh_2023_07_23_to_08_06.01.pdf
The next Weekly Sheet will be for 13th August. For all information, please see: https://www.uffingtonbenefice.com/
Theft of tools on 21 July Theft of tools from a van.
Great Western Building Services Ltd are working on a house in Fernham Road, and with permission parking in the grounds of St Marys Church. Our work van was broken into and had all tools stolen between 8am - 9:30am on the morning of 21/07/23. Could I please ask if anyone has any door or dash cam videos around that area during that time, please check them to see if anything has been captured of the arrival, theft or leaving the area. The police incident number is 43230323886.
Carly – 07872 479502
Village news 21 July 2023 Uffington Parish Council
Uffington Village Shop – Security Appeal. There was the most amazingly quick and generous response to the appeal for donations to improve security following the break-in at the Shop on 9 May. In only seven days the target of £5,000 was reached with the final total coming to £5,830. This represents a considerable tribute to Dave and Rose Holborow and all their staff, showing very clearly the gratitude, respect, admiration and friendship which many local residents – not just people in Uffington – feel for them personally and for the service they provide to the community. A list of those who contributed has been given to Dave and Rose.
As you will have seen, a new front door and metal shutters to improve security have already been installed. The Parish Council is holding the surplus of c£800, which was specifically donated for security improvements, in reserve in case any further enhancements are recommended by the police or insurers.
The following has been received from Dave and Rose Holborow:
We were devastated by yet another break-in on 9 May and the additional pressures this brought to our lives at a time when we were also fully involved with selling our house in Swindon and moving into Uffington.
Firstly, we would like to thank Patricia Dalrymple, Geoff Rumble and the Parish Council for their support, including on the administration of the appeal funds and seeing the project through to completion.
We are deeply touched by the tremendous support we have been shown, which lifted us when we were both at our lowest ebb. We will shortly be moving into the village, which will enable us to continue to serve the community.
Hopefully we will be able to thank you all personally, but in the meanwhile, please accept this note as a very sincere thank you to all concerned.
Dave and Rose
Parish Council Co-option. We hope you will have seen the various requests from the Parish Council seeking volunteers to be co-opted as councillors. We have co-opted one additional councillor already, leaving one vacancy. We will be considering those who have volunteered for this last post at our August Council meeting on 14th August. If you would like still to be considered, please let the clerk clerk@uffington.net know by 31 July so we can make the necessary arrangements, including a chat with an existing councillor to allow you to ask any questions.
Electric scooters. There is an increasing number of electric scooters in use and the Parish Council has received complaints about their use locally. Clearly they are good fun and can be very useful for getting around quickly, but please be aware of the current position in UK law:
It is currently illegal in the UK to use a privately owned electric scooter on public roads, pavements or cycle lanes. Electric scooters can only be legally used on private land with the permission of the landowner. You are, however, legally entitled to buy, sell and own an electric scooter.
Electric scooters must never be used on pavements in the village; if you choose to use them, or permit your children to use them, on public roads or cycle lanes, it is at your own risk as they are almost impossible to insure whilst they are illegal.
Local news and events
Uffington Farmers Market. This Sunday from 10.00 am.
Sunday 23 July, 3.00-4.00pm - St Mary's Church. TEDDY BEARS' PICNIC. Bring along your own picnic and a teddy bear to enjoy an afternoon in the lovely surroundings of St Mary's Church. Be sure to pop into the museum to meet Sir John Betjeman's teddy, Archie. The normal Church Teas of sandwiches, cakes and soft drinks will also be available.
Monday 24 July. Friends of Tom Brown's School Museum. AND SO, TO TED …A HISTORY OF TEDDIES & OTHER BEARS, by Melanie Gibson-Barton in the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall on Monday 24 July from 1930-2100.
Melanie's fully illustrated talk of 'bear' essentials will appeal to all bear lovers. Her informative, wide-ranging talk will prove just how far teddy bears have, for more than a century, been woven into our culture. Teddy bears are seen as lifelong friends by many people – it is estimated that half of all adults still have their childhood bear. So be sure to bring your bears along to hear the talk! Tickets are £3 for TBSM Friends, £5 for non-Friends; and children (and bears) can attend for free. However, please note that although Melanie's talk will be wide-ranging and fun, it is predominately aimed at an adult audience and is unlikely to end until 9pm.
Wednesday 26 July. White Horse WI. I am delighted to confirm that the brand-new White Horse WI will officially form on July 26th after a brilliant and very well attended June meeting.
Several of you came forward to volunteer to be on the new WI committee and we already have a President, Secretary and Treasurer which is fabulous. We would love to see you at the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall on the 26th July at 7.30 pm, for the next meeting, where we will be welcoming Helena McBride from The Space Maker www.thespacemaker.co.uk who will be talking to us about de-cluttering: 'Clearing your house, clearing your mind, clearing your life and taking back control'. Everyone is very welcome to come along.
Catherine Blaxhall, WI Adviser, Oxfordshire WI Trustee
General
David Johnston MP Article – July. See attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/8ebe13b3-e05c-871c-31ff-23cf7b1067d9/David_Johnston_MP_Article_July.pdf
Appeal for help with building drawing production. The village hall management committee want to progress a project to improve the area immediately outside the small hall emergency exit. This entails profiling the existing step and pavement adjacent to allow easier emergency egress for disabled persons and to generally improve the appearance of the area. See photo attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/_compresseds/ab5fa0e7-cae3-50d9-2690-ee69f2e6e640.jpg
To make sure we get this right first time, we are looking for someone who can produce scale drawings and a pictorial impression to communicate to our builder. Is there anyone with these skills who would be prepared to help us with the production of drawings?
Paul Armishaw 820385
White Horse Show - car park marshals needed. Volunteers will receive free entry to the show! We need to rally as many volunteers as possible to be car park marshals at the White Horse Show on Sunday 27th and Monday 28th August 2023.
In return for a few hours of your time, the organisers will donate to local charities, including the Uffington school PTA. On top of the donation, all volunteers who take a 2 hour slot in the rota will get free entry to the show. If two family members volunteer you will receive a free family ticket. Volunteers will be needed to stand at entry gates and direct traffic in the car park. Please click the link to complete the form if you can volunteer. A member of the Show organisation committee will be in touch with further information nearer the event.
https://forms.gle/1fEgX38GpWSaC61M8
Wilts and Berks Canal Trust Community Survey. WBCT is moving into an exciting phase of the canal regeneration, with a strong focus on social value and bringing together our young and older volunteers.
Our goal is to expand our work enabling more people to benefit from the restoration, ensuring that a wider range of society will be an integral part of this mission. To accomplish this, we are seeking Heritage Lottery Funding, which if successful will be a substantial boost to our restoration programme.
To support our funding application, we kindly request your participation in a brief survey that will take approximately 7 minutes to complete to provide us with feedback and guidance on the canal restoration. This feedback will be incorporated into the Heritage Lottery application. By completing the survey, you will help us shape our future promotional and restoration endeavours and assist us in identifying areas where we can enhance our impact and involve a broader cross-section of society.
Thank you for helping us create a more inclusive and accessible Wilts & Berks Canal and we appreciate your time. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DFFG23K
From the Vale
Lots of fun for everyone this summer! Are you ready for a summer of fun? South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have organised a summer packed full of fun free and low-cost activities for the whole family to enjoy! Starting Monday 24 July and running through to Friday 1 September activities will be taking place across the districts to ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
County news
YourOxfordshire - Your opinion counts, next steps for school leavers and unseen treasures. See: Your opinion counts, next steps for school leavers and unseen treasures (mailchi.mp)
From the Police
Police & Crime Bulletin July '23 - Police pay, knife crime and more…See: Police & Crime Bulletin July '23 - Police pay, knife crime and more… (matthewbarber.co.uk)
From the Churches of Uffington Benefice
Please find attached the Weekly Sheet which covers the 23rd July, 30th July and 6th August: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/28199e46-5f6a-66e2-b2cf-aa2db79a5208/wsh_2023_07_23_to_08_06.pdf
Please note, due to holidays, the next Weekly Sheet will be for 13th August.
For all information, please see: https://www.uffingtonbenefice.com/
Village news 14 July 2023 Uffington Parish Council
Vacancy for a Clerk/RFO. After more than 7 years in the post, Julia our Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) is moving onward and upward. Whilst this is good news for Julia it is not good news for the Council! The Council is therefore looking for a replacement clerk to take over at the end of September. The Person Specification for the post can be seen and downloaded from https://www.uffington.net/app/download/19026397/Clerk-+vacancy+V2.pdf.
The full job specification will follow shortly. Anyone interested should contact Julia or any councillor for more details.
Summer Courier Magazine. The summer Courier magazine will be distributed next week. For those few who have requested an electronic copy only, this can now be read/downloaded from here. All previous versions can be found here: Uffington Parish Council - Courier
Local news and events
Friday 14 July. Come along to the summer social that's being run by Uffington School PTA in the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall this evening from 6.00pm. There'll be a BBQ, Bar and music. All are welcome.
Sunday 23 July, 3.00-4.00pm - St Mary's Church. TEDDY BEARS' PICNIC. Bring along your own picnic and a teddy bear to enjoy an afternoon in the lovely surroundings of St Mary's Church. Be sure to pop into the museum to meet Sir John Betjeman's teddy, Archie. The normal Church Teas of sandwiches, cakes and soft drinks will also be available.
Monday 24 July, 1930-2100. Friends of Tom Brown's School Museum. AND SO, TO TED …A HISTORY OF TEDDIES & OTHER BEARS, by Melanie Gibson-Barton in the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall on Monday 24 July.
Melanie's fully illustrated talk of 'bear' essentials will appeal to all bear lovers. Her informative, wide-ranging talk will prove just how far teddy bears have, for more than a century, been woven into our culture. Teddy bears are seen as lifelong friends by many people – it is estimated that half of all adults still have their childhood bear. So be sure to bring your bears along to hear the talk! Tickets are £3 for TBSM Friends, £5 for non-Friends; and children (and bears) can attend for free. However, please note that although Melanie's talk will be wide-ranging and fun, it is predominately aimed at an adult audience and is unlikely to end until 9pm.
General Information
Uffington Village Shop – Security. The new doors and metal security shutters have been fitted, so the appeal for donations is now closed.
White Horse Show - car park marshals - volunteers needed! We need to rally as many volunteers as possible to be car park marshals at the White Horse Show on Sunday 27th and Monday 28th August 2023. In return for a few hours of your time, the organisers will donate to local charities, including the Uffington school PTA.
On top of the donation, all volunteers who take a 2 hour slot in the rota will get free entry to the show. Volunteers will be needed to stand at entry gates and direct traffic in the car park. Please click the link to complete the form if you are able to volunteer, and a member of the Show organisation committee will be in touch with further information nearer the event. https://forms.gle/1fEgX38GpWSaC61M8
Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall – not a public toilet!
The building was recently hired by a Brownie group for a weekend "camp" and initially, the Leaders did not lock the main entrance. As a result, they became aware that members of the public were coming in and using the toilets without asking permission. It is the responsibility of the adult leaders of a group of young girls to look after and protect them and it is completely unacceptable for any stranger to think they can just "pop in" to relieve themselves. We have been asked in the past whether the hall can be left open for use as a public toilet. This is not possible because, when it is unlocked, it is being used by a group that has hired the building and expects exclusive use of the facilities. When it is not being hired, it is locked to meet our insurance and cannot be supervised by unpaid volunteers.
To be clear, the Memorial Hall is not a public convenience and anyone attempting to use the toilets without permission will be captured on CCTV.
Geoff Rumble, Hall Management Committee
From the Vale
Leader's Statement - 12 July. As I look around, it becomes evident that I am still trying to come to terms with the new look of our council and I am delighted to see a strong and active administration raring to get struck into the policy decisions that will come over the course of the next four years, and that ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
County news
The July report to parishes is attached here: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/7d327531-3ffc-e0aa-0431-0861e592ec8d/OCC_Parish_Report_July_2023_GROUP_.pdf
From the Police.
Oxfordshire Trading Standards warning - Pets Reunited. There are reports of scam calls to owners of missing pets listed on Pets Reunited. Please be vigilant, these scam calls are often very convincing! The caller claims to be from a vet, the RSCPA or a rescue centre informing owners they need to pay immediately as their beloved pet needs an operation, Or they may ask for a small 'release fee' (around £5) in order for a pet to be released back to its owner. PLEASE DO NOT BE TAKEN IN BY THIS, IT IS A SCAM.
If you're unsure if this is a genuine call about your missing pet - take the name of the vet or rescue centre and google it, find the contact details yourself and then contact them directly. If they are genuine they won't mind you contacting them. Do not use the number the scammers offer you. Hang up the phone! If you're using a landline, make sure that they are not still on the line after you've hung up. Local Website https://www.petsreunited.com/local/oxford
July update from the Police & Crime Commissioner. See: July update from the Police & Crime Commissioner (campaign-archive.com)
From the Churches of Uffington Benefice
Please find attached the Weekly Sheet for Sunday July 16th: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/218be0e1-2869-d09c-4a0e-0b3edd8f9f2b/wsh_2023_07_16.pdf
For all information, please see: https://www.uffingtonbenefice.com/
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