UFFINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Planning applications. - Approved: The council has approved a planning application, reference P25/V1858/HH, for development work at the following location: Brook Cottage High Street Uffington Faringdon. The application is for: Proposed erection of a garden room and ground floor wc/shower room. You can see details of the application on our website by clicking this link
- New: The council has received a planning application, reference P25/V2235/S73, for development work at the following location: Land to south of Chapelfields Fawler Road Uffington. The application is for: Variation of condition 2 (approved drawings) on application ref. P24/V0535/FUL - addition of PV panels and 4 rooflights (Redevelopment of site to provide building for holiday/ short-term occupation). You can see details of the application on our website by clicking this link
WHAT'S ON - IN & AROUND UFFINGTON
Uffington Market and Caf̩ РSunday 2 November at THMH, from 10.00 am. Attractions include Bea Bakery, Trudie dog treats and free face painting. Poster attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/53238432-7466-0e04-045a-b19c46ac845e.jpg
Uffington Museum talk – Monday 3 November. 'Steam – The New Wonder'. By Liz Derrington, in the THMH at 7.30 pm. https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/9d99a728-8c5a-a683-602a-b3bd5b8a2c66/Steam_3_November.01.pdf
Uffington First Wednesday Walk - 5th November 2025 Faringdon to Stanford-in-the-Vale - (With a 9:00 start from Uffington).
Ten years ago a walk route "The Vale Way" was devised by the Vale Ramblers from Longcot to Abingdon, which can be done in five stages. For our November walk we plan to complete the second phase from Faringdon to Stanford-in-the-Vale, catching the 67 bus back to Faringdon. So, if you have a bus pass bring it along.
We need to arrive in Stanford-in-the-Vale in plenty of time for the11:59 bus back to Faringdon so will leave Uffington earlier than usual at 9:00 am.
For those of you who would prefer to go straight to the start point in Faringdon the meeting place is at the junction of London Road and Stanford Road, there are a few parking spaces on London Road and lots further along Stanford Road. The walk will leave Faringdon at 9:20 and is an easy level 4.3 miles with three stiles. Hopefully arriving at Stanford-in-the-Vale in time for a coffee at Stanford Coffee Shop. Meeting initially at Uffington Village Hall car park at 8:50 for car sharing and a 9:00 start. Weather is looking ideal, sunny 14 degrees and a gentle breeze.
We hope to complete the next three stages of The Vale Way in future walks using public transport to return to our start point. If you would like to see more details of the Vale Way Walk follow this link to the Rambler web site: The Vale Way
Hope you will all enjoy this new venture of a series of linear walks. The Walking Committee Verity, Pamela and Hilary. Verity Cavanagh veritycavanagh@gmail.com 07975861790
White Horse Gardening Club – Thursday 6 November. 'The A to Z of Bulbs', talk by Johnny Walker at 7.30 pm in the THMH. Poster attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/3d6d1349-4c6c-3f86-0251-ab492c10d77f.jpg
Wood fired Pizzas in Uffington – Monday 10 November. SOLELUNA PIZZA 3 will come regularly to Uffington and serve PIZZA at the car park by the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, between 5 and 8 pm. Next visits are: MONDAYS - 10th and 24th November. Pizzas are made fresh to order and served straight from the van. Pre Orders will be open 3 days in advance through our website www.pizzasoleluna.com. If you prefer you can order by the phone on 07894711730 or at the van. Expect cosy vibes, tasty treats and plenty of chat. Bring a friend — everyone's welcome! See attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/bf0a966f-f58d-a00a-ef96-c74606552a65.png
Quiz & Chips night 2025 at St Mary's Church, Uffington - Wednesday 12 November. Get ready for the Quiz & Chips night 2025 at St Mary's Church, Uffington on 12th November from 6:30! Bar, Amazing Auction, and Raffle Prizes. Tickets are on sale from Uffington Post Office & Stores, £16 each (including Fish & Chips).
John Spiers and Jackie Oates, Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington, Sunday December 14th.
The final show of 2025 will feature John Spiers and Jackie Oates with their seasonal/Christmas show at the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington described as a joyous celebration of the season in all its shades. This annual tour at Christmas provides a beautiful and heartwarming antidote to the materiality that can be a feature of the festive season, as they perform captivating and unusual Christmas carols from around the UK and far beyond.
It is the duo's aim to inspire audiences through their shared love of Christmas time including the traditions and rituals that have for many years been an important feature of each of their family traditions. Tickets are £18 each from cowmuckp@gmail.com
THOMAS HUGHES MEMORIAL HALL. - Village News reported on 24th October that £190,000 taken from Criminals has been used to make awards to 49 community and voluntary organisations. The Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall are pleased to confirm they are one of the recipients and have been awarded £1500 towards the cost of a new CCTV system to counter petty vandalism and improve security. The system will be designed to give full day and night, 360 degree surveillance of the car park and areas surrounding the hall.
- A portaloo has been sited in the village hall car park adjacent to the Air Ambulance clothing bins. This is to provide a service for the contractors who will be installing Gigaclear fibre cables in the village in the next several weeks. It has NOT been installed as a public toilet and we would be grateful if users of the car park and field could refrain from using it as such. Many thanks.
UFFINGTON BAULKING AND WOOLSTONE MINIBUS ASSOCIATION
Notice Of Annual General Meeting - 5 December. The Annual General Meeting will take place at 7.30 p.m on Friday 5th December 2025 in the Small Hall at the Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall Uffington. We encourage all villagers who have an interest in the future of this community amenity to take part in the meeting. We will be reporting on the first year with our new minibus and the response to our article and advertisement in the latest issue of the Courier.
GENERAL
News from the Ridgeway National Trail. Welcome to the Autumn edition of The Ridgeway National Trail newsletter. See: News from the Ridgeway National Trail
FROM THE VALE
Councils set to discuss future shape of Oxfordshire and West Berkshire's local government. Published on Monday 27 October 2025 Councils across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire are set to submit proposals on the shape of future local government reorganisation across the area. In late 2024 a request was made by government to all remaining two-tier areas across England (county and city/district councils) to submit an interim proposal(s) for a ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
Council leader expresses deep concerns for proposed reservoir at busy October Council Meeting. Vale of White Horse District Council's Leader, Bethia Thomas, reflected on the major topics dominating recent weeks at the October Council meeting, including the proposed Thames Water reservoir, the status of the Joint Local Plan and Local Government Reorganisation at the busy meeting on Wednesday 22 October. In her Leader's statement, Cllr Bethia Thomas, expressed ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
Concerns on the spiralling costs of South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) expressed at October Council meeting. Significant public concerns around Thames Water's South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) and the spiralling costs now associated with the proposed development, were raised at Vale of White Horse District Council's meeting on Wednesday 22 October. You can see details on our website by clicking this link
COUNTY NEWS
Road closures. The overnight closure of Broad Street / Fernham Road scheduled for 22 October has been delayed until the Gigaclear cabling works are completed, so that there is no digging up of newly laid surfaces. The revised dates are to be confirmed.
THAMES VALLEY POLICE
From Mathew Barber, PCC - My local update for you - October 2025. See: My local update for you - October 2025
From Mathew Barber, PCC - Vehicle Crime and Tool Theft campaign. See: Vehicle Crime and Tool Theft - Thames Valley PCC
FROM THE CHURCHES OF UFFINGTON BENEFICE
Please find attached the Weekly Sheet for Sunday 2 November: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/7b300936-0f8f-4efe-b642-96bcb2c7d782/wsh_2025_11_02.pdf
For all information, please see: https://www.uffingtonbenefice.com/
Village news 24 October 2025 UFFINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
The Autumn Tidy of the Jubilee Field will be held TOMORROW, 10 am to midday. The Parish Council hopes that as many as are able will turn out to help with various tasks such as laying wood chippings on the path round the pond, clearing around the small beech hedge, strimming where required, helping sow grass and perennial wild flower seed near the pond, and of course, weather permitting, we will have a bonfire. Please come armed with appropriate tools - shears, rakes, barrows etc. Your help will be much appreciated!
Planning applications.
The district council has received a planning application, reference P25/V2211/FUL, for development work at the following location: White Horse Hill Car Park, Dragon Hill Road, Oxfordshire. The application is for: Installation of parking equipment comprising 1 No. solar payment contactless terminal and 2 No. wooden posts to display signage. You can see details of the application on our website by clicking this link
(Note that this application site is in Woolstone parish, but may be of interest to Uffington residents).
WHAT'S ON - IN & AROUND UFFINGTON
Uffington Museum - the Jane Austen exhibition. The museum closes after this weekend so this is your last chance to see the Jane Austen exhibition - 2pm to 5pm Saturday & Sunday, free entry.
Uffington Market and Caf̩ РSunday 2 November at THMH, from 10.00 am. Attractions include Bea Bakery, Trudie dog treats and free face painting. Poster attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/44ba7abb-9d53-b6f3-feba-8e7a83cb8619.jpg
Uffington Museum talk – Monday 3 November. 'Steam – The New Wonder.' By Liz Derrington, in the THMH at 7.30 pm. Poster attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/02495800-629c-d672-9073-519b3f49695e/Steam_3_November.pdf
White Horse Gardening Club – Thursday 6 November. 'The A to Z of Bulbs', talk by Johnny Walker at 7.30 pm in the THMH. Poster attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/0ad025ab-d61e-2782-0a8e-2c550a44ca63.jpg
GENERAL
Shifford Carriage Driving Group Riding for the Disabled (RDA). The trustees of a small Riding for the Disabled Carriage Driving Group (Shifford Carriage Driving RDA) that has recently located to Charney Bassett have been in touch: 'We are in the process of developing the group so that we can offer pleasure carriage drives and lessons to more disabled participants. To achieve that we are in desperate need of more volunteers. Did you know - Carriage Driving Groups are only around 10% of the RDA total Nationwide Groups, and there is only one other group in Oxfordshire, near Henley. More information attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/1f81f5e4-c532-98f8-0bc8-c39033ce2a93/RDA_A4_flyer_V2.01.pdf
And on the website: Shifford Carriage Driving Group | Carriage Driving for Disabled People
The Trustees look forward to hearing from you.'
FROM THE VALE
Man convicted after admitting eight-year council tax fraud. A Blewbury resident has been convicted of two charges of fraud after admitting to falsely claiming a single person discount on his council tax over an eight-year period. You can see details on our website by clicking this link
Tuckmill Meadows has some `moo' residents. Meet Dorisse, Lucinda and KitKat, three Irish Dexter cows who have recently moved to Tuckmill Meadows nature reserve near Shrivenham as part of a nature recovery programme. You can see details on our website by clicking this link
Record-Breaking Season at Abbey Meadow Pool! Published 21 October 2025 This summer was a record breaker for Abbey Meadow outdoor pool in Abingdon with nearly 30,000 visitors coming to enjoy the facility. Vale of White Horse District Council and its leisure provider, GLL, who manage the pool, kiosk and splash pad for the council agreed a slightly earlier opening of the ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
Councils ask Inspectors to think again about local plan after minister letter. A letter to Planning Inspectors from a government minister could offer an opportunity for the Joint Local Plan being developed by the district councils in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse. The plan is currently being examined by Planning Inspectors who recently wrote to the councils recommending they withdraw the plan from the process. ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
Leader's statement - Report to Council - 22 October 2025. Cllr Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, delivered her latest Report to Council at the meeting on 22 October 2025: This evening, we have seen more members of the public come to a Vale full council meeting than ever before. They have joined us, because we all share one thing in ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
COUNTY NEWS
Road closures.
Uffington High Street, from Shotover to Chapel Lane, from 24 to 28 November. This will be between 08.00 and 17.00 daily and is to facilitate footway refurbishment. Alternative route: Via Woolstone Road and Broad Street, and vice-versa.
THAMES VALLEY POLICE
Road Safety Data. We would now like to share our next Quarterly reports of road safety statistics with you. This is Quarter 2, Apr - June 2025
We prioritise enforcement and education for drink and drug driving, the non wearing of seatbelts, excessive speed and driving whilst distracted. We create reports on a quarterly basis to share with our policing teams and partner agencies. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Quarter 2 2025.pdf
Over £190,000 taken from criminals to support crime prevention activity. Matthew Barber and Jason Hogg (Chief Constable, Thames Valley Police) have awarded £199,871 to 49 community and voluntary organisations in the second round of this year's Community Fund.
With 248 applications submitted for over £1.7m of funding, 49 organisations have successfully been awarded funding of between £446 – £10,000 to support a number of the Police and Crime Commissioner's key priorities. The Community Fund provides bi-annual support to voluntary and community groups that help to prevent crime and keep communities safe. Money for the Community Fund, which is jointly managed by the PCC and the Chief Constable, is created from the proceeds from the sale of items seized from criminals that cannot be returned to their rightful owners.
For full details on which organisations have successfully received funding, please visit the Community Fund webpage
FROM THE CHURCHES OF UFFINGTON BENEFICE
Please find attached the Weekly Sheet for Sunday 26 October: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/6ddf6a20-0050-9f2a-e379-827e9d1e36f3/wsh_2025_10_26.pdf
For all information, please see: https://www.uffingtonbenefice.com/
British Summer Time ends at 02.00 on Sunday 26 October, when the clocks go back one hour.
Rose and Dave's retirement As most of you will know by now, Rose and Dave are in the process of selling the shop and Post Office so that they can, finally, retire. The current target date is 20 November.
Rose and Dave have said that they would like cash and a framed photograph of themselves outside the shop as retirement gifts. To that end I have set up a GoFundMe page which will allow for donations to be made electronically (by PayPal, Google Pay or credit/debit card). There will also be a collection tin in the shop for those who would rather make a cash donation. Whilst there is a small charge (made before the final transfer out) for using the GoFundMe system it does provide a high degree of security and the money can be transferred directly to Rose and Dave's account.
To contribute, please go to Rose & Daves Retirement Collection , click the 'Donate now' button and follow the instructions. Please ignore the recommended amount! I will publicise the closure date nearer the time when the completion date has been confirmed.
Please note that I am coordinating this on a personal basis, not as a parish councillor. If you have any queries, please email me on retirement@oldnall.me.uk
Mike Oldnall
Thank you
Village news 17 October 2025 UFFINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
ADVANCE NOTICE – JUBILEE FIELD: The Autumn Tidy of the Jubilee Field will be held on Saturday 25th October, 10 am to midday. The Parish Council hopes that as many as are able will turn out to help with various tasks such as laying wood chippings on the path round the pond, clearing around the small beech hedge, strimming where required, helping sow grass and perennial wild flower seed near the pond, and of course, weather permitting, we will have a bonfire. Please come armed with appropriate tools - shears, rakes, barrows etc. Your help will be much appreciated!
Uffington Allotments. There are currently a number of allotments available for rental. If interested please contact allotments@uffington.net
More information attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/images/d71053d1-bc62-437c-450c-4c4086757a2e.png
WHAT'S ON - IN & AROUND UFFINGTON
Friday 14 November – Pudding Party, in aid of Uffington Picnic Fest 2026. More information attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/643261a2-b316-ee69-9800-bb9feda1ef74/Pudding_party_.01.pdf
GENERAL
Shifford Carriage Driving Group Riding for the Disabled (RDA). The trustees of a small Riding for the Disabled Carriage Driving Group (Shifford Carriage Driving RDA) that has recently located to Charney Bassett have been in touch:
'We are in the process of developing the group so that we can offer pleasure carriage drives and lessons to more disabled participants. To achieve that we are in desperate need of more volunteers. More information attached: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/a19805ba-dfef-79ef-1809-f04d2d88024d/RDA_A4_flyer_V2.pdf
And on the website: Shifford Carriage Driving Group | Carriage Driving for Disabled People The Trustees look forward to hearing from you.'
Thames Water. The article in last week's newsletter prompted an Uffington resident to write in:
'I have run into a Thames Water issue that might affect others in the village. Today, I noticed my water bill had shot up from £28/month to a staggering £513/month. Obviously, that is not normal, so I contacted TW; they confirmed it looks like there is a leak somewhere on my side.
After a quick test—turning off my stopcock in the house for an hour and checking the meter readings before and after—I found the meter was still ticking along, meaning water is leaking at a rate of about 1800 litres a day.
Since a lot of us just had new meters fitted around the same time, it might be worth advising everyone in the village to do a similar check. Turn off their stopcock for an hour and see if the meter is still running. This could help them catch any leaks early and avoid a nasty surprise on their next bill.'
As an extra to this, TW will not raise a job to repair this leak until a second meter reading is taken, 15 days after they took the last one.
Thames Water – again. South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO)
Thames Water have announced that they plan to launch the Statutory Consultation on the SESRO project on Tuesday 28 October 2025.
On that date, consultation materials, the latest project design, and details on how to provide feedback will be made available on our dedicated website. We will ensure links to this information are shared with you directly by email on the day. The public consultation will run until 11:59pm on Tuesday 13 January 2026 and will seek input on various aspects of the project, which will be outlined in the consultation materials. We'll also be hosting 9 events across November, including 7 in person and two online where we are inviting communities and customers to come and speak to our team to find out more about the project. Details of the dates for the events are attached here:
More information on how to register for the online events will be set out when the consultation goes live on the 28 October. We have also published our Statement of Community Consultation on our website South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) - Thames Water Strategic Resource Options which provides details on our approach to the consultation.
Regency tea party hosted by Uffington Museum
As part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, Uffington Museum hosted a Regency tea party in the village hall on Saturday. Guests were treated to a high tea of sandwiches, cakes and scones, all served on beautiful vintage china provided by Timeless Tea Party Hire based in Uffington. Photo attached of the five 'hostesses' in period dress: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/edc6709f-9d52-b207-dd96-ca50cb1dc87f/Tea_party_hosts.pdf
It was great fun with activities for children and a photo booth and we are grateful to everyone who supported us, including the Friends of Uffington Museum who supplied cakes, scones and sandwiches." We had over 60 visitors for tea with some lovely feedback and complements and raised £175 towards running the museum.
The museum will close at the end of October so if you haven't yet seen the Jane Austen exhibition we will be open weekends 2pm to 5pm. Entry to the museum is free, but donations are always appreciated. You can find out more about the museum on the Facebook page or website.
FROM THE VALE
Five frightfully good ways to save waste this Halloween. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are urging residents to enjoy a spooktacular Halloween without letting waste come back to haunt them. Every year, thousands of pumpkins and costumes end up in the bin after just one night of fright. But with a few simple swaps, we can all help save money, ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
For plenty of recipe ideas, crafty costume tips and spooky waste-saving ideas, visit: whitehorsedc.gov.uk/Halloween
Roadshow celebrates equality and diversity across the districts. `What does equality mean to you?' That's a question officers from South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils will be asking residents on their Equalities Roadshows starting on Tuesday 21 October. Council officers will be travelling across the districts to speak to the public about what the councils are doing to support ... You can see details on our website by clicking this link
(The link to the Vale website includes Roadshow dates and locations)
COUNTY NEWS
The latest news for your communities. See: The latest news for your communities
YourOxfordshire. Help us fix potholes faster, free park and ride journeys and driving at 70. See: Help us fix potholes faster, free park and ride journeys and driving at 70
THAMES VALLEY POLICE
🚨 Wantage and Grove NHPT – ATM Distraction Theft Alert. 🚨 We're warning residents about a rise in distraction thefts targeting people at ATMs across Oxfordshire.
👥 What's happening: Offenders work in pairs, parking away from the area to avoid detection. One suspect loiters nearby, while the other engages the victim in conversation or offers help. While distracting the victim, they steal the bank card. Victims' bank cards are used almost immediately.
🛡️ How to protect yourself:
• Stay alert when using ATMs — especially if approached or distracted
• Cover the keypad when entering your PIN
• Avoid accepting help from strangers at cash machines
• If you feel uncomfortable, cancel the transaction and walk away
• Report suspicious behaviour to police immediately
• If your card is stolen, cancel it straight away
🚓 We'll be conducting increased patrols around ATMs and store car parks to deter offenders and reassure the public. Let's stay vigilant and protect each other. If you see anything suspicious, call 101 or report it online.
FROM THE CHURCHES OF UFFINGTON BENEFICE
Please find attached the Weekly Sheet for Sunday 19 October: https://mcusercontent.com/c90a1a7b6d1f693a28c947f92/files/0b97206f-1f63-fd2d-ea88-a9306203b434/wsh_2025_10_19.pdf
For all information, please see: https://www.uffingtonbenefice.com/
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