Please note that this section is presented as an archive of past columns and is not updated. Some web links may no longer be active (usually indicated by a score-through), for instance when a consultation has closed. For reasons of space, the Events, Community Notices and News from Your Local Councils sections have been deleted from the archive posts.
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Please click here to see the other archived columns for this (and all the other) weekly news sections.
Thursday 19 December 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes cards, services, gifts, science, crafts and draughts – plus a look back at some of the main stories we covered in 2024. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Christmas Eve Carols. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A look back at 2024
We’ve covered a lot of stories in this area over the last year. The archives of this column (scroll down for the last few weeks and, for earlier pages, follow the links) will provide what we said at the time. In this section, we’ll take a quick look at some of the main issues we’ve dealt with, some more than once.
• Wantage Leisure Centre. This has been badly in need of renovation for some time. We looked at the various funding streams (including government grants and S106 contributions) that were available for different aspects of the work, not all of which could be accessed at the same time. Some work has now taken place; more remains to be done.
• The reservoir. Thames Water’s plans for a massive – and we mean really, really big – reservoir north of Wantage has continued to attract a lot of opposition. Construction impact, the danger of leaks and collapse (TW’s record in this area is not strong) and environmental damage have all been cited. Even more seriously, many are claiming that the reservoir is not needed at all.
• Wantage’s pedestrianisation plans. This scheme to increase the pedestrianised area of the Market Square has gone quite quiet after the furore this occasioned last year. The project doesn’t seem to be completely dead, and the Town Council has promised that any further moves will be preceded with full local consultation, something that was lacking last time.
• Wantage Road Station. Former MP David Johnston vowed to mention the case for re-opening this at every opportunity. He was as good as his word, but he has been and gone and the project seems little closer to fruition. On one level, the demands of the climate emergency and the rapid population growth in and around Wantage and Grove seem to make this a no-brainer, particularly as the railway line already exists; all that’s needed is a station. The timetabling complexities of the railways seem to present huge obstacles to this (at least until a stopping service from Bristol to Oxford is introduced). There’s also the small matter of securing government funding. We shall see if the new MP Olly Glover picks up the baton from his predecessor, and if he has any more success.
• The Wantage and Grove Campaign Group. This organisation produces newsletters roughly once a month, which look at issues relevant to OX12, in particular planning, health provision and transport. You can see the most recent newsletter by clicking here. Anyone wanting to stay in touch with these important matters is advised to sign up to receive them directly. However, we plan to continue to link to these in this column, adding comment where we feel this is helpful.
• Other stories we’ve covered in the area in 2024 include the Vale of White Horse’s local plan, the possible re-instatement of the iconic airplane at the Grove Industrial Park, funding issues at The Beacon and the Vale and Downland Museum, the problems faced by the local hospitality industry and the slow progress with restoring more services to the Wantage Community Hospital.
We also have continued to provide the most comprehensive round-up of news from all the parish town councils in the area (including links to minutes) and provide in each weekly column a listing of community notices, local newsletters, consultations and events. All this will continue into 2025. Please email brian@pennypost.org.uk if there’s anything you’d like to contribute to any aspect of this section.
• Other news
• Love Wantage reminder that the Wantage tradition of Christmas Eve Carols will be taking place on Tuesday 24 December at the Market Place from 6.30pm. Come along to join in the festive spirit. Be aware the Market Square carpark will be closed off.
• Check out Wantage Parish churches’ Facebook page for details of its Christmas services including Cristingle Service, Carols by Candelight, Christmas Eve Crib Service and Christmas Day services.
• Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council, has released a Christmas message, reflecting on the ups and downs of 2024 and looking ahead to what the new year might bring. Read it here.
• Still need to get gifts for Christmas? Don’t forget that The Mix on Mill Street has a free to use Gift Swap. Simply bring along something (new, still giftable) that you don’t want and swap it for something of roughly equivalent value that you do want, or want to give to someone else. If you’ve nothing to swap then a small donation will do instead. Last open times before Christmas are 10am to 1pm Saturday 21 December and 2pm to 6pm Monday 23 December.
• After taking a break in December, the Wantage Café Scientifique will be back in the new year with the subject Glyphosate: Friend or Foe? with Julian Gold. On Wednesday 8 January, Gold, a local farm manager with a particular interest in regenerative and sustainable agricultural systems, will be discussing Glyphosate (“Round-up”), an indispensable herbicide in modern agricultural systems and the issues surrounding it. To learn more click here.
• Wantage Library is holding several Eco Christmas Craft workshops. The last one will be this Friday from 2pm to 4pm. Visit its Facebook page for dates and details.
• Welcome to Wild Oxfordshire‘s December Environmental Bulletin, which includes how businesses can benefit whilst tackling the climate and biodiversity crises.
• Do you have toys you no longer need? Don’t wait until after the holidays – donate them now! Many families in our community are facing financial challenges this Christmas season. By donating your gently used toys to any Charity Shop before the holidays, you can help a family afford a gift for their child this Christmas.
• If you’re trying to be more sustainable this Christmas, buying pre-loved gifts is a great way to reduce waste and can also save you money. The Hub in Shrivenham has a great range of pre-loved Christmas gifts, Christmas jumpers and even party-wear for all your festive needs.
• If you’ve been feeling chilly at home lately, would you like the Sustainable Wantage Draughtbusters team to check for draughts? You can either fill in an online form here, ask in person at The Mix, or contact wantagemix@gmail.com. They will check your house for draughts and fix these for you. If more complex measures need to be taken, they can give you advice on the next steps. The service is free, although donations are welcomed.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 12 December 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a re-opening, a concert, workshops, hedging, stories and wild Oxfordshire – plus the latest stage in the joint local plan from the Vale and South Oxfordshire Councils. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Gaudete! A Christmas Folk-Song Concert & Christmas Story & Craft Afternoon. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• The Vale’s local plan
A joint statement from the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire Councils reports that “a plan for the future in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has taken its big next step forward.”
The two district councils have been working together to produce a Joint Local Plan (JLP), “which aims to help meet their local communities’ need for affordable housing, jobs and infrastructure while tackling the climate emergency.” Following a series of successful public consultations, the plan has now been submitted to the Government for the examination stage.
The Planning Inspectorate will examine the JLP and assess whether it has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements. At the end of the public examination, the Inspector will conclude whether or not the plan is sound. In most cases the Inspector’s report will recommend some changes that would allow the plan to be adopted. If successfully adopted, the plan would replace the existing Local Plans for both councils.
“In the new draft Joint Local Plan, the councils have shown that there are enough new homes in the pipeline already,” the statement continues. “This means that there is no need to build on any extra new greenfield sites over the next 15 years, beyond what has already been allocated.” This will doubtless come as a relief to residents of OX12, who feel they they have borne the brunt of new housing schemes in the last 20 years.
And, there’s more: “Crucially, the plan also sets out new firmer environment policies so that development is net zero carbon and delivers twice the national level of biodiversity net gain to help with the recovery of nature.”
Councillor Andy Foulsham, Vale of White Horse District Council Cabinet Member for Policy and Programmes, was very upbeat about “This plan is ground-breaking in its climate ambitions – maximising our commitment to biodiversity and providing the homes we need while protecting the green belt.” We’ll see what Angela Rayner has to say on this last point.
“I look forward to hopefully adopting the plan as soon as we can,” Andy Foulsham concluded. To the south, the imminent adoption of West Berkshire Council’s own local plan is not being met with anything like the same level of municipal optimism.
• Other news
• Wantage Leisure Centre will be officially unveiling the newly refurbished gym this Friday, including the brand new free weights area which has a new floor and mirrors. They have uploaded a sneak-peak to their Facebook page, so check out the new look.
• This Friday 13 December, get into the festive spirit with Gaudete! A Christmas Folk-Song Concert, at The Beacon, Wantage. The performance features Christmas carols, winter folk songs, toe-tapping tunes and a plethora of weird and wonderful instruments. To book tickets click here.
• Wantage Library is holding several Eco Christmas Craft workshops. Visit their facebook page for dates and details.
• Sustainable Wantage is looking for volunteers to help plant 2,500 hedging plants on Friday 13 and/or Saturday 14 December. There’s a lot of planting to do and it hopes to get as much as possible done on these days, so any help would be much appreciated. Meet in the Manor Road Recreation Ground car park at 9.30am and wear weather appropriate clothing. Let them know you’re coming on 07768 767787 or email wantagemix@gmail.com.
• Take your little ones to the Christmas Story and Crafts event at Down to Earth Community Cafe on Tuesday 17 December. Enjoy a cosy afternoon filled with festive cheer, magical storytelling, crafts and hot chocolate. Their visiting storyteller, the wonderful Sally Matthews, will be reading an enchanting Christmas story and then you’ll create some fabulous Christmas crafts. It’s the perfect way to get into the festive spirit whilst supporting our local community cafe. Tickets cost £2.50 per child (plus booking fee), accompanying adults are free. Book tickets here.
• Welcome to Wild Oxfordshire‘s December Enivronmental Bulletin, which includes how businesses can benefit whilst tackling the climate and biodiversity crises.
• Do you have toys you no longer need? Don’t wait until after the holidays – donate them now! Many families in our community are facing financial challenges this Christmas season. By donating your gently used toys to any Charity Shop before the holidays, you can help a family afford a gift for their child this Christmas.
• If you’re trying to be more sustainable this Christmas, buying pre-loved gifts is a great way to reduce waste and can also save you money. The Hub in Shrivenham has a great range of pre-loved Christmas gifts, Christmas jumpers and even party-wear for all your festive needs.
• If you’ve been feeling chilly at home lately, would you like the Sustainable Wantage Draughtbusters team to check for draughts? You can either fill in an online form here, ask in person at The Mix, or contact wantagemix@gmail.com. They will check your house for draughts and fix these for you. If more complex measures need to be taken, they can give you advice on the next steps. The service is free, although donations are welcomed.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 5 December 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes hedging plants, draughts, a sustainable newsletter, toys and tennis – plus a sporting vision from the Vale Council and free vocational courses available. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Dickensian Evening & Gaudete Christmas Folk Song Concert. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A sporting ‘vision’
The Vale and South Oxfordshire Councils have announced that “A vision for the future of sports and leisure facilities across South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Districts was top of the agenda last week.
“Both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are committed to creating healthy and inclusive communities. The aim is to support wellbeing through increasing opportunities to be physically active – with high-quality, accessible and affordable local facilities near to where people work and live. The Councils have produced Leisure Facilities Assessments and Strategies and Playing Pitch Strategies that set out the current and future provision of facilities across the two districts.
“The reports identify the high level, strategic need to protect and enhance existing facilities, alongside the need to provide new facilities ranging from tennis courts, gym facilities and swimming pools, to pitches for football, rugby union, cricket and hockey.”
Call me an old cynic if you like, but I’m always distrustful of municipal initiatives which are called “visions”, as the term is often used to make something seem a lot bigger, brighter and better than it actually is. The Cambridge English Dictionary suggests several definitions of this word. One, and I’m sure the most relevant here, is “the ability to imagine how a country, society, industry, etc. could develop in the future and to plan for this.”
There is, however, also another: “An experience in which you see things that do not exist physically, when your mind is affected powerfully by something such as deep religious thought or drugs or mental illness.” Perhaps I’m prejudiced by its regular use with regard to the London Road Industrial Estate in Newbury, where nothing of any particular consequence happened despite plenty of visions and no small amount of money.
I’m fairly certain that the next Wantage and Grove Campaign Group newsletter will be taking a look at this, which is bound to be more informed than anything I can offer. So, closing the dictionary, I shall leave matters there for now…
• Vocational courses
Looking for personal enrichment or to develop your career? Study Online vocational part-time Level 2 courses are free for over-19 year-olds and can be started at any time, with usually six months to complete the coursework. They include several Childcare & Education, Health, Social & Public Services courses as well as a range of courses in Business, Accountancy and Management.
These are provided by Newbury College and funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. They’re available free to UK nationals aged 19 and over, who agree to take their qualification as part of a Study Online Programme. You must have lived in the UK for the past three years and currently reside in an eligible area of England (this includes West Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire), must not be undertaking another funded course or apprenticeship and be able to meet the course’s entry requirements.
Students who fail to complete their programme within the agreed timeframe may have to pay fees. There may be an additional charge for work-based assessment visits and other costs. You will be advised of any additional charges before enrolment. Only one Study Online course may be taken at a time. However, you are encouraged to progress to the next level or a different subject of study after finishing your programme. See here for more details.
• Other news
• This Friday 6 December it’s Wantage Dickensian Evening, from 4pm until 9pm at the Marketplace. There will be a number of events taking place around the town, with many businesses staying open late, meet local crime writer Nick Watts at Wantage Bookshop, stalls, children’s activities, and a number of live performances. Love Wantage has a list of when and where many performances are taking place.
• Sustainable Wantage is looking for volunteers to help plant 2,500 hedging plants on Friday 13 and/or Saturday 14 December. There’s a lot of planting to do and it hopes to get as much as possible done on these days, so any help would be much appreciated. Meet in the Manor Road Recreation Ground car park at 9.30am and wear weather appropriate clothing. Let them know you’re coming on 07768 767787 or email wantagemix@gmail.com.
• If you’ve been feeling chilly at home lately, would you like the Sustainable Wantage Draughtbusters team to check for draughts? You can either fill in an online form here, ask in person at The Mix, or contact wantagemix@gmail.com. They will check your house for draughts and fix these for you. If more complex measures need to be taken, they can give you advice on the next steps. The service is free, although donations are welcomed.
• Sustainable Wantage has released its latest December newsletter. This month’s issue looks at the Draughtbusters, hedge-planting, the library of things, as well as upcoming events and volunteering opportunities. Read it here.
• Welcome to Wild Oxfordshire‘s December Enivronmental Bulletin, which includes how businesses can benefit whilst tackling the climate and biodiversity crises.
• Do you have toys you no longer need? Don’t wait until after the holidays – donate them now! Many families in our community are facing financial challenges this Christmas season. By donating your gently used toys to any Charity Shop before the holidays, you can help a family afford a gift for their child this Christmas.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Friday 6 December. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• If you’re trying to be more sustainable this Christmas, buying pre-loved gifts is a great way to reduce waste and can also save you money. The Hub in Shrivenham has a great range of pre-loved Christmas gifts, Christmas jumpers and even party-wear for all your festive needs.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 28 November 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a market, a hamper, toys, tennis, nature recovery and a newsletter from the Town Council. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Christmas Artisan Market & Dickensian Evening. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• News from the Town Council
A few days ahead of the start of the last month of the year, Wantage TC has published its December 2024 Town News which you can read by clicking here. Items covered include:
- Updates on the progress with the new Link Road and the improvement works at the Portway car park.
- A Christmas message from the Mayor.
- December events in the town, including at The Beacon.
- A tribute to Councillor Richard Fitzjohn who died recently.
- A request for feedback on recent town-centre events.
- Flooding support available.
- Christmas shopping advice.
- Winter fuel payments.
- NHS health checks.
- Job opportunities.
- A message from the Twinning Association.
- Contact details.
• Message of thanks
• Diane McKay would like to send a massive thank you to a couple called Mike and Charn of Wantage. She tells us that they “stopped and helped me when I broke down on the off-ramp of the M4 at junction 14 on Saturday night. They pushed my car partly off the road and then parked their car behind me with their hazards on to ensure that on-coming vehicles would see me clearly.
“They stayed with me in the dark and the rain until help arrived in the form of my husband with a replacement battery. I did not get anything other than their names, but wondered if you could publish a ‘thank you’ for me in your publication.”
• Other news
• This Sunday 1 December it’s the Christmas Artisan Market, in Wantage Marketplace. There will be over 40 stalls selling artisan wares, as well as live music and children’s entertainment. Click here to learn more.
• Are you part of a community group looking to plant trees? Did you know you could plant trees on council land? Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire want to see a vast increase in tree-planting across the district, on both public and private land, and are looking to support such projects. Click here to find out more.
• Do you have toys you no longer need? Don’t wait until after the holidays – donate them now! Many families in our community are facing financial challenges this Christmas season. By donating your gently used toys to any Charity Shop before the holidays, you can help a family afford a gift for their child this Christmas.
• A reminder that donations to Wantage and Grove Foodbanks‘ Christmas Hamper must be made by Sunday 1 December. These can be dropped off at Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Cornerstone Café Grove, or the Kings Centre in Wantage. Please ensure all donations have a “Best before date” of at least January 2025. Suggested items include: crackers for cheese, Christmas puddings, custard, Christmas cakes or chocolate log, biscuit selection boxes, shortbread, chocolates, sweets, crisps and savoury snacks.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Friday 6 December. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to have their say on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy draft. Using information gathered from the consultation that went out earlier in the year, the Council has developed a draft outlining the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county. To read the proposed strategy and have your say, click here. The deadline for responses is Sunday 1 December.
• The first electric food waste collection vehicle has now been delivered to Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire Council, ready for use. By changing from the old diesel van to electric, the councils expect to save more than 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
It also has a compressor function, which means that despite being the same overall size as the other food waste trucks, it can now take more food waste before it fills up – meaning fewer trips to the food waste reprocessing facility to empty. Like many other EVs it is also quieter. To learn more click here.
• The Ray Collins Charitable Trust announced that a generous £1,500 donation has been given to the Vale Community Impact (VCI) to support its vital work during this year’s challenging and resource-stretched autumn and winter. VCI is gearing up for increased demand in budgeting and energy support. It has launched an awareness and action campaign focused on Pension Credit, similar to AgeUK, addressing community concerns about the government’s withdrawal of certain Winter Fuel Payments.
Check out its website to find out more about its campaigns and advice. If you or someone you know needs assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to VCI.
• If you’re trying to be more sustainable this Christmas, buying pre-loved gifts is a great way to reduce waste and can also save you money. The Hub in Shrivenham has a great range of pre-loved Christmas gifts, Christmas jumpers and even partywear for all your festive needs.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 21 November 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes falling in love, food waste, fundraising, tennis, community impact and mindfulness. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Mindful Walk & History Talk. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• This week’s news
• This Friday 22 November, the Wantage Art Group is holding a Fundraiser Quiz at West Challow Village Hall, from 7:30pm. Tickets cost £10 and include a glass of bubbly, as well as nibbles. Teams will be put together on the night, so don’t worry if you don’t have a tableful to come with. Prizes will be up for grabs. To get tickets, contact wantageart@gmail.com.
• Next Wednesday 27 November, join the Grove History Club for “How the English fell in love with Afternoon Tea“, a presentation by Melanie King. Starting at 7:30pm at Grove Village Hall, tickets cost £2.50 for members and £5 for non-members. Click here to find out more.
• Sustainable Wantage is holding its next Mindfulness Walk this Saturday 23 November, from 11am to 12:30pm. Meeting at the Mix, before heading to Betjeman Park and Locks Lane, this is a gentle walk using mindful activities to help slow down, recharge and feel more connected to nature. The activity is free, but it is recommended to book a place here.
• The first electric food waste collection vehicle has now been delivered to Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire Council, ready for use. By changing from the old diesel van to electric, the councils expect to save more than 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. It also has a compressor function which means that despite being the same overall size as the other food waste trucks, it can now take more food waste before it fills up – meaning fewer trips to the food waste reprocessing facility to empty. Like many other EVs it is also quieter. To learn more click here.
• Vale of White Horse Council announced several leisure centres across the district will get an early Christmas present this year, with a major investment in new, state-of-the-art gym equipment. Following news of the £340,000 investment, the recently refurbished Wantage Leisure Centre will now also be getting 40 pieces of new gym equipment, including treadmills, bikes, weights and resistance machines. Users will start to see the new equipment from late November and December. To read more about this story click here.
• The Ray Collins Charitable Trust announced that a generous £1,500 donation had been given to the Vale Community Impact (VCI) to support its vital work during this year’s challenging and resource-stretched autumn and winter. VCI is gearing up for increased demand in budgeting and energy support. It has launched an awareness and action campaign focused on Pension Credit, similar to AgeUK, addressing community concerns about the government’s withdrawal of certain Winter Fuel Payments. Check out its website to find out more about its campaigns and advice. If you or someone you know needs assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to VCI.
• Wantage and Grove Foodbanks is collecting for its Christmas Hamper. It would be extremely grateful for donations of items such as: crackers for cheese, Christmas puddings, custard, Christmas cakes or chocolate log, biscuit selection boxes, shortbread, chocolates, sweets, crisps and savoury snacks. Donations need to be made by Sunday 1 December and can be dropped off at Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Cornerstone Café Grove, or the Kings Centre in Wantage. Please ensure all donations have a “Best before date” of at least January 2025.
• The Wantage Leisure Centre is having a free open weekend. From 8am to 5pm on Saturday 23 to Sunday 24 November, there will be a weekend of fun activities. They will also be offering their usual gym sessions and fitness classes like cardio, dance, and strength training, to yoga, as well as swim for fitness, swimming sessions and swimming lesson tasters. Both members and non-members will be able to enjoy a free One Day Pass to allow them to book activities. To learn more click here.
• If you’re trying to be more sustainable this Christmas, buying pre-loved gifts is a great way to reduce waste and can also save you money. The Hub in Shrivenham has a great range of pre-loved Christmas gifts, Christmas jumpers and even partywear for all your festive needs.
• Quick reminder that the Ray Collins Charitable Trust has purchased the necessary supplies for the defibrillator located outside Sainsbury’s. Once the contact pads have been used they need to be replaced before the defib can be used again. The Trust has created a donation link and invites contributions toward this defibrillator and any future supplies needed for it or others around town.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Friday 6 December. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to have their say on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy draft. Using information gathered from the consultation that went out earlier in the year, the Council has developed a draft outlining the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county. To read the proposed strategy and have your say click here. The deadline for responses is Sunday 1 December.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 14 November 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes shopping, hampers, an open weekend, days out, watercolours, tennis, birds and gym equipment. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Christmas Shopping Event at Wantage Bookshop & Spirit of the Vale Christmas Fair in Sparsholt. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• New gym gear
Major £340,000 investment in new gym equipment at Vale Leisure Centres in Wantage, Faringdon and Abingdon
Several leisure centres across Vale of White Horse District will get an early Christmas present this year, a statement from the Vale of White Horse Council reveals, with “a major investment in new, state-of-the-art gym equipment. At Wantage Leisure Centre, hot on the heels of a revamp in the sports hall – with a newly refurbished floor and refreshed interior – there will now be an investment in new gym equipment. Wantage will receive 40 pieces of equipment including treadmills, bikes, weights and resistance machines.”
The gyms at Faringdon and White Horse Leisure Centres will also benefit from new equipment over the coming weeks.
Users will start to see the new equipment from late November and during December. Much of the current gym equipment at all the centres is over 10 years old and the gyms will benefit from a boost with new, modern equipment. As much of the old equipment as possible will be recycled.
As we’ve reported several times over the past year or so, and as all users will know, Wantage’s Leisure Centre is badly in need of a range of upgrades. These are, it seems, slowly coming together.
The problem is with the funding: some of this comes from government grants which are ring-fenced for particular projects and have deadlines for being spent; much of the rest comes from S106 funds from developers,. There can be many of these in relation to a specific project, they can be similarly restrictive in terms of time and purpose and all need to be in place before the project can start. Piecing this all together and keeping on top of it must be a bit like trying to complete a complex jigsaw puzzle when not all the pieces have been provided. Still, that’s what councillors and council finance officers sign up for…
• Other news
• The Wantage Bookshop is welcoming in the festive season with a Christmas Shopping Event, this Saturday 16 November from 5pm to 7pm. Tickets for the event cost £3 and during the event there will be 10% off everything and 25% off selected children’s games. There will also be drinks and nibbles, so come along for a great opportunity to find presents for the book-lovers in your live. More information here.
• Wantage and Grove Foodbanks are collecting for their Christmas Hamper. They would be extremely grateful for donations of items such as: crackers for cheese, Christmas puddings, custard, Christmas cakes or chocolate log, biscuit selection boxes, shortbread, chocolates, sweets, crisps and savoury snacks. Donations need to be made by Sunday 1 December and can be dropped off at Waitrose, Sainsburys, Cornerstone Café Grove, or the Kings Centre in Wantage. Please ensure all donations have a ‘Best before date’ of at least January 2025.
• The Wantage Leisure Centre is having a free open weekend. From 8am to 5pm on Saturday 23 to Sunday 24 November, there will be a weekend of fun activities. They will also be offering their usual gym sessions and fitness classes like cardio, dance, and strength training, to yoga, as well as swim for fitness, swimming sessions and swimming lesson tasters. Both members and non-members will be able to enjoy a free One Day Pass to allow them to book activities. To learn more click here.
• Next Wednesday 20 November, the Wantage Art Group is holding a session on Portraits in Watercolour with Shelia Isabel Irigoyen. New members and visitors are always welcome and the first visit is free. Taking place at East Challow Village Hall from 7:30pm, click here for details.
• If you’re trying to be more sustainable this Christmas, buying pre-loved gifts is a great way to reduce waste and can also save you money. The Hub in Shrivenham has a great range of pre-loved Christmas gifts, Christmas jumpers and even partywear for all your festive needs.
• If you fancy a day out for Christmas shopping, the popular Spirit of the Vale Christmas Fair in Sparsholt is worth the trip on Thursday 21 November. Set in the lovely historic barn at Eastmanton House, it has its biggest line-up of stalls yet with wonderful gifts that you won’t find on the high street. Open from 10am to 7pm, Childrey Stores will be serving delicious refreshments all day or you can pop into The Sparsholt pub for lunch. All proceeds will go to the Root & Branch charity that uses the power of nature, gardening and rural crafts to help adults with enduring mental health difficulties. Also to The Rood Project to restore the beautiful and historic Sparsholt Church known for its amazing wooden effigies.
• Quick reminder that the Ray Collins Charitable Trust has purchased the necessary supplies for the defibrillator located outside Sainsbury’s. Once the contact pads have been used they need to be replaced before the defib can be used again. The Trust has created a donation link and invites contributions toward this defibrillator and any future supplies needed for it or others around town.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Friday 6 December. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• The next local RSPB talk is on Monday 18 November about The East Atlantic Flyway with Nick Williams. The local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to have their say on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy draft. Using information gathered from the consultation that went out earlier in the year, the Council has developed a draft outlining the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county. To read the proposed strategy and have your say click here. The deadline for responses is Sunday 1 December.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 7 November 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a green gym, sustainable shopping, tennis, the earth from space, birds and books – plus a double whammy for a fly-tipper and your opinion sought on Wantage’s neighbourhood development plan. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Festival of Remembrance & Wantage Literary Festival. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Fly-tipping fine
The Vale Council reports that a Swindon resident has been sentenced to 60 hours of unpaid work after admitting illegally disposing of furniture and other waste at two locations near Wantage. Wellington Panigos appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 1 November where he pleaded guilty to two counts of fly-tipping.
“The incidents were reported to Vale of White Horse District Council on 10 June 2024 after wooden furniture and household waste were discovered at Silver Lane in West Challow and Eastmanton Lane in Sparsholt.
“Council Envirocrime Enforcement Officers investigated the fly-tips and found an invoice which was traced back to Mr Panigos’ wife. Mr Panigos was sentenced to a Community Order requiring 60 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within 12 months. He was additionally ordered to pay £913.68 in costs and £203.06 in compensation.
Mark Coleman, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “F’ly-tipping is a serious offence that impacts our communities and environment. By law, anyone who is removing waste, or has it removed from their property, is responsible for ensuring that it’s disposed of legally and we will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute anyone who fails to do so.'”
For details on how to report fly-tipping in the Vale of White Horse, click here.
• Wantage’s neighbourhood development plan
Wantage Town Council is working on a neighbourhood plan which has recently been submitted to Vale of White Horse District Council. The Vale is carrying out a consultation on the submitted neighbourhood plan and supporting documents which runs until 11.59pm on Thursday, 21 November 2024.
“After the publicity period ends,” the Vale’s statement continues, “your comments, name, email (if applicable) and postal address will be sent to an independent examiner to consider. The opportunity for further comments at this stage would only be at the specific request of the examiner.
“Most neighbourhood plans are examined without the need for a public hearing. If you think the neighbourhood plan requires a public hearing, you can state this in your comments, but the examiner will make the final decision. Please clearly state in your comments if you wish to be notified of our decision on whether we formally adopt the neighbourhood plan.”
For more information, please click here.
• Other news
• This weekend the Wantage Festival of Remembrance is taking place at Wantage Parish Church, from 2.30pm. The concert will feature the talents of the Caritas Children’s Choir, Wantage In Harmony and the Wantage Band. Adult tickets cost £10 each and 50% of all ticket profits will be donated to the Royal British Legion. The concert will last between 60 and 75 minutes (no interval) and refreshments will be served after the concert. Click here to book tickets online.
• This Friday it’s Wild Wantage’s Green Gym, where you can help with practical outdoor tasks to improve habitats for local biodiversity, help your physical and mental well-being and our local environment. The November session will be at the Old Stables, meeting outside the Down to Earth Café at 10am. To learn more or book a place click here.
• Reminder that Wantage Café Scientifique‘s last talk of 2024 is this Wednesday 13 November about Studying the Earth From Space. All welcome at Wildwood Cinema, Wantage Marketplace. Entry is free but you are requested to support the venue by buying refreshments. You can take drinks into the cinema. If you’d like to have a meal in Wildwood before the talk, please book your table beforehand – by 5pm on the day at the latest – and let the staff know you’re attending the talk. There is no booking system, so to be sure of a place please arrive early, put your coat on a seat and go downstairs for your meal or to get a drink from the bar.
• If you’re trying to be more sustainable this Christmas, buying pre-loved gifts is a great way to reduce waste and can also save you money. The Hub in Shrivenham has a great range of pre-loved Christmas gifts, Christmas jumpers and even partywear for all your festive needs.
• If you fancy a day out for Christmas shopping, the popular Spirit of the Vale Christmas Fair in Sparsholt is worth the trip on Thursday 21 November. Set in the lovely historic barn at Eastmanton House, it has its biggest line-up of stalls yet with wonderful gifts that you won’t find on the high street. Open from 10am to 7pm, Childrey Stores will be serving delicious refreshments all day or you can pop into The Sparsholt pub for lunch.
All proceeds will go to the Root & Branch charity that uses the power of nature, gardening and rural crafts to help adults with enduring mental health difficulties. Also to The Rood Project to restore the beautiful and historic Sparsholt Church known for its amazing wooden effigies.
• Quick reminder that the Ray Collins Charitable Trust has purchased the necessary supplies for the defibrillator located outside Sainsbury’s. Once the contact pads have been used they need to be replaced before the defib can be used again. The Trust has created a donation link and invites contributions toward this defibrillator and any future supplies needed for it or others around town.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Friday 6 December. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• Quick reminder how to stay safe this Halloween and bonfire season with important reminders from the Royal Berkshire Fire Service and the Environment Agency about fireworks and bonfire safety for people and animals, including the fines you can receive if you burn polluting household waste (you should only burn dry, untreated wood).
• The latest South & Vale Business Support newsletter here focuses on the new social impact business support programme with OSEP, that kicks off with an in-person launch event on 13 November. And other UKSPF funded programmes including Decarbonisation Business Support, employment and training opportunities via the “No Limits” Programme and Abingdon & Witney College’s free Green Skills courses, and opportunities to cut emissions and reduce energy bills with free energy assessments for business premises.
• Wantage Literary Festival runs until Saturday 9 November. There are talks, workshops, book signings and activities, spanning across all genres and for all ages. There is something for everyone. Visit the website to see the full programme of events and book tickets.
• The next local RSPB talk is on Monday 18 November about The East Atlantic Flyway with Nick Williams. The local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• Forestry England requests we do not leave spent pumpkins in forests or woodlands regardless of well-meaning social media posts encouraging people to leave them for wildlife to eat. Pumpkins are not natural to woodlands and can make some animals, including hedgehogs, very poorly. Decomposing food waste can also attract pests and spread disease.
• Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to have their say on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy draft. Using information gathered from the consultation that went out earlier in the year, the Council has developed a draft outlining the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county. To read the proposed strategy and have your say click here.
• As mentioned last week, residents who are subscribed to the district council brown bin garden waste service in South Oxfordshire or the Vale of White Horse can have extra garden waste collected for free, on the normal collection day only, between 28 October and 8 November. Click here for more information.
• If you still have surplus garden apples why not take them to My Apple Juice in Hungerford to be pressed, pasteurised and bottled into delicious juice with your very own bespoke labels? See here for how it works. It’s crazy that 90% garden apples go to waste while 60% of the apples we eat and drink are imported.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 31 October 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a defibrillator, litter, tennis, literature, science, birds and icons of rock – plus a recent statement from the Leader of the Vale Council and further doubts expressed about the safety of the proposed reservoir. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Grove Pumpkin Trail & Wantage Literary Festival. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• The Leader’s report
Councillor Bethia Thomas released her Leader’s Report to the Vale of White Horse District Council meeting on Wednesday 23 October. In it she comments on Corporate Plan Annual Performance Report, Future Oxfordshire Partnership, Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership Forum, ongoing discussions with the government about National Rail, the Botley West Solar Farm and Southeast Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO), as well as accomplishments of the Joint Local Plan:
“The Joint Local Plan is groundbreaking, with policies which encompass everything we hold dear, with exceptional targets on affordable housing, building standards, connectivity, environmental and climate considerations, all building healthy communities for residents across the district.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that we are leading the way in planning policy not just in the county, but nationally, with the councils being nominated as finalists in the Royal Town Planning Institute’s Planning Excellence Awards for the council’s digital innovation while developing the plan and engaging with our communities.
“This is testament to the work this council has put into the plan over the last four years – it has been our goal to create the best local plan for our residents that we could, and I think we have done that – and we have proof of that too, with the overwhelming support we received in the consultation earlier in the year. Knowing that we had an endorsement like this, we felt confident going forward with the next stages of the plan and look ahead to its progress in the coming weeks and months.
“We make progress elsewhere too; our council continues to achieve its targets across the board, and I was happy to see this documented in the Corporate Plan Annual Performance Report; the vast majority of targets we had set are now complete.
“All of this is done of course in a climate of uncertainty. For many years we have been working from hand to mouth, the previous government leaving us on tenterhooks each time we try and set our budget, and the current government promising not much more at this stage. On Monday I received a letter from Jim McMahon MP, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, that indicated that there may be some positive news, but perhaps not just yet. Without proper local government funding that allows us to commit to longer term spending plans and forecasts, it is very difficult to navigate our financial outlook.”
• Reservoir doubts
And still with the Vale Council, in its October meeting there was a debate about the potential for flooding risks that could be caused by Thames Water’s reservoir proposals.
“Among the points of significant public interest in the district discussed by councillors,” a statement reads, “was a motion outlining that Thames Water has not yet addressed community concerns around the risks of embankment failure and flooding in its Southeast Strategic Reservoir Option – also known as SESRO – proposals for a huge new reservoir near Abingdon. This cross-party motion was proposed by Liberal Democrat Councillor Clegg and seconded by Green Councillor James.”
Councillor Robert Clegg added: “Thames Water claims they can ‘design out’ all significant risks of embankment failure, but this just doesn’t stack up. With the possibility of an emergency discharge coinciding with a natural flood, the results could be catastrophic.” He called for “thorough risk assessment and public scrutiny” before any approval is granted for the SESRO reservoir.
Councillor Bethia Thomas expressed her determination that the Vale “will do all it can in the interests of residents when facing proposals and activities controlled by external organisations like the reservoir” and added, “We have very little control over the outcome of Botley West Solar Farm, and of course SESRO. Our residents are also being inconvenienced daily by Network Rail’s continued closure of the Botley Road. As national infrastructure projects they are out of our direct control… but I am making sure that each of these projects does not go unchallenged.”
• Other news
• Good news that the Ray Collins Charitable Trust has purchased the necessary supplies for the defibrillator located outside Sainsbury’s. It has created a donation link and invite contributions toward this defibrillator and any future supplies needed for it or others around town.
• The Friends of Millbrook Primary School‘s Pumpkin Trail around Grove runs until Sunday 3 November. Enjoy the lovely displays, find all the hidden letters around the town and find out what the secret word or phrase is, for a chance to win a cinema voucher. Maps costs just £1, and can be purchased online here or in Bretts Pharmacy in Grove. All proceeds will go towards the school.
• Speaking of Millbrook School, one of its students, Emilia, was announced the winner of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council’s Litter Bug Detectives Trail which ran during the summer holidays. Over 19 schools were entered into the final draw. As the top prize winner, Emilia was awarded vouchers, as well as a multi-coloured recycled plastic bench for her school playground. Read more here.
• Local amateur theatre company AmEgo’s is currently performing The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at King Alfred’s Theatre in Wantage. The cast features several local performers from Wantage and Grove in Simon Stephen’s award-winning theatrical adaption of Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel, previously seen in the West End. The show will be on until Saturday 2 November, so click here to get tickets.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Thursday 7 November from 10am to 12noon. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. The next social will be on Friday 6 December. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• Quick reminder how to stay safe this Halloween and bonfire season with important reminders from the Royal Berkshire Fire Service and the Environment Agency about fireworks and bonfire safety for people and animals, including the fines you can receive if you burn polluting household waste (you should only burn dry, untreated wood).
• The latest South & Vale Business Support newsletter here focuses on the new social impact business support programme with OSEP, that kicks off with an in-person launch event on 13 November. And other UKSPF funded programmes including Decarbonisation Business Support, employment and training opportunities via the ‘No Limits’ Programme and Abingdon & Witney College’s free Green Skills courses, and opportunities to cut emissions and reduce energy bills with free energy assessments for business premises.
• Wantage Literary Festival runs until Saturday 9 November. There are talks, workshops, book signings and activities, spanning across all genres and for all ages. There is something for everyone. Visit the website to see the full programme of events and book tickets.
• Wantage Café Scientifique‘s last talk of 2024 is on Wednesday 13 November about Studying the Earth From Space. All welcome at Wildwood Cinema, Wantage Marketplace. Entry is free but you are requested to support the venue by buying refreshments. You can take drinks into the cinema. If you’d like to have a meal in Wildwood before the talk, please book your table beforehand – by 5pm on the day at the latest – and let the staff know you’re attending the talk. There is no booking system, so to be sure of a place please arrive early, put your coat on a seat and go downstairs for your meal or to get a drink from the bar.
• The next local RSPB talk is on Monday 18 November about The East Atlantic Flyway with Nick Williams. The local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• Forestry England requests we do not leave spent pumpkins in forests or woodlands regardless of well-meaning social media posts encouraging people to leave them for wildlife to eat. Pumpkins are not natural to woodlands and can make some animals, including hedgehogs, very poorly. Decomposing food waste can also attract pests and spread disease.
• Dolphin Art Gallery, between the market place and the church, invites you to pop in to its month-long Rockin’ the Gallery exhibition of artworking celebrating the icons of rock.
• Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to have their say on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy draft. Using information gathered from the consultation that went out earlier in the year, the Council has developed a draft outlining the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county. To read the proposed strategy and have your say click here.
• As mentioned last week, residents who are subscribed to the district council brown bin garden waste service in South Oxfordshire or the Vale of White Horse can have extra garden waste collected for free, on the normal collection day only, between 28 October and 8 November. Click here for more information.
• If you still have surplus garden apples why not take them to My Apple Juice in Hungerford to be pressed, pasteurised and bottled into delicious juice with your very own bespoke labels? See here for how it works. It’s crazy that 90% garden apples go to waste while 60% of the apples we eat and drink are imported.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 24 October 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes art, rain, repairs, literature, waste and apples – plus consultations and surveys being run by the Vale Council, your chance to have your say on Crab Hill and a scam warning. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Alfred Fest & Rainy Day Workshop. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Have your say
Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils (which hunt as a pack on many issues, including these) invite local residents to have their say on two public surveys which both run until Tuesday 26 November.
The first survey is on the proposal to reduce the minimum timeframe to charge a council tax premium on long-term empty properties, with the ultimate aim being to see as many homes brought back into use as soon as possible.
The second survey regards a review of the councils’ joint Street Trading Policy, proposing updates to encourage an expand the street trading scene, as well as tackling the environmental impact of single-use plastics.
You can also have your say on the Councils’ Joint Local Plan draft before the consultation closes on Tuesday 12 November. The draft plan has been developed by both Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils to help meet local community future need for housing, jobs and infrastructure, and will replace the districts’ current adopted plans. Click here to read the plan for yourself and to comment.
• Crab Hill news
The Kingsgrove Residents website has announced that the next Crab Hill Development Forum will be held on Thursday 31 October at Wantage Primary Academy.
The website explains that “occurring once every four months or so, the forum serves as a place to discuss the progress of the development and any matters arising, particularly in relation to planning. It is attended by representatives of St. Modwen, Preim, Vale of White Horse District Council Officers, Wantage Town Council, Oxfordshire County Council Officers, Councillors from Wantage and Grove, Wantage and Grove Campaign Group, Oxfordshire Community Churches and HarBUG.”
This is a closed meeting, although the Kingsgrove Residents Working Group is typically offered a place on the agenda to make sure that the views of people actually living on the development are heard. If you have anything you’d like to have raised at the meeting of a planning-related nature, please get in touch with the Working Group. You can see here a list of the matters that the group is planning to raise – but, as the statement confirms, “these can easily be added to”.
• Scourge of our time
A few years ago, Penny fell for a scam resulting from a friend’s facebook messenger account being hacked. A dear friend has just done the same. They both were scam-aware but, at that very moment, were also distracted. Try to remember that if someone you know contacts you digitally, however plausible their request, first ask them a question only they would know the answer to. Or just give them a call. These days, banks are good at reminding you about scams before you make a BACS transfer: now scammers are asking for gift vouchers to be bought on platforms like Amazon because they don’t have such warnings.
This year’s Scams Awareness Week campaign run by the Public Protection Partnership and Citizens Advice focuses on investment and financial planning scams. At a time when many people are in debt or concerned about the cost of living, investment opportunities that offer large profits can seem irrestistable and fraudsters are using high-pressure sales techniques to get vulnerable consumers to invest in their schemes.
If the deal seems too good to be true it usually is. If someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly, encourages you to pay quickly or share personal information, they are a scammer. Likewise if someone calls saying they are from your bank and are asking for any kind of information, even if they know a lot about your account, just hang up. They have probably hacked into your account but just need your code to withdraw funds from it. Call the bank back on a number you trust.
On top of the financial loss, victims often feel shame and embarrassment. But that’s what the fraudsters rely on so you don’t report the crime. Remember they are the guilty party, not you.
• Other news
• Don’t miss Alfred Fest this Saturday 26 October in Wantage Marketplace (west end) with Wantage Silver Band, Mass in the market, Vale Islanders, market stalls, Alfred cakes, mead and beer, hot food and crafts. See details here.
• Also this Saturday, Kerry Lemon’s free Rainy Day Workshop creative event at The Beacon, to celebrate her beautiful art for the new Rain Garden. It’s open to everyone, so go along and join the fun.
• Dolphin Art Gallery, between the market place and the church, invites you to pop in to their month-long Rockin’ the Gallery exhibition of artworking celebrating the icons of rock.
• Wantage Literary Festival kicks off Monday 28 October to Saturday 9 November with talks, workshops, book signings and activities, spanning across all genres. There is something for everyone. Visit the website to see the full programme of events and book tickets.
• Sustainable Wantage have reported some of their recent events to be a great success. At last weeks Clothes Swap, a total of 236kgs of stuff was put back into circulation. Meanwhile in Grove, the Vale Repair Cafes came together to look at 26 different items. 9 of these got fixed on the day with plenty of others still in progress; only two were not fixable – which goes to show it’s worth trying to repair things before replacing them. Click here for some nice photos from the events.
• Following on from that, Vale of the White Horse District Council published an article on its website about the Repair Cafes as well as other initiatives going on in the area to help rethink how to reduce waste. Here you can read the full article.
• Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to have their say on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy draft. Using information gathered from the consultation that went out earlier in the year, the Council has developed a draft outlining the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county. To read the proposed strategy and have your say click here.
• As mentioned last week, residents who are subscribed to the district council brown bin garden waste service in South Oxfordshire or the Vale of White Horse can have extra garden waste collected for free, on the normal collection day only, between 28 October and 8 November. Click here for more information.
• A reminder that the recent October Newsletter from the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group can be read here. This issue covers the the Beacon car park, the Local Joint Plan, polling stations, the Wantage Leisure Centre renovations and more.
• If you still have surplus garden apples why not take them to My Apple Juice in Hungerford to be pressed, pasteurised and bottled into delicious juice with your very own bespoke labels? See here for how it works. It’s crazy that 90% garden apples go to waste while 60% of the apples we eat and drink are imported.
• See here for our Guide to October half-term fun including lots to do in and around Wantage.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Thursday 7 November from 10am to 12noon. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. The next social will be on Friday 6 December. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• Our local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. On Sunday 27 October the group will meet at RSPB Arne, Dorset, one of Springwatch’s broadcasting centres, hoping to see a range of seasonal migrating birds, including Avocets, Spoonbills, Dartford Warblers and especially the Osprey and White Tailed Eagle which eluded us in March. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 17 October 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes surveys, repairs, bears, swaps, a rain garden and a larder – plus a look at the latest newsletter form OX12’s campaign group and forthcoming extra bin collections by the Vale Council. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Big Repair Café, Children’s Book Event and Clothes Swap. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Wantage’s campaigners
The most recent (17 October) newsletter from the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group (W&GCG) has just arrived, which you can read here. The main things it covers are:
- The Beacon car park has re-opened (although the ticket machine seems to have packed up).
- The Joint Local Plan is out for the final (Regulation 19) consultation, along with the relevant supporting documents and the evidence the plan is based on. You can see more here.
- There’s also a consultation on the location of polling stations: see here for more.
- Wantage Leisure Centre renovations. These are, as we’ve reported before, preceding in a slightly fitful way due to the nature and conditions of the various funding streams.
- A forthcoming (7 November) meeting of the Newbury Street GP practice.
The majority of the newsletter is given over to a summary of the address given by local councillor and Vale Council financial portfolio holder Andrew Crawford at the W&GCG’s recent AGM. Much of this was concerned with the various funding options open to councils. Rather than try to summarise the newsletter’s summary, click here to read it.
• Extra collections
Residents who are subscribed to the district council brown bin garden waste service in South Oxfordshire or the Vale of White Horse can have extra garden waste collected for free, on the normal collection day only, between 28 October and 8 November.
You can put out a maximum of up to four additional sacks of garden waste, per brown bin subscription, next to your brown bin.
To be eligible for collection, the extra waste must contain only natural garden waste, such as cut grass, plants or branches and be placed in standard sized (60 litres) black refuse-style sacks or in boxes or containers totalling no more than a standard bin-full. Do not use tonne builders’ waste bags as the crews will not collect any garden waste from these.
• Other news
• Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district council invite local residents to have their say on two public surveys this week. The first survey is on the proposal to reduce the minimum timeframe to charge a council tax premium on long-term empty properties, with the ultimate aim being to see as many homes brought back into use as soon as possible. The second survey regards a review of its joint Street Trading Policy, proposing updates to encourage an expand the street trading scene, as well as tackling the environmental impact of single-use plastics.
• The Hub in Shrivenham is still collecting teddies for The Teddy Bear Trust. The Trust collects bears and sends them to children who have suffered trauma, whether through war, starvation or abuse. Teddy bear donations must be no bigger than 38cm, must not emit a noise, and should be cuddly, soft and in excellent condition. Any questions, please ask in store or email sustainableshrivenham@gmail.com.
• This Saturday, in honour of International Repair Day, the Big Repair Café takes place over at the Grove Methodist Church. Their clever volunteers can fix all kinds of household items, from electricals such as low running laptops and tablets (please back up your data before coming), clothing and textiles, tools in need of sharpening and more. The café starts at 2pm and no pre-booking is necessary. More details can be found here.
• Also this Saturday the Swap Shop takes place at the Wantage Methodist Church. Suitable items include adults’ and children’s clothes, books, toys and other children’s equipment. To take part bring at least one clean and presentable item to swap and you can take away as many items as you bring in. Extras can be taken for a donation and any items left over will be donated or recycled. Between 9am and 9.45am, then from 10:15am to 11:00am. Any questions contact Daniela on 01235 767396, more details can be found here.
• It’s all go this Saturday 19 October as local children’s author Duncan Saunders will be talking about and signing his book, The Guard Cat, from 11am to 12noon in Wantage Bookshop on Mill Street. No ticket required.
• Don’t miss Kerry Lemon’s free Rainy Day Workshop creative event on Saturday 26 October at the Beacon, to celebrate her beautiful art for the new Rain Garden. It’s open to everyone, so go along and join the fun.
• If you still have surplus garden apples why not take them to My Apple Juice in Hungerford to be pressed, pasteurised and bottled into delicious juice with your very own bespoke labels? See here for how it works. It’s crazy that 90% garden apples go to waste while 60% of the apples we eat and drink are imported.
• See here for our Guide to October half-term fun including lots to do in and around Wantage.
• Wantage Town Council reports that the opening date of King Alfred Way, aka the Wantage Eastern Link Road (WELR) has been delayed until December. This is due to a combination of factors – some final snagging works are needed along the road, the road safety audits need to take place and then Oxfordshire County Council will need to complete the paperwork to issue completion certificates.
• Wantage Lawn Tennis Club welcomes ladies of all abilities to drop in to play some tennis at the Wantage Tennis Club Ladies Open Social on Thursday 7 November from 10am to 12noon. Find out more about what this friendly club has to offer over coffee and cake – just turn up. For more details about the club see the website wantagetennisclub.co.uk. The next social will be on Friday 6 December. There are opportunities for ladies to join both Ladies’ and Mixed Teams, playing singles or doubles.
• Quick reminder that Sustainable Wantage’s latest newsletter for October includes the Annual Impact Report, the Community Consultation Group, volunteering opportunities and upcoming events, and an appeal for old coloured sheets and duvet covers, material from broken tents and phones, laptops and tablets (please bear in mind the change in opening times of The Mix due to ceiling renovation). Also a reminder about the upcoming Repair Day in Grove and Clothes Swap in Wantage on Saturday 19 October.
• Wantage Community Larder is every Friday at The Beacon and the session times are now: 1.45pm to 3pm and 3.15pm to 4.15pm. See more details on its facebook page here.
• There are lots of fun family activities coming up to enjoy this October half-term. At The Beacon in Wantage, you can “Make your own Monster Friend” with a local artist, or enjoy “Clare and Cory Share a (Glorious) Story”, an interactive performance about sharing, daring and exploring. There will also be the “Halloween Xplorer” event, a fun navigation challenge that is educational and gives children a sense of adventure as they explore the park to find the markers. To learn more about other activities, as well as the list of dates, click here.
• The Council’s Joint Local Plan draft is now under consultation for locals to review and express their feedback. The survey will be open for six weeks (closing Tuesday 12 November). The draft plan has been developed by both Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils to help meet local community future need for housing, jobs and infrastructure, and will replace the districts’ current adopted plans. Click here to read the plan for yourself and have your say.
• Wantage Literary Festival is only a few weeks away. There are a whole host of exciting events from Friday 28 October to Saturday 9 November with talks, workshops, book signings and activities, spanning across all genres. There is something for everyone. Visit the website to see the full programme of events and book tickets.
• Our local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. On Sunday 27 October the group will meet at RSPB Arne, Dorset, one of Springwatch’s broadcasting centres, hoping to see a range of seasonal migrating birds, including Avocets, Spoonbills, Dartford Warblers and especially the Osprey and White Tailed Eagle which eluded us in March. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other. The next meeting will be taking place on Monday 21 October.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 10 October 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes good arts, a delayed road, a re-opened car park, crime, sustainability and consultations. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include lantern-making & crime writer Simon Mason in conversation. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• This week’s news
• Please nominate Vale & Downland Museum for a £5,000 Movement for Good Arts & Culture award. Nominations close at midnight on Friday 11 October. Click here and type in Vale and Downland Museum in the first box, then select Heritage & Arts category.
• Wantage Town Council reports that the opening date of King Alfred Way, aka the Wantage Eastern Link Road (WELR) has been delayed until December. This is due to a combination of factors – some final snagging works are needed along the road, the road safety audits need to take place and then Oxfordshire County Council will need to complete the paperwork to issue completion certificates
• Good news that the Portway car park at The Beacon is officially re-open. And don’t miss Kerry Lemon’s free Rainy Day Workshop creative event on Saturday 26 October to celebrate her beautiful art for the new Rain Garden. It’s open to everyone, so go along and join the fun.
• Sustainable Wantage’s latest newsletter for October includes the Annual Impact Report, the Community Consultation Group, volunteering opportunities and upcoming events and an appeal for old coloured sheets and duvet covers, material from broken tents and phones, laptops and tablets (please bear in mid the change in opening times of The Mix due to ceiling renovation). Also reminder about the upcoming Repair Day in Grove and Clothes Swap in Wantage on Saturday 19 October.
• Wantage Community Larder is every Friday at The Beacon and the session times are now: 1.45pm to 3pm and 3.15pm to 4.15pm. See more details on their facebook page here.
• Next Wednesday 16 October the Wantage Art Group will be holding a session on Printmaking, at East Challow Village Hall. Oxfordshire-based artist Lizzie Wheeler will be giving a talk about her linocut and collograph prints. New members and visitors welcome, see here for details.
• Wantage Chamber of Commerce understands local businesses’ frustration with retail crime – and they’re taking action. This Friday, Wantage joins other successful Oxfordshire communities in launching DISC – a secure, efficient crime reporting system that’s already making a difference across Thames Valley. See here for more details.
• There are lots of fun family activities coming up to enjoy this October half-term. At The Beacon in Wantage, you can ‘Make your own Monster Friend’ with a local artist or enjoy ‘Clare and Cory Share a (Glorious) Story’, an interactive performance about sharing, daring and exploring. There will also be the ‘Halloween Xplorer‘ event, a fun navigation challenge that is educational and gives children a sense of adventure as they explore the park to find the markers. To learn more about other activities, as well as the list of dates, click here.
• Bestselling local crime writer Simon Mason will be talking about his Oxford-based DI Wilkins detective novels and his new Finder Mysteries at The King Alfred’s Head off Wantage market square on Saturday 12 October from 7pm. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this rising star of crime fiction. Book your ticket here with Wantage Bookshop, buy a drink at the bar and enjoy the talk and get a copy of one (or more) titles signed by the author.
• The Council’s Joint Local Plan draft is now under consultation for locals to review and express their feedback. The survey will be open for six weeks (closing Tuesday 12 November). The draft plan has been developed by both Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils to help meet local community future need for housing, jobs and infrastructure, and will replace the districts’ current adopted plans. Click here to read the plan for yourself and have your say.
• Please nominate the Vale Community Impact Wantage Independent Advice Centre to receive a £1,000 donation from the Movement for Good draw. Click here and search for Wantage Independent Advice Centre.
• Wantage Literary Festival is only a few weeks away. There are a whole host of exciting events from Friday 28 October to Saturday 9 November with talks, workshops, book signings and activities, spanning across all genres. There is something for everyone. Visit the website to see the full programme of events and book tickets.
• Our local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. On Sunday 27 October the group will meet at RSPB Arne, Dorset, one of Springwatch’s broadcasting centres, hoping to see a range of seasonal migrating birds, including Avocets, Spoonbills, Dartford Warblers and especially the Osprey and White Tailed Eagle which eluded us in March. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other. The next meeting will be taking place on Monday 21 October.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 3 October 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes growing, pressing, parking, detecting, bird-watching, a literary festival and a science talk – plus your chance to have your say on the South and Vale’s joint local plan. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Community Apple Pressing & Uffington White Horse talk. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A joint plan
Later this year, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse district councils will be submitting a plan to the government that aims to help meet their local communities’ need for housing, jobs and infrastructure: this is now publicly available for a six-week period. If successfully adopted, the plan would replace the existing Local Plans for both councils.
In the new draft Joint Local Plan, the councils claim “that there are enough new homes in the pipeline already. This means that there is no need to build on any extra new greenfield sites over the next 15 years, beyond what has already been allocated. Only one area of expansion has been earmarked, which is on the brownfield land owned by the Ministry of Defence at Dalton Barracks near Abingdon.
The plan also sets out “new firmer environment policies so that development is net zero carbon and delivers twice the national level of biodiversity net gain to help with the recovery of nature.”
“It’s a big step forward for our communities that we’re at this stage earlier than anticipated,” Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said. “We’ve carried out significant, and successful public engagement over the past three years to help craft and develop this plan – this next step is a more technical process to test if the community believes the plan is sound and legally compliant.”
After the six-week publication period has come to an end, the plan and the comments received will be submitted to the government to be examined by a planning inspector.
The headline to the press statement describes the plan as “innovative” and “ground-breaking”. I’m not quite sure what’s “innovative” about it apart possibly from the fact that it’s done by two councils. As for “ground-breaking”, if the assertion that there are enough new homes in the pipeline already is in due course confirmed by the Planning Inspector, then it won’t result in any new ground being broken at all…
• Other news
• Sustainable Wantage‘s first events coming up in October include: “Want to grow your own allotment?” this Saturday 5 October. Sign up here for this free talk with an experienced allotment-holder who can answer your questions. On the same day, they are also running a Mindfulness Walk to Betjeman Park and Art on Workshop. Click here for details.
• There will be community apple pressing on Sunday 6 October, so if you have surplus apples, book your pressing slot here. If you can donate empty, clean, screw-top glass bottles and their lids for the apple juice please drop them off at The Mix on Saturday between 10am and 1pm. Again, this event is run by Sustainable Wantage.
• This month’s Wantage Café Scientifique talk is about the iconic Uffington White Horse and the excavation of sites at the hillforts of Uffington Castle, Segsbury Camp and Alfred’s Castle. The talk will be led by Professor Gary Lock, who has taught and researched later prehistoric archaeology at the University of Oxford, on Wednesday 9 October at the Wildwood Cinema. Details can be found here.
• The Mix has released its Impact Report for May 2023 to April 2024. Some of the highlights include: serving 1910 litres of refills (saving approx. 2,800 single-use bottles and packaging), 134 items looked at by the Repair Café (61% fixing rate), Draughtbusting of 49 homes and more. Well done to the 188 volunteers, who gave an incredible 6,154 hours, for all their hard work to make these achievements happen. Read the full report here.
• A reminder that there are some restrictions while the Portway Car Park is being refurbished. There will be no parking there on Friday 4, Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 October. There may be limited parking on the days surrounding this as well. For facilities you would usually use this car park to access, such as the Beacon, please allow for extra time.
• Bestselling local crime writer Simon Mason will be talking about his Oxford-based DI Wilkins detective novels and his new Finder Mysteries at The King Alfred’s Head off Wantage market square on Saturday 12 October from 7pm. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this rising star of crime fiction. Book your ticket here with Wantage Bookshop, buy a drink at the bar and enjoy the talk and get a copy of one (or more) titles signed by the author.
• The Council’s Joint Local Plan draft is now under consultation for locals to review and express their feedback. The survey will be open for six weeks (closing Tuesday 12 November). The draft plan has been developed by both Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils to help meet local community future need for housing, jobs and infrastructure, and will replace the districts’ current adopted plans. Click here to read the plan for yourself and have your say.
• Please nominate the Vale Community Impact Wantage Independent Advice Centre to receive a £1,000 donation from the Movement for Good draw. Click here and search for Wantage Independent Advice Centre.
• Wantage Literary Festival is only a few weeks away. There are a whole host of exciting events from Friday 28 October to Saturday 9 November with talks, workshops, book signings and activities, spanning across all genres. There is something for everyone. Visit the website to see the full programme of events and book tickets.
• Click here for the latest (11 September) edition of the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group‘s newsletter (see last week’s column below for a summary).
• Our local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. On Sunday 27 October the group will meet at RSPB Arne, Dorset, one of Springwatch’s broadcasting centres, hoping to see a range of seasonal migrating birds, including Avocets, Spoonbills, Dartford Warblers and especially the Osprey and White Tailed Eagle which eluded us in March. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other. The next meeting will be taking place on Monday 21 October.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 26 September 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes the local plan, community support, a festival, birds, autism, coffee and the local campaign group’s annual meeting. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Nature Activities and Mindful Walk & Art Workshop. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A annual meeting
A reminder that the annual meeting of the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group (WAGCG) will take place on 27 September at 7.30pm in Wantage Methodist Church, Newbury Street OX12 8DA. The topic this year is the particular issues relating to the infrastructure and facilities available to the residents of this area. (This is a matter which the WAGCG covers pretty much every month.) The keynote speaker will be Andrew Crawford, Vale of the White Horse District Councillor and Cabinet member for Finance and Property, and Wantage Town Councillor.
As last year, the meeting will be a combination of a physical meeting and a Zoom meeting, although it will be much harder to join in the discussion via Zoom.
Please click here for more information on this and other matters in the WAGCG’s September newsletter.
• Other news
• Council members at Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils gave the go-ahead for the districts’ draft Joint Local Plan to be published for comment. The draft plan has been developed between the two councils to help meet local community future need for housing, jobs and infrastructure, and will replace the districts’ current adopted plans. From Tuesday 1 October, there will be a 6-week opportunity to comment on the plan. Click here for more information.
• Please nominate the Vale Community Impact Wantage Independent Advice Centre to receive a £1,000 donation from the Movement for Good draw. Click here and search for Wantage Independent Advice Centre.
• Sustainable Wantage‘s first events coming up in October include: “Want to grow your own allotment?” On Saturday 5 October. A free talk with an experienced allotment-holder who can answer your questions. Click here to sign up and learn more. On the same day, there is also a Mindfulness Walk and Art Workshop. Click here for details.
• Wantage Literary Festival is only a few weeks away. There are a whole host of exciting events from Friday 28 October to Saturday 9 November with talks, workshops, book signings and activities, spanning across all genres. There is something for everyone. Visit the website to see the full programme of events and book tickets.
• Click here for the latest (11 September) edition of the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group‘s newsletter (see last week’s column below for a summary).
• Our local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. On Sunday 27 October the group will meet at RSPB Arne, Dorset, one of Springwatch’s broadcasting centres, hoping to see a range of seasonal migrating birds, including Avocets, Spoonbills, Dartford Warblers and especially the Osprey and White Tailed Eagle which eluded us in March. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other. The next meeting will be taking place on Tuesday 1 October.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• A reminder that more than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 19 September 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes singing, sustainability, birds, folklore, coffee and trees – plus a new school takes shape, a funding jigsaw at the Leisure Centre and this weekend’s Newbury Show. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Mindful Walk & Local History Author Talk. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A new school takes shape
Construction work on St John’s CE Academy Secondary School site by Bouygues UK has begun on the old Grove Airfield, a short walk from the already operational primary school site. The project will cost £28.2m, a good chunk of which has been obtained from developer contributions in the form of CIL and S106 agreements. The building will be constructed on two floors with a green roof and solar panels, with both natural and synthetic playing fields. It will also include sustainable drainage systems to manage rainwater effectively.
St John’s CE Academy will offer the first all-through education option in the area (nursery to year 11) with places for around 600 pupils. It’s due to open in time for the start of the 2025-26 academic year.
“Bouygues UK is dedicated to building low carbon, energy-efficient structures with sustainability at the centre and we’re so pleased to be building St John’s CE Academy,” said John Boughton, Bouygues UK’s Managing Director for Wales and the South West. “Local communities are also at the heart of construction projects like these, and our St John’s CE Academy project will also use locally sourced labour and materials to build a fantastic school for children in Grove.”
The school has hosted well-attended information events ahead of the admissions deadline at the end of October, offering a valuable opportunity to engage with the local community and share its exciting vision. Further information can be found on the school’s website www.stjohnsceacademy.org.
• Work at the Leisure Centre
As mentioned previously, the sports hall at Wantage Leisure Centre has been given a £24,000 facelift, the improvements mainly being with the paintwork and the floor surface, with moveable netball nets also being installed.
This is just one part of the works planned at a building which, as all users will agree, is badly in need of some serious TLC. Improving the changing rooms and adding a learner pool have been approved by the Vale Council and tenders are now being looked at. Another major piece of work is the government-funded decarbonisation project. This will provide a range of improvements including new roof insulation with solar panels, new windows that will keep the heat in more effectively, air source heat pumps and exterior wall insulation fitted.
Funding from the government and from developers is obviously great for the council in that it enables infrastructure improvements to happen without spending money raised from residents. Both have their challenges, however.
Governments will make money available in order to help deliver national objectives, such as fixing potholes. They will also, as in this case, hold what might be called beauty contests for which councils have to bid. An authority with officers adept at spotting these and filling in the forms to best advantage will benefit at the expense of those which don’t, regardless of the respective needs. They are also ring-fenced for very specific projects and may specify that the work needs to be started, or finished, by a certain date. This might not always mesh with the council’s schedules.
Section 106 agreements can be even more complex. Essentially a private contract between the planning authority and the developer, they specify a number of matters about the development including what sums might need to be paid to help mitigate the effect of the development. As each is a unique document, each might describe the project for which the funding is required in a different way – “leisure centres”, “the Wantage Leisure Centre” and “the pool at the Wantage Leisure Centre” for example would describe successively more specific purposes.
The developer will, in general, want to make the conditions as specific and as time-limited as possible as, if these can’t be satisfied, the money may end up being refunded. The planning authority, on the other hand, will want the terms to be general and open-ended to allow for changes to priorities or timetables. The result is often a compromise. Moreover, because each S106 is negotiated by different people, the various agreements may not be consistent even if trying to express the same aspiration.
I understand that the funding for the leisure centres in the area is provided by over 100 S106 agreements, not all of which are triggered by the same events, due at the same time or possible to be used for the same purposes without re-negotiation. As work on a project can’t start until all the funding is available, piecing all this together can be a major task, like trying to complete a massive jigsaw puzzle in which each piece has been made by a different person.
There should be a better way of handling this – indeed, CIL was meant to be it – and the previous government proposed one, though this may not now appear. In the meantime, we’re stuck with S106s. As the experience at Wantage Leisure Centre shows, having 106 (or more) S106s to deal with on a particular project is not unknown.
• Newbury Show
The 2024 Newbury Show takes place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September – indeed, this very weekend. More information can be found by clicking here.
Recently updated news include arable farming in action, a driving experience, tweaks to the layout, parking advice and the 2024 Showground map.
• Other news
• Wantage Junior Choir are having a Sing Out Sunday this Sunday 22 September from 2pm at Wantage Parish Church. An afternoon of singing activities to inspire children followed by a short service and tea and cake. Aimed at children aged 7 to 12 and their families. To book a free place, get in touch at music@wantageparish.com.
• Click here for the latest (11 September) edition of the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group‘s newsletter (see last week’s column below for a summary).
• Want to de-stress while enjoying nature? Join Sustainable Wantage for a gentle, friendly walk, using mindful activities to help slow down, recharge and feel more connected to nature each month. This month’s walk will be an evening walk through the town and the fields behind Ham Mill, on Monday 23 September, meeting at The Mix. Click here to book a free place.
• Burnt Cakes WI meets at The Comrades Club on Newbury Street at 8pm on the fourth Thursday of every month. Next Thursday 26 September it has entertaining professional speaker Marie-Noëlle talking about “French eating”. This is sure to be a fun evening along with a few French nibbles. Guest welcome. For further information, please contact secretary Jo Tomlinson on 07580 863933.
• Our local RSPB Group (Vale of White Horse) welcomes new members and guests from across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties. It hosts monthly talks at 7.30pm on the third Monday of the month and regular outings. The next illustrated talk will be on Monday 21 September when Nick Bowles will talk about The Butterflies of Bird Reserves. On Sunday 27 October the group will meet at RSPB Arne, Dorset, one of Springwatch’s broadcasting centres, hoping to see a range of seasonal migrating birds, including Avocets, Spoonbills, Dartford Warblers and especially the Osprey and White Tailed Eagle which eluded us in March. For more details and how to join the group or attend the talks as a non-member see details here.
• An Autism Support Coffee Afternoon is held at Grove CE Primary from 1pm to 3pm once a month. This event is for everyone in the Grove and Wantage community. This will be a chance to meet others with neurodivergent children and share tips, tales and triumphs with each other. The next meeting will be taking place on Tuesday 1 October.
• Vale of White Horse District Council has released a report regarding the collaborative efforts to combat Anti-Social Behaviour in the local area. To read more about this subject and the actions being taken, click here.
• Local author and folklore historian Mike White will be talking at Wantage Library about his books, The Veiled Vale and The Ox-Files, and the mysterious history of the area. To book your free ticket for this talk on Wednesday 25 September, please phone 01235 762291, or speak to library staff. Details can be found here.
• A reminder that more than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Community notices
• Oxfordshire Online Cycling Map, available here, helps people find quieter and safer cycling routes.
• The Wantage Community Larder is at the Beacon every Friday afternoon. Prevent food from being wasted. Costs just £3.50 per week for 14 items. For more information, please follow the larder on Facebook.
• Sustainable Wantage Draughtbusters offers free visits to assess and fix draughts in your house, which could help you save energy, reduce bills and reduce your carbon footprint. To book the busters contact wantagemix@gmail.com or 07768 767787 and its team will get in touch and arrange a visit. Click here to learn more.
• Vale Community Impact seeks new volunteers for various roles including advisors, “good neighbours” and drivers. Please contact them on 01235 765348 or recruitment@vci.org.uk for more details.
• Sustainable Wantage’s Library of Things at The Mix on Mill Street offers useful products you can borrow instead of having to buy. To learn more click here.
• Wantage Art Group meets at East Challow Village Hall on the third Wednesday of each month. All welcome, visitors £5. Click here for more info.
• For details of current roadworks visit the one.network site and search for Wantage.
• Free soil improver for local gardeners and allotment keepers can be collected from the two dark green grit bins at the edge of the Memorial Hall Carpark in Shrivenham. More details here.
• Wantage and Grove Children’s Clothing Bank collects used and new clothing for kids up to 14 years old. Collection points include Wantage Parish Church and St John’s Church Grove. Please click here to see the full list, plus opening hours. Or message them at w.g.clothesbank@gmail.com or via their Facebook page to arrange individual drop off/collection.
• Wantage Tennis Club is open for membership. See here for more details.
• Betjeman Millennium Park relies on volunteers. If you would like to help with any aspect of the park please see here for how to get involved.
• Wantage Parish Church offers a hot “Around Table” meal every Wednesday to eat in or take away. Visit its facebook page for details. Supported by Oxford Food Hub.
• The Mix on Mill Street runs lots of workshops, repair cafés, refillables, and recycling projects. Please follow it on facebook or contact Jo on wantagemix@gmail.com.
• If you own a bike, Neighbourhood Watch strongly recommends registering it on the Bike Register database as every police force in the country uses it to search for stolen and recovered bikes.
• Volunteer drivers are needed in the Wantage and Grove areas – click here for details.
• Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue saves thousands of birds and animals. To support it you can make monthly donations here or make a one-off donation to Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue, sort code 08-71-99, account number 01764669.
Local events and activities
For more information on events and activities across the Penny Post area, see the website calendar.
• Dates for the diary
• Befriending my Brain exhibition at Down to Earth Café in The Old Stables Makespace until 13 Oct during café opening hours 10am to 3pm Wednesday to Saturday.
• Mon 23 Sep Sustainable Wantage: Mindful Walk, meet by the Mix, Wantage.
• Wed 25 Sep Mini Quilt workshop, Down to Earth Café, Wantage.
• Wed 25 Sep Mike White Local History Talk, Wantage Library.
• Mon 30 Sep Nature Activities, Wantage Market Garden, Charlton Village Road.
• Sat 5 Oct Mindful Walk and Art Workshop, Betjeman Park, Wantage.
• Sat 12 Oct Autumn Lantern Making, The Beacon Wantage.
• Sat 19 Oct Clothes Swap, Wantage Methodist Church Hall, Newbury Street.
• Sat 19 Oct International Repair Day 2024 – Big Repair Café, Grove Methodist Church Hall, Main Street.
• Thurs 31 Oct to Sat 2 Nov The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, King Alfred’s Theatre.
• Sun 1 Dec Christmas Artisan Market, Wantage.
• Regular events
• Wantage Library events for all ages. See details on its Facebook page.
• Wantage Café Scientifique hosts free science and technology talks at Wildwood cinema on the second Wednesday of the month. See here for how to go on its mailing list and links to previous talks on Zoom.
• Grove Fields Park Run is a free community 5k walk/run/jog for all abilities every Saturday morning at Grove Fields, Mably Way, OX12 9BN. Dogs and children are allowed. See parkrun.org.uk/grovefields.
• Kingsgrove Woodland junior parkrun is a 2k route for 4 to 14-year-olds every Sunday morning at 9am at Kingsgrove Woodland, Wantage, OX12 7GQ. See parkrun.org.uk/kingsgrovewoodland-juniors.
• Wantage Library’s reading group meet every second Monday of the month from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. If you are interested in joining, contact the Library on Facebook or at wantage.library@
• Wantage Art Group is a friendly, mixed-ability group that meets monthly at Charlton Holy Trinity Church, offering great demonstrations and interesting talks. Its next meeting is on Wednesday 19 April. See here for the rest of the year’s schedule and details on how to join the group.
• Vale & Downland Museum Book Group meets at the museum’s café on the second Friday of each month at 2pm. Any questions or queries can be sent to info@valeanddownlandmuseum.
• Oxfordshire Mind runs a weekly Wantage Mental Health Support Group every Tuesday from 10am to noon at Wantage Methodist Church.
• Wantage market every Wednesday and Saturday from 8am to 3pm. For further details please see the Wantage Market Facebook page.
• Wantage Library has a wide range of books on family and local history as well as free online resources accessible from home. See here for details.
• Walking Netball at Old Mill Hall, Grove every Thursday from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. No previous experience is needed and all ages are welcome.
News from your local council
Note: “the most recent meeting” refers to the most recent one for which minutes (in some cases draft) or some other summary is available. Other meetings may have taken place since. Some councils publish minutes more promptly than do others. If the link is scored through this may be because draft minutes have been replaced by approved ones and the drafts file deleted. If so, please follow the links provided to the council’s website.
• The most recent meeting of Wantage Town Council for which minutes are available was on 29 July and you can read the minutes here. (Note that the Council delegates much of its work to committees. Click here for more on these.) Items covered included: an update from the PCC; committee reports; financial matters; the cemetery extension; Thames Water; and the civic visit to Seesen.
To see the dates and agendas of future meetings, please click here. To see the minutes, please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Ardington & Lockinge Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 10 September and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: reports from the County and the District Councillors; the neighbourhood plan; financial matters; training; planning matters; repairs and maintenance; speeding; and road verges.
To see the dates, agendas and meetings for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Grove Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 30 July and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas and minutes, please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Watchfield Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 16 July and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of West Hendred Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 11 July and you can download the minutes here.
To see the dates and agendas of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the minutes, please click here.
• The most recent meeting of East Challow Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 10 July and you can download the minutes here.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Shrivenham Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 3 July and you can download the minutes here.
To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here. To see the minutes, please click here.
• The most recent meeting of East Hendred Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 6 June and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), the agendas and past minutes, please click here.
• The most recent meeting of East Hanney Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 10 January and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, and minutes please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Letcombe Regis Parish Council for which minutes are available was on 18 December and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• Wantage area council contacts
Parishes: click here for Wantage Town Council, Grove Parish Council, West Challow Parish Council, East Challow Parish Council, Ardington & Lockinge Parish Council, West Hanney Parish Council, East Hanney Parish Council, Shrivenham Parish Council, Watchfield Parish Council and Letcombe Regis Parish Council.
Vale of White Horse District Council: click here to visit the website.
Oxfordshire County Council: click here to visit the website.
Swindon Borough Council: click here to visit the website.
News from other areas
• Penny Post area – please see the following separate sections: Hungerford area; Lambourn Valley; Newbury area; Thatcham area; Compton & Downlands; Theale area; Marlborough area.
• News and views from across the area and beyond: please see the most recent Weekly News with Brian column.
Thursday 12 September 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a gym, art, polling access, local history, home improvement and trees – plus the latest news from your local campaign group, a reminder about a recent statement on pedestrianisation from Wantage Town Council and the Newbury Show is almost upon us. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Plant Sale & Wildlife Day. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• WAG campaign news
Click here for the latest (11 September) edition of the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group’s newsletter. Topics covered include:
- The annual meeting. This will take place on 27 September at 7.30pm in Wantage Methodist Church, Newbury Street OX12 8DA. The topic this year is the particular issues relating to the infrastructure and facilities available to the residents of this area. (This is a matter which the WAGCG covers pretty much every month.) The keynote speaker will be Andrew Crawford, Vale of the White Horse District Councillor and Cabinet member for Finance and Property, and Wantage Town Councillor. For more information, including how to attend remotely, see the newsletter.
- Parking at The Beacon, which is still limited due to refurbishment work.
- Thames Water’s reservoir plan. This is another regular topic in the newsletters. This issue looks at the Environment Agency’s reaction to the proposal and how you can have your say.
- Changes to planning laws and housing targets. The newsletter points out that “the changes will increase the annual housing requirement in the new Local Plan for the Vale from 633 dwellings per year to 937. What this will mean for Wantage and Grove remains to be seen…”
- Two forthcoming meetings of local GP Patient Groups.
- Tree removals in Grove.
• Pedestrianisation plans
We recently asked a few questions of Wantage Town Council concerning what plans might exist for extending the pedestrianisation arrangements at the western end of the Market Square. Residents and business owners will not need reminding that matters got a bit fraught when the issue first came up, with accusations from local traders that there had been a lack of consultation.
As reported last week, on 5 September, I received the following statement from the Wantage Town Clerk: “The Town Council is planning to work in partnership with Oxfordshire CC and stakeholders on a project to enhance the Market Place. This will be a co-produced project including all stakeholders and it will start from a blank slate. Co-production will give the community the opportunity to say what they would like.”
Though this doesn’t at this stage address all the questions I asked, it does provide welcome assurance that there will be a re-boot in the discussions. When there is any further news, we’ll have details in this column.
• The Newbury Show
Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September are the dates for the diary for the 2024 Newbury Show. More information can be found by clicking here.
Recently updated news include arable farming in action, a driving experience, tweaks to the layout, early-bird parking advice and the 2024 Showground map.
• Other news
• This Friday 13 September, why not join the Wild Wantage’s Green Gym, where you can help with practical outdoor tasks to improve habitats for local biodiversity. From gardening to tree planting, hedge care to scything, our regular volunteer work parties help your physical and mental well-being and our local environment. For September they will be at Wantage Library. To find out more click here.
• Don’t miss Wantage Market Garden’s Plant Sale and Wildlife Day this Sunday 15 September. Entry is free between 1pm and 3pm and activities will include wildlife crafts, garden and house plants, pond dipping, a garden trail, as well as homemade tea and cakes. All proceeds go towards maintenance of the garden. Located behind the Wantage Community Support building, Charlton Village Road, Wantage. Click here for more information.
• Events coming up from the Wantage Art Group include a Sketching/Painting Day in Wantage garden near Ridgeway, taking place this Friday 13 September. Next Wednesday 18 September, local artist Kathy Meyrick will give an illustrated talk about the evolution of her career from packaging design and equine portraits to monoprints. She will also give a monoprint demonstration. That’s at 7.30 pm, at East Challow Village Hall. Click here to learn more.
• Did you or someone you know have difficulty accessing a polling station during the recent elections? If so, Vale of the White Horse District Council want to hear from you. They are looking at changing some polling stations to ensure they are accessible for everyone in future elections. Let them know what you think by completing their survey – closes Monday 21 October.
• Down to Earth Cafe in The Old Stables Makespace invites you to view Eden Fay’s unique and thought provoking ‘Befriending my Brain’ exhibition now showing in the cafe until 13 October during cafe opening hours 10am to 3pm Wednesday to Saturday. You can also book a relaxing Mini Quilt workshop on Saturday 14 and Wednesday 25 September.
• Local author and folklore historian Mike White, will be talking at Wantage Library about his books, ‘The Veiled Vale’ and ‘The Ox-Files’ and the mysterious history of the area. To book your free ticket for this talk on Wednesday 25 September, please phone 01235 762291, or speak to library staff. Details can be found here.
• Sustainable Wantage‘s September Newsletter highlights upcoming events, the Wantage Garden Market, volunteering opportunities, the Green Gym and more. Click here for details.
• A reminder that more than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. The councils have partnered with Abingdon & Witney College, OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership) and education charity SOFEA to upskill local residents and businesses. Eighty-two places have been funded for “green” building and construction courses from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 5 September 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes brains, books, bingo, bags, lucid dreams and a green gym – plus showtime is almost here, frustration at the Vale over the reservoir and improvements at Wantage’s Leisure Centre (with more to come). See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Burghfield area events include Café Scientifique, Bingo Night and author talk. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Pedestrianisation plans
Last week (see below) I asked a few questions of Wantage Town Council concerning what plans might exist for extending the pedestrianisation arrangements at the western end of the Market Square. Residents and business owners will not need reminding that matters got a bit fraught when the issue first came up, with accusations from local traders that there had been a lack of consultation.
On 5 September, I received the following statement from the Wantage Town Clerk: “The Town Council is planning to work in partnership with Oxfordshire CC and stakeholders on a project to enhance the Market Place. This will be a co-produced project including all stakeholders and it will start from a blank slate. Co-production will give the community the opportunity to say what they would like.”
Though this doesn’t at this stage address all the questions I asked, it does provide welcome assurance that there will be a re-boot in the discussions. When there is any further news, we’ll have details in this column. Watch this space…
• Reservoir rage
The Secretary of State, Steve Reed, has signed off Thames Water’s Water Resources Management Plan, a decision which Vale of White Horse Leader Bethia Thomas describes as “incredibly frustrating.”
This plan sets out a strategy to provide a supply of water to the South East for the next fifty years and supports the needs case for a new large reservoir in Oxfordshire, near Abingdon. however, Thomas says that “the council believes there are other options that could achieve this.” She added that she had written to Steve Reed in July setting out the Vale’s concerns and “had hoped to arrange a meeting to put our case to him.
“We remain opposed to these proposals, and this news makes taking a stand against this much more challenging, but we will continue to do what is within our limited power. It seems remarkable that Thames Water remains fixated on pushing ahead with this environmentally disastrous plan without properly exploring much more sensible and effective options. We submitted our response to Thames Water’s public consultation in August, reaffirming our objections and we will continue to represent our residents and urge water providers, regulators and government to listen to local voices and reject these plans.”
• Leisure Centre improvements
A recent statement from the Vale Council says that “The sports hall at Wantage Leisure Centre has been given a new lease of life this month with a £24,000 revamp.” It added that the sports hall floor “has seen better days” (much the same could be said of the rest of the Centre) due to “wear and tear from its constant use” (and, it could have added, lack of investment). This has been partly funded by Section 106 developer contributions.
This is not the end of the work there. The Vale’s Deputy Leader Mark Coleman adds that “this is just part of the picture of our investment at Wantage Leisure Centre and across all of our leisure centres. There will be more to come with work on the swimming pool changing rooms and major energy-saving work which will significantly contribute towards reducing our overall carbon emissions.” It seems that the next stage is the long-overdue refurbishment of the swimming pool changing rooms over the next years.
The statement adds that “there will be a multi-million-pound major energy-saving project at both Wantage Leisure Centre and White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre, starting later this year. This will involve the installation of insulation, new windows, solar panels, air source heat pumps and external wall insulation. Once completed, the measures are expected to reduce the council’s overall carbon emissions by more than 25 per cent. This work is expected to be completed by March 2025.”
• Countdown to showtime
The weekend edges closer and the countdown is underway for the Newbury Show on 21 and 22 September 2024. Click here for more information, including on stalls, tickets and sponsorship opportunities.
• Other news
• Down to Earth Cafe in The Old Stables Makespace invites you to view Eden Fay’s unique and thought provoking ‘Befriending my Brain’ exhibition now showing in the cafe until 13 October during cafe opening hours 10am to 3pm Wednesday to Saturday. You can also book a relaxing Mini Quilt workshop on Saturday 14 and Wednesday 25 September.
• The 16th century barn at Eastmanton House, Sparsholt (home of The Spirit of the Vale Christmas Fair) is resuming their author talks for the first time since lockdown. They are the Oxfordshire partner of Books at the Barn and promise a good evening out. Their first speaker since Covid will be former Old Bailey judge Wendy Joseph KC on Wednesday 11 September. In her new book Rough Justice, Joseph lifts the lid on our legal system and asks: What is justice? Do our legal courts dispense it? Does it deliver criminal justice for those involved? She examines four gripping trials she presided over in her time as a Judge, and excavates matching historical cases of murder and intrigue. Book your tickets here.
• Next Wednesday 11 September there will also be a Fundraising Bingo Night at Grove Village Hall, from 7.30pm. Funds raised will go to the Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue and there are plenty of great prizes to be won. Click here for details.
• Local author and folklore historian Mike White, will be talking at Wantage Library about his books, ‘The Veiled Vale’ and ‘The Ox-Files’ and the mysterious history of the area. To book your free ticket for this talk on Wednesday 25 September, please phone 01235 762291, or speak to library staff. Details can be found here.
• Sustainable Wantage‘s September Newsletter highlights upcoming events, the Wantage Garden Market, volunteering opportunities, the Green Gym and more. Click here for details.
• The next Wantage Café Scientfique will be on the topic of Lucid Dreams, with Leslie Hallam. Leslie is Course Director for the Psychology of Advertising MSc at the University of Lancaster, and he will be discussing the psychology of this phenomenon, as well as methods designed to increase the frequency of lucidity. He’ll also suggest some potential uses for this “dream technology” and warn of possible future abuses. This will be taking place at the Wildwood Cinema, in Wantage, Wednesday 11 September. To learn more click here.
• A reminder that until 8 September there will be limited access at Portway Car Park in Wantage, due to the ongoing refurbishment work. The car park will be closed between Portway Road and the main entrance to the Beacon Arts Centre and there will be very few spaces available within the car park until the work is complete. It is being advised to use alternative car parks at Limborough Road or Mill Street. For more information, see here.
• Sustainable Shrivenham’s Party Bag Project aims to reduce the amount of single-use plastic which can often be found in your typical party bag. Instead, it is offering an alternative: £2.50 per recyclable or reusable bag , plus three items from its gift selection. This is made up of pre-loved items or crafted goodies (judging from the photos, this includes items like children’s jewellery, scrunchies, books, pencils and other fun knick-knacks. If you’re in need of some party bags, head over to the Hub and find a lovely eco-friendly alternative.
• A reminder that more than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. The councils have partnered with Abingdon & Witney College, OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership) and education charity SOFEA to upskill local residents and businesses. Eighty-two places have been funded for “green” building and construction courses from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 29 August 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes science, sketching, work progressing, writing and football – plus a few questions about possible pedestrianisation plans in Wantage. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Burghfield area events include Green Gym and Café Scientifique. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Pedestrianisation plans
Last year, Wantage Town Council expressed the desire to make further changes to the pedestrianised area at the western end of the Market Place. As we reported at the time, accusations were made of lack of consultation and other communication problems and the matter was, for the moment, dropped. It now seems it might be on the agenda again. A meeting was held between the Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce in late July to discuss possible ideas.
I don’t have any particular views about the pros and cons of various schemes although I know that others have very strong ones. All I wanted to do was find out what the next stages might be and try to establish if residents and business owners were likely to be better informed and more involved in the decision-making than appeared to have been the case last year. On 27 August, I therefore sent the following questions to Wantage Town Council:
- What plans does Wantage Town Council (WTC) and/or Oxfordshire CC have to make further changes to the arrangements there?
- Is there any timescale for developing any plans?
- There was a meeting between WTC and the Chamber of Commerce (CoC) in late July at which options were discussed. What was (or will be) the outcome/s from this?
- If any further changes are planned, what form of consultation will be held with local residents and businesses?
- Finally, will the CoC be directly involved in these?
As soon as I get a reply I’ll let you know.
• Other news
• This Sunday 1 September Sustainable Wantage’s Green Gym will be taking place at Betjeman Millennium Park in central Wantage. The aim of the Gym is to keep fit and help protect and enhance our local green spaces by improving habitats for local biodiversity. From gardening to tree-planting, hedge care to scything, these regular volunteer work parties help maintain your physical and mental well-being and our local environment. The sessions are free but booking is recommended.
• The next Wantage Café Scientfique will be on the topic of Lucid Dreams, with Leslie Hallam. Leslie is Course Director for the Psychology of Advertising MSc at the University of Lancaster, and he will be discussing the psychology of this phenomenon, as well as methods designed to increase the frequency of lucidity. He’ll also suggest some potential uses for this “dream technology” and warn of possible future abuses. This will be taking place at the Wildwood Cinema, in Wantage, Wednesday 11 September. To learn more click here.
• The Wantage Art Group will be holding its next “Drink & Draw” Live Sketching Event on Friday 30 August at The King Alfred’s Head, at the Market Place in Wantage from 7pm. Regardless of skill level, all can join the fun and express themselves through art. Join fellow artists, share creative work, enjoy a well-deserved drink, and chat in the bar. Tickets cost £12 and can be booked here.
• Refurbishment of the Sports Hall at Wantage Leisure Centre is going well. The floor being sanded and resealed, as well as redecorated. Please check out its facebook page for updates.
• Wantage Literary Festival’s Young Writers Competition is open to 13 – 18 year olds who live within 50 miles of Wantage. The challenge is to write a personal review of your favourite book, play, TV show, film or podcast by the deadline of 5 September. There is a £125 cash first prize for each age category. See how to enter here.
• A reminder that until 8 September there will be limited access at Portway Car Park in Wantage, due to the ongoing refurbishment work. The car park will be closed between Portway Road and the main entrance to the Beacon Arts Centre and there will be very few spaces available within the car park until the work is complete. It is being advised to use alternative car parks at Limborough Road or Mill Street. For more information, see here.
• Wantage Town Football Club is looking for new players to join its Under 9s (starting year 4 in September) division. If interested, get in touch with coach Paul Trendell here.
• Sustainable Shrivenham’s Party Bag Project aims to reduce the amount of single-use plastic which can often be found in your typical party bag. Instead, it is offering an alternative: £2.50 per recyclable or reusable bag , plus three items from its gift selection. This is made up of pre-loved items or crafted goodies (judging from the photos, this includes items like children’s jewellery, scrunchies, books, pencils and other fun knick-knacks. If you’re in need of some party bags, head over to the Hub and find a lovely eco-friendly alternative.
• South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District councils have revealed the next steps to the Joint Local Plan, following two consultations. In a few weeks, the councils will publish the proposed Joint Local Plan, along with the relevant supporting documents and the evidence the plan is based on. The public will have a 6-week opportunity to comment on whether they think the plan meets all the relevant technical requirements. Click here to learn more.
• A reminder that more than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. The councils have partnered with Abingdon & Witney College, OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership) and education charity SOFEA to upskill local residents and businesses. Eighty-two places have been funded for “green” building and construction courses from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• Sustainable Wantage‘s August Newsletter highlights upcoming events, the Library of Things, volunteering opportunities, the Green Gym and more. Click here for details.
• The Wantage Art Group is currently exhibiting members’ work at Wantage Library, from now until Friday 30 August. Some of the work is available to purchase. Details can be found here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree-planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Sustainable Wantage is holding some exciting nature events this month, including a Night Safari at Wantage Garden Market, a Bat Walk, Nature Activities and more. Click here for details.
• With the summer holidays upon us, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has organised a variety of fun activities for children, youths and families across the district. These include navigation challenges, girls’ football, pickleball, fun days and more. Click here to check out the full list of activities and locations.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 22 August 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes nature, the local plan, sketching, a closure, trees, eco courses – plus up to 600 more homes in Grove and the Vale Council’s response to the consultation on the proposed mega reservoir. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Stirlings Summer Fete and Drink & Draw. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• More homes for Grove
The following is taken from the minutes of Grove Parish Council of 30 July:
“Councillor Dexter informed the Council that both he and the Clerk attended a meeting with a representative from Persimmon Homes (Wessex) regarding the proposed (up to) 600 dwelling development on land North West of Grove and specifically play provision arising from the development.
“Councillor Dexter said that the meeting was very productive and the representative from Persimmon Homes (Wessex) wanted to listen. He added that the representative was keen to discuss the proposed development in full once the finalised masterplan had been developed.
“The Clerk added that in his opinion, there was not a need for another Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) because of them being delivered elsewhere in Grove. He said that a new skatepark/bike track facility was required. The Clerk added that he thought the area should be suitable for older children and young adults. Councillor Dexter added that the proposed development would also deliver a new Cemetery (located directly opposite the existing Cemetery) of approximately the same size.
“Following a discussion, it was agreed that the Parish Council would prefer an improved/alternative skate or bike park facility.”
• A reservoir response
On 23 August, Vale of White Horse District Council submitted its consultation response on Thames Water’s proposed reservoir for the district. Thames Water launched a public consultation in June on the proposed reservoir and the public have until 28 August to give their views.
A statement from the Council says that “plans for the controversial reservoir near Abingdon have been criticised by local communities, with Vale of White Horse District Council urging water providers to consider alternative solutions more seriously. The reservoir is now even bigger than originally planned at around 6.5 sq km and is almost as big as Gatwick Airport.” You can see the council’s consultation response here.
The council also reaffirmed its objections to the reservoir in a formal letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 July. The letter set out the council’s concerns around the proposed reservoir and requested a meeting to discuss the matter further.
• Other news
• Would you and your family like to get involved in some outdoor activities, and learn more about our local plants and wildlife? Join Sustainable Wantage for free nature activities on the last Monday of each month, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm. The next session is on Bank Holiday Monday 26 August with pond-dipping and bug-hunting. The sessions are free, but places are limited so booking is essential.
• South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District councils have revealed the next steps to the Joint Local Plan, following two consultations. In a few weeks, the councils will publish the proposed Joint Local Plan, along with the relevant supporting documents and the evidence the plan is based on. The public will have a 6-week opportunity to comment on whether they think the plan meets all the relevant technical requirements. Click here to learn more.
• The Wantage Art Group will be holding its next “Drink & Draw” Live Sketching Event on Friday 30 August at The King Alfred’s Head, at the Market Place in Wantage from 7pm. Regardless of skill level, all can join the fun and express themselves through art. Join fellow artists, share creative work, enjoy a well-deserved drink, and chat in the bar. Tickets cost £12 and can be booked here.
• Quick reminder that the Wantage Leisure Centre sports hall is currently closed until Monday 2 September for refurbishments. This is due to the floor being sanded and resealed, as well as redecorated. Please check out its website for updates.
• A reminder that more than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. The councils have partnered with Abingdon & Witney College, OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership) and education charity SOFEA to upskill local residents and businesses. Eighty-two places have been funded for “green” building and construction courses from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• Sustainable Wantage‘s August Newsletter highlights upcoming events, the Library of Things, volunteering opportunities, the Green Gym and more. Click here for details.
• The Wantage Art Group is currently exhibiting members’ work at Wantage Library, from now until Friday 30 August. Some of the work is available to purchase. Details can be found here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Sustainable Wantage is holding some exciting nature events this month including a Night Safari at Wantage Garden Market, a Bat Walk, Nature Activities and more. Click here for details.
• With the summer holidays upon us, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has organised a variety of fun activities for children, youths and families across the district. These include navigation challenges, girls’ football, pickleball, fun days and more. Click here to check out the full list of activities and locations.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 15 August 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes closing the centre, sketching, a boot sale, a fete, volunteers, art and home improvement – plus a chat with Shrivenham’s pharmacist and former West Berkshire Council Leader Graham Jones. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Art Exhibition & Lunch Club. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A pharmacist and former council leader speaks
For the last 30-odd years, Graham Jones has owned the Pharmacy in Shrivenham (and also the one in Lambourn), where he has become a very familiar and well-respected local figure. Not content with running these businesses, he also represented the Lambourn ward on West Berkshire Council for 22 years, for 10 of which he was also Leader of the Council.
We managed to catch up with him to ask about both of these different roles as well as the vital matters of his desert-island choice of music, book, film and luxury object. You can read our interview with him here.
• Other news
• The Wantage Leisure Centre sports hall is currently closed until Monday 2 September for refurbishments. This is due to the floor being sanded and resealed, as well as redecorated. Please check out its website for updates.
• A reminder that more than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse. The councils have partnered with Abingdon & Witney College, OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership) and education charity SOFEA to upskill local residents and businesses. Eighty-two places have been funded for “green” building and construction courses from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• On Wednesday 21 August the Wantage Art Group will be hosting a Sketch Day in Letcombe Regis. They will be meeting at 10:30am at the Greyhound pub for a coffee, before heading off to a few scenic locations around the village (outdoors if weather is nice, or indoors if rainy). For more details click here, or get in touch at wantageart@gmail.com.
• There’s a new Wantage boot sale at Circus Field (opposite St Alfred’s School) taking place on Bank Holiday Sunday 25 August. There’s no need to book, just turn up. For sellers, join in for £10 (any size vehicle), registered charities pay just £5. For buyers, early admission from 7am is £5 per adult, or free entry from 8am. Details can be found here.
• The Ray Collins Charitable Trust is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to join their team in a variety of roles. They are currently seeking people who can help them in the following roles: Social Media Volunteer Leader, Marshalling Volunteer Leader, Fundraising Volunteer Leader and Planning Volunteers Leader. Roles can be flexible around your schedule. If you have skills you could utilise in any of these roles, get in touch with them via the contact form on their website.
• The Order of St John’s Care Trust will be holding a Summer Fete at its Stirling’s location (Garston Lane, Wantage) on Saturday 24 August, from 1pm. Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy stalls, live music, a tombola and raffle, snacks and refreshments, a BBQ, games and more. Click here to learn more.
• Friendly “chop and chat” Lunch Club at Down to Earth Café on Tuesday 20 August for retirees who would like to cook and eat a meal together. Each session is free to attend and you can register your interest by contacting Jo at josustainablewantage@gmail.com or 07918 148828 or booking here.
• Want to de-stress while enjoying nature? This month, The Mix Wantage will be holding a gentle, friendly evening nature walk at a local nature reserve by Letcombe Brook (meeting outside the Letcombe village shop and café, by the church) on Monday 19 August. Enjoy local green spaces, using mindful activities to help slow down, recharge and feel more connected to nature. The walk is free but you need to book a place here, or get in touch at wantagemix@gmail.com.
• Sustainable Wantage‘s August Newsletter highlights upcoming events, the Library of Things, volunteering opportunities, the Green Gym and more. Click here for details.
• The Wantage Art Group is currently exhibiting members’ work at Wantage Library, from now until Friday 30 August. Some of the work is available to purchase. Details can be found here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Sustainable Wantage is holding some exciting nature events this month including a Night Safari at Wantage Garden Market, a Bat Walk, Nature Activities and more. Click here for details.
• With the summer holidays upon us, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has organised a variety of fun activities for children, youths and families across the district. These include navigation challenges, girls’ football, pickleball, fun days and more. Click here to check out the full list of activities and locations.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 8 August 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes biodiversity, down to earth, trombones, cycling, art, trees, green skills and a war on litter. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Art Exhibition, Green Gym and Night Safari. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Green skills
More than 80 fully funded places are available on eco-friendly home-improvement courses for people based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts.
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have partnered with Abingdon & Witney College, OxLEP (Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership) and education charity SOFEA to upskill local residents and businesses.
The councils have funded 82 places for “green” building and construction courses from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. These courses at Abingdon and Witney College include Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps, Understanding Domestic Retrofit and general awareness courses.
• A war on litter
The same two councils have launched a campaign aimed at tackling the issue of litter in parks and streets, especially during the summer when more people have food and drink outside in public areas. They are installing banners on the same theme in key public areas and will be giving posters to takeaways to display in windows. Signage will be placed around public events and posters will made available for all parishes to go on public noticeboards.
New signage will also encourage people not to drop cigarette butts and to report overflowing bins, rather than adding to the problem. The campaign will “support the work of the councils’ Environmental Services teams who work to reduce litter through education and enforcement”.
The statement from the South and Vale Councils concludes with the reminder that the fixed penalty notice for dropping litter is £80. If the case goes to a court the fine rises to a maximum of £2,500 plus legal costs.
• Other news
• Do you have flowers in your garden that attract bees and butterflies? Or a gap in a fence or under a gate that allows hedgehogs to come and go? Wild Wantage is currently doing a biodiversity survey, funded by Vale of White Horse Climate Action Fund, and would like to find out more about about what’s available for wildlife in our gardens. It is focusing on the Wantage and Grove area, but would love to hear about gardens around Challow, Ardington and Letcombe too. To take part, click here.
• Down to Earth sustainable café is pleased to announce that it is now open on Saturdays from 9.30am to 2.30pm, as well as Wednesdays to Fridays 10am to 3pm. So far this year, customers have generously given a total of 48 “pay it forward” donations, which is invaluable in allowing others the opportunity to enjoy a welcome meal or coffee and cake.
• Meanwhile the monthly Lunch Club at Down to Earth is moving to the third Tuesday of the month with the next one on Tuesday 20 August. This is a friendly “chop and chat” morning, 10am-1pm for those of us who are retired and would like to cook and eat a meal together. Each session is FREE to attend and you can register your interest by contacting Jo at josustainablewantage@gmail.com or 07918 148828 or booking here.
• Want to de-stress while enjoying nature? This month, The Mix Wantage will be holding a gentle, friendly evening nature walk at a local nature reserve by Letcombe Brook (meeting outside the Letcombe village shop and café, by the church) on Monday 19 August. Enjoy local green spaces, using mindful activities to help slow down, recharge and feel more connected to nature. The walk is free but you need to book a place here, or get in touch at wantagemix@gmail.com.
• Wantage Concert Brass is on the look-out for a tenor trombone and kit player to join them. If you or someone you know might fit the bill, get in touch by emailing the Band Manager, Lesley at lellyann7713@gmail.com.
• Cycling UK Oxfordshire has recently launched the Oxfordshire Online Cycling Map, available here. This map helps people to find quieter and safer cycling routes. Developed by about 60 volunteer cyclists from across the county, who have checked and recorded the routes, the map shows the best routes for new or inexperienced cyclists.
• Sustainable Wantage‘s August Newsletter highlights upcoming events, the Library of Things, volunteering opportunities, the Green Gym and more. Click here for details.
• The Wantage Art Group is currently exhibiting members’ work at Wantage Library, from now until Friday 30 August. Some of the work is available to purchase. Details can be found here.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Sustainable Wantage is holding some exciting nature events this month including a Night Safari at Wantage Garden Market, a Bat Walk, Nature Activities and more. Click here for details.
• With the summer holidays upon us, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has organised a variety of fun activities for children, youths and families across the district. These include navigation challenges, girls’ football, pickleball, fun days and more. Click here to check out the full list of activities and locations.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Quick reminder that volunteers are requested to help maintain the lovely Betjeman Park in Wantage Town Centre. The monthly sessions are 5 to 7pm on Tuesdays (next one on 13 Aug). For more details please visit its facebook page here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery. Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 1 August 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes art, trees, litter bugs, nature events, volunteers and activities – plus a reminder about some current campaigns and consultations and a look at a report of the new MP’s maiden speech in the Commons. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Art Exhibition, Green Gym and Night Safari. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A maiden speech
Wantage.com reports here on an “impactful” maiden speech made by the town’s new MP, Olly Glover, on 22 July. The article reports that “the first email he received congratulating him on his new position came from Ed Vaizey, now Lord Vaizey, who was the former MP for the area from 2005 up until 2019.” No congrats from David Johnston, then?
It also reveals that, on the morning of his election, he received an “unexpected” Section 21 eviction notice. This led to his suggesting reform to the rental system, including compelling landlords to enter into dialogue with tenants before resorting to legals.
In his speech, he referred to a number of challenges facing his constituents including “the cost of housing, the lack of NHS dentistry, and the troubles concerning the establishment of a GP surgery in Great Western Park.”
No mention – yet – of whether he’ll continue is predecessor David Johnston’s campaign to get the Wantage Road station at Grove re-opened. The news from Whitehall suggests that a number of rail renewal projects have been cut, despite the jobs and carbon reduction that these will bring.
If you want to know a bit more about your new MP, have a look here at the questions we asked all the candidates in the constituency in the run-up to the election. Three of them, including the incumbent, did not bother to reply: but Olly Glover did. He also got elected. I’m not saying there’s a connection between these two things – I’m just saying. A least local residents know that they’ve elected someone who’s happy to answer some questions about what he believes in, which might be encouraging.
• OX12’s campaigns
A reminder of some consultations and other issues that we mentioned last week – click here to read the latest (19 July) newsletter from the ever-vigilant Wantage and Grove Campaign Group. The points covered include the following:
- The closure of part of the car park in The Beacon until mid-September for refurbishment work.
- A consultation on the Vale website about proposals for new council wards.
- A reminder about the consultation on Thames Water’s proposed mega reservoir between Wantage and Abingdon.
- An encouragement to sign a petition calling for a full-scale public inquiry into the whole issue.
- News from local health centres.
• Other news
• From this Saturday 3 August the Wantage Art Group will be exhibiting members’ work at Wantage Library. Some of the work is available to purchase. The exhibit will run Monday to Saturday until Friday 30 August. Details can be found here.
• Sustainable Wantage is looking for some help this Sunday 4 August from 2pm to 4pm to dismantle and recover the small polytunnel at Wantage Market Garden. If you can help please come along, tea and cake for all volunteers afterwards. It can be found behind the Wantage Community Support Services building on Charlton Village Road, Wantage.
• Do you have an idea for a community tree planting project? You can get help with funding and project support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Tree and Woodland Opportunity team. It doesn’t have to be a big area – just a few fruit trees will make a real difference. Make your suggestions here.
• Sustainable Wantage is holding some exciting nature events this month including a Night Safari at Wantage Garden Market, a Bat Walk, Nature Activities and more. Click here for details.
• With the summer holidays upon us, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has organised a variety of fun activities for children, youths and families across the district. These include navigation challenges, girls’ football, pickleball, fun days and more. Click here to check out the full list of activities and locations.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Quick reminder that volunteers are requested to help maintain the lovely Betjeman Park in Wantage Town Centre. The monthly sessions are 5 to 7pm on Tuesdays (next one on 13 Aug). For more details please visit its facebook page here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery? Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 25 July 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a concert, a lottery, a charitable trust, a repair café, a car park and skating – plus a look at some issues being covered by the local campaign group. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Wantage Band concert and Wantage Art Exhibition. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• OX12’s campaigns
You can click here to read the latest (19 July) newsletter from the ever-vigilant Wantage and Grove Campaign Group. The points covered include the following:
- The closure of part of the car park in The Beacon until mid-September for refurbishment work.
- A consultation on the Vale website about proposals for new council wards.
- A reminder about the consultation on Thames Water’s proposed mega reservoir between Wantage and Abingdon.
- An encouragement to sign a petition calling for a full-scale public inquiry into the whole issue.
- News from local health centres.
• Other news
• The Wantage Silver Band Market Place Brass will be performing a free concert at the Market Place on Saturday 28 July from 2pm. Come and enjoy a fine selection of brass band favourites while enjoying a drink or an ice-cream. Suitable for all the family. The Dolphin Gallery is sponsoring the concerts. Drinks and ice-creams available from Marmalade, Blackbird and King Alfred’s Head. Click here for further details.
• If you are taking part in Wild Wantage’s biodiversity survey or want to, you have until the end of July to submit your findings. If you’re a keen nature-spotter, you can also get involved in the survey by logging any wildlife sightings via its iRecord group or through its survey form. You can enter info into either iRecord or the survey form as many times as you like.
• This month marks the third anniversary of the White Horse Community Lottery, which has so far helped fund 10 local charities. The lottery has raised a total of £82,975, which goes towards local organisations, voluntary and charitable groups. To find out more about how to play the lottery, or how your organisation can get involved, click here to learn more.
• The Ray Collins Charitable Trust is looking for passionate individuals to join as trustees. If you are interested in applying, send an email at info@raycollinstrust.org. Tell them why you’re excited about their mission and how your skills align with their needs. For more information click here.
• Councillor Bethia Thomas made a Leader’s Report to the Vale of White Horse District Council at a meeting on Wednesday 17 July. In her report, she covers the recent general election and how it relates to the district, such as the affects on the Future Oxfordshire Partnership, the recent news regarding the Botley Road rail station and the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme. You can read the full report in detail here.
• Sustainable Shrivenham Repair Café is this weekend. On the fourth Saturday of every month from 9:30am to 12:30pm, a group of clever volunteers will attempt to fix small household items, as well as minor bike repairs and clothing repairs. There is no charge for this service (although you may have to pay for any spare parts), however they do ask for a donation which suits your budget, which will go towards the Hub. The Café will be on break in August, but back for September. More details can be found here.
• Major refurbishment at Portway car park in Wantage started earlier this week and will last for about eight weeks. The refurbishments aim to improve drainage as well as promote biodiversity in the area. Further details about the project, as well as information regarding changes to access of the site, can be found here.
• With the summer holidays upon us, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has organised a variety of fun activities for children, youths and families across the district. These include navigation challenges, girls’ football, pickleball, fun days and more. Click here to check out the full list of activities and locations.
• Skateboards and scooters can enjoy the Summer of Skate taking place across the South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse district from 29 July to 29 August including Monday 29 July and Wednesday 14 August at Grove. There will be competitions, games, prizes and music. No need to book — just show up and shred! Everyone’s welcome, no matter your ability. It’s a great place for children and teens to make new friends. Click here to learn more and see the full list of locations.
• For more inspiration regarding family and children’s activities this summer holiday see our Local Summer Holiday Guide for days out, family activities, summer camps, fun for free and some great recipes to enjoy making at home.
• Quick reminder that volunteers are requested to help maintain the lovely Betjeman Park in Wantage Town Centre. The monthly sessions are 5 to 7pm on Tuesdays (next one on 13 Aug). For more details please visit its facebook page here.
• Sustainable Shrivenham has a new community resource: a free soil improver for local gardeners and allotment keepers. The soil improver can be found in two dark green grit bins at the edge of the Memorial Hall Carpark in Shrivenham. Information about the improver and how to collect it can be found here.
• There are a few life drawing events taking place in Wantage over the next few months. They’ll all be taking place at the Kind Alfred Head pub in Wantage. The next one will be taking place on Friday 26 July. Click here to see all dates and book a place.
• Ever been curious about the quality of air around your home? The Library of Things at The Mix on Mill Street has recently acquired an Indoor Air Quality Monitor. You can check the quality of the air you breathe when you use aerosols, cleaning products etc. Lots of possible experiments to try for anyone curious. There are also lots of other useful products you can borrow from the library. To learn more click here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery? Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk.
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 18 July 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a ballet, a charity, a refurbishment, biodiversity and soil – plus a reminder about a consultation on the proposed mega-reservoir and summer fun in the Vale. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Wild Wantage Green Gym & Wantage Band concert. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Holiday fun
Girls’ football, fun activity days, skateboarding and pickleball are just some of the free and low-cost activities available for children and their families to enjoy during the summer holidays. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are hosting activities and events at locations across the area from 19 July to 31 August.
Better Leisure Centres across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse, managed on behalf of the district councils by GLL, also have a range of family activities to get involved over the summer holidays. Details about what’s available at each centre can be found on the Better UK website and the leisure centre Facebook pages.
For more information, see this post from the Councils.
• Views on the reservoir
Vale of White Horse District Council is encouraging its residents to give their views on Thames Water’s proposed reservoir for the district.
Thames Water has launched a public consultation on the proposed reservoir and the public have until 28 August to give their views on the consultation which is available here.
“Plans for the controversial reservoir near Abingdon have again been criticised by local communities, with Vale of White Horse District Council urging water providers to consider alternative solutions more seriously,” a statement from the Vale says. “The reservoir is now even bigger than originally planned – at around 6.5 sq km – almost as big as Gatwick Airport and unprecedented in scale. The council reaffirmed its objections to the reservoir in a formal letter to Thames Water after the water company submitted its revised Draft Water Resources Management Plan to the government.
“The council argues that the plans fail to fully consider the long-term impacts to the local community and the environment, both during a decade of construction and the irreparable damage to the countryside. Any reservoir would also come at the expense of significant carbon emissions which the council argues would impact the district’s ability to become carbon neutral by 2045.”
• Other news
• The Let’s All Dance ballet company is bringing Goldilocks the Ballet to The Beacon, Wantage this Saturday 20 July. A great introduction to dance and ballet for younger members of the family and with a 1940’s vibe, and a variety of dance styles, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Click here for ticket information.
• With the summer holidays almost upon us, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse have organised a variety of fun activities for children, youths and families across the district. These include navigation challenges, girls football, dace, pickleball, fun days and more. Click here to check out the full list of activates and locations.
• The Ray Collins Charitable Trust are currently seeking new volunteers to compliment their existing team. To resister your interest, click here to fill in there online form. To learn more about the Trust and their work, visit their website.
• Major refurbishment at Portway car park in Wantage, is due to start next Monday 22 July and will last for around eight weeks. The improvements aim to improve drainage as well as promote biodiversity in the area. Further details about the project, as well as information regarding changes to access of the site over the next few weeks can be found here.
• Skateboards and scooters can enjoy the Summer of Skate taking place across the South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse district from 29 July to 29 August including Monday 29 July and Wednesday 14 August at Grove. There will be competitions, games, prizes and music. No need to book —j ust show up and shred! Everyone’s welcome, no matter your ability, and it’s a great place for children and teens to make new friends. Click here to learn more and see the full list of locations.
• Wild Wantage are still looking for responses for their biodiversity survey around Wantage and Grove, to hear about what opportunities and habitats you have for wildlife in your garden. The survey can be found here and it only takes a minute or two. If you’re a keen nature spotter, you can also get involved in the survey by logging any wildlife sightings via their iRecord group or through their survey form. You can enter info into either iRecord or the survey form as many times as you like up to the end of July.
• Quick reminder that volunteers are requested to help maintain the lovely Betjeman Park in Wantage Town Centre. The monthly sessions are 5 to 7pm on Tuesdays (next one on 13 Aug). For more details please visit their facebook page here.
• Sustainable Shrivenham have a new community resource: a free soil improver for local gardeners and allotment keepers. The soil improver can be found in two dark green grit bins at the edge of the Memorial Hall Carpark in Shrivenham. Information about the improver and how to collect it can be found here.
• There are a few life drawing events taking place in Wantage over the next few months. They’ll all be taking place at the Kind Alfred Head pub in Wantage. The next one will be taking place on Friday 26 July. Click here to see all dates and book a place.
• Ever been curious about the quality of air around your home? The Library of Things at The Mix on Mill Street has recently acquired an Indoor Air Quality Monitor. You can check the quality of the air you breathe when you use aerosols, cleaning products etc. Lots of possible experiments to try for anyone curious! There are also lots of other useful products you can borrow from the library. To learn more click here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery? Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 11 July 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes a green gym, the moon, skating, biodiversity and volunteers – plus a look at various kinds of infrastructure, real or planned, in OX12. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Wild Wantage Green Gym & Wantage Band concert. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• Elephantine infrastructure
David Johnston may have departed as the area’s MP but one thing that he vowed to do – mention the case for re-opening Wantage Road station in Grove – continues. Only a few days after the election, a spokesperson for Oxfordshire CC was on BBC R4’s The World at One expressing some scepticism about the government’s recent announcement about changes to the planning system. She also stressed the need for any mitigating infrastructure to be provided more quickly and with more certainty, something which many residents of OX12 have long felt doesn’t apply to them.
Could, the presenter ask, she give some examples of what’s meant by “infrastructure” here? She could have mentioned roads, schools, medical facilities, community centres, leisure centres, parks, playgrounds and a range of other local amenities which people expect. She picked the example of public transport, including Wantage Road station. Though badly needed, this is perhaps not the best example as such a project would require Network Rail and the government to step in, the cost lying some way beyond all but the very largest developer contributions. None the less, David Johnston would have been proud of her.
She could also have mentioned one truly massive piece of infrastructure that may yet be coming to the area, the mega-reservoir between Abingdon and Wantage. One of Oxfordshire’s districts, the Vale f White Horse, has certainly expressed a view on this: “Plans for the controversial reservoir near Abingdon have again been criticised by local communities,” a recent Vale statement reads, “with Vale of White Horse District Council urging water providers to consider alternative solutions more seriously. The reservoir is now even bigger than originally planned – at around 6.5 square kilometres, almost as big as Gatwick Airport.”
The statement could have added that the walls will in places be as tall as four fully-gown elephants standing on each others’ backs, if you can imagine such a thing happening in South Oxfordshire.
You can click here to read the statement in full, which also includes a link to the consultation which closes on 28 August.
• Other news
• Would you like to keep fit and help protect and enhance our local green spaces? If so, why not join Wild Wantage’s Green Gym, where you can help with practical outdoor tasks to improve habitats for local biodiversity. From gardening to tree planting, hedge care to scything, our regular volunteer work parties help your physical and mental well-being and our local environment. The next one will be taking place this Friday 12 June from 10am to 12pm and will focus on caring for new trees at Manor Park. For more information, see here.
• This weekend the Wantage Band will be joining forces with Wantage in Harmony for Fly Me to the Moon, a spectacular summer concert at The Beacon, Wantage. There’s still a few seats available in the front few rows. Be quick and grab your seats at here before they sell out!
• Major refurbishment at Portway car park in Wantage, is due to start on Monday 22 July and last for around eight weeks. The improvement will include the creation of a Rain Garden, which collects water that runs off a car park, then the plants and soil filter the rain resulting in cleaner water going into the water table below. This will help improve drainage as well as promote biodiversity in the area. Further details about the project, as well as information regarding changes to access of the site over the next few weeks can be found here.
• Skateboards and scooters can enjoy the Summer of Skate taking place across the South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse district from 29 July to 29 August including Monday 29 July and Wednesday 14 August at Grove. There will be competitions, games, prizes and music. No need to book —j ust show up and shred! Everyone’s welcome, no matter your ability, and it’s a great place for children and teens to make new friends. Click here to learn more and see the full list of locations.
• Wild Wantage are still looking for responses for their biodiversity survey around Wantage and Grove, to hear about what opportunities and habitats you have for wildlife in your garden. The survey can be found here and it only takes a minute or two. If you’re a keen nature spotter, you can also get involved in the survey by logging any wildlife sightings via their iRecord group or through their survey form. You can enter info into either iRecord or the survey form as many times as you like up to the end of July.
• Quick reminder that volunteers are requested to help maintain the lovely Betjeman Park in Wantage Town Centre. The monthly sessions are 5 to 7pm on Tuesdays (16 July and 13 Aug). For more details please visit their facebook page here.
• Sustainable Shrivenham have a new community resource: a free soil improver for local gardeners and allotment keepers. The soil improver can be found in two dark green grit bins at the edge of the Memorial Hall Carpark in Shrivenham. Information about the improver and how to collect it can be found here.
• The next meeting of the Wantage Art Group will be on Wednesday 17 July at East Challow Village Hall. Local artist Lin Kerr will be guiding the session and asks people bring lots of flowers to arrange and be inspired by. New members and visitors are always welcome and first visit is free. Currently, there is an exhibit of the members work on display at the Vale & Downlands Museum from now until Saturday 13 July. For more information and updates about the latest news, visit their website.
• There are a few life drawing events taking place in Wantage over the next few months. They’ll all be taking place at the Kind Alfred Head pub in Wantage. The next one will be taking place on Friday 26 July. Click here to see all dates and book a place.
• Ever been curious about the quality of air around your home? The Library of Things at The Mix on Mill Street has recently acquired an Indoor Air Quality Monitor. You can check the quality of the air you breathe when you use aerosols, cleaning products etc. Lots of possible experiments to try for anyone curious! There are also lots of other useful products you can borrow from the library. To learn more click here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery? Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
Thursday 4 July 2024
Our usual round-up of local news includes policing, food, drink, biodiversity, plastic and art – plus some items for consideration from the local campaign group. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Wantage area events include Neighbourhood Police Have Your Say meeting & International Food & Drink Festival. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
• A campaign group writes
The latest (2 July) newsletter from the Wantage and Grove Campaign Group has recently landed in my in-box and you can read it in full here. Items covered include…
- The petition against the mega reservoir Thames Water is planning north of Wantage.
- Details of four community events organised by Thames Water about the above scheme in July.
- The second of Wantage Town Council’s two information events at 7.30pm on Wednesday 10 July at The Beacon concerning a proposed community bus service.
- The public meeting about Wantage Hospital at 6pm on Thursday 11 July, also at The Beacon.
- Two festivals (Literary and Summer Arts).
- Questions about the progress (or otherwise) of much-needed work at the Wantage Leisure Centre.
• Other news
• Wantage and Grove Neighbourhood Policing Team will be holding a Have Your Say meeting at Wantage Library, between noon and 1pm on Saturday 6 July 2024. Please come along to meet some of the team, express your concerns about the area.
• Wantage Summer Arts Festival is running until Sunday 7 July. This weekend there will be a a writers open mic, a performance from the Wantage Choral Society and Summer Concert from the Wantage Orchestra. Check out the events here.
• Visit Wantage Marketplace this Sunday 7 July for the International Food & Drink Festival. Enjoy a few hours between 10am and 3pm of tasting delicious international food and drink and listening to some amazing international music including an Oompah Band, Mariachi Band, spanish guitarist and french/italian accordionist. Free face painting and children’s circus activities and cooking demonstrations. See more details here.
• Wild Wantage are still looking for responses for their biodiversity survey around Wantage and Grove, to hear about what opportunities and habitats you have for wildlife in your garden. The survey can be found here and it only takes a minute or two. If you’re a keen nature spotter, you can also get involved in the survey by logging any wildlife sightings via their iRecord group or through their survey form. You can enter info into either iRecord or the survey form as many times as you like up to the end of July.
• Quick reminder that volunteers are requested to help maintain the lovely Betjeman Park in Wantage Town Centre. The monthly sessions are 5 to 7pm on Tuesdays (16 July and 13 Aug). For more details please visit their facebook page here.
• Sustainable Shrivenham have a new community resource: a free soil improver for local gardeners and allotment keepers. The soil improver can be found in two dark green grit bins at the edge of the Memorial Hall Carpark in Shrivenham. Information about the improver and how to collect it can be found here.
• Shrivenham Plastic-free Community, a subset of Sustainable Shrivenham, are holding an open meeting on Wednesday 10 July. The group are working towards a local environment that uses less single use plastic and with help from others, have a plan of action to help achieve this. The meeting aims to teach people more about this and answer their questions. They will take be explaining the challenges they are facing and answer questions in the hope that others will join them. To learn more click here or get in touch with the organisers at dandjwray@gmail.com.
• The next meeting of the Wantage Art Group will be on Wednesday 17 July at East Challow Village Hall. Local artist Lin Kerr will be guiding the session and asks people bring lots of flowers to arrange and be inspired by. New members and visitors are always welcome and first visit is free. Currently, there is an exhibit of the members work on display at the Vale & Downlands Museum from now until Saturday 13 July. For more information and updates about the latest news, visit their website.
• There are a few life drawing events taking place in Wantage over the next few months. They’ll all be taking place at the Kind Alfred Head pub in Wantage. The next one will be taking place on Friday 26 July. Click here to see all dates and book a place.
• Ever been curious about the quality of air around your home? The Library of Things at The Mix on Mill Street has recently acquired an Indoor Air Quality Monitor. You can check the quality of the air you breathe when you use aerosols, cleaning products etc. Lots of possible experiments to try for anyone curious! There are also lots of other useful products you can borrow from the library. To learn more click here.
• Would you like to volunteer your business expertise to help Education Business Partnership prepare our local young people? Please see here for more details.
• Looking for a great way to give back to a local cause? If so, why not join Vale Community Impact‘s 500 Club charity lottery? Each month you could be in with a chance of winning £50 cash. The weekly £5 cost helps VCI provide dedicated support and advice and community transport to local people and families. For information please email help@vci.org.uk
• Click here for the latest news from the Wantage Bookshop.
• Latest local newsletters
News from other areas
- Penny Post area – please see the following separate sections: Hungerford area; Lambourn Valley; Newbury area; Thatcham area; Compton & Downlands; Theale area; Marlborough area.
- News and views from across the area and beyond: please see the most recent Weekly News with Brian column.
Please note that this section is presented as an archive of past columns and is not updated. Some web links may no longer be active (usually indicated by a score-through), for instance when a consultation has closed. For reasons of space, the Events, Community Notices and News from Your Local Councils sections have been deleted from the archive posts.
To see the current Wantage Area Weekly News section, please click here.
Other archives
Please click here to see the other archived columns for this (and all the other) weekly news sections.
