Archive

  • Folk fans tune up for musical weekend

    WHEN the annual Oxford Folk Festival was cancelled this year, many music-lovers were left bereft. But some of them decided to do something about the situation and will this weekend stage the first Folk Weekend Oxford. Although not connected

  • Pilot guilty of threatening to kill UKIP leader

    A PILOT was today convicted of making threats to kill UKIP leader Nigel Farage after the pair survived a plane crash. At Oxford Crown Court, Justin Adams, 46, was unanimously found guilty on five counts of making threats to kill Mr Farage and

  • Roaring Success

    This was going to be a piece about why city centre pubs shouldn’t bother serving food and should stick to crisps. About how dispiriting it is eating a greasy burger and chips surrounded by all-day drinkers, and how my heart goes out to all

  • Sister Act

    KATHERINE MACALISTER meets Rebecca Peyton, whose one-woman show tells the story of her beloved sister who was shot while working in Somalia. Kate Peyton was shot dead in Somalia while covering the civil war for the BBC six years ago.

  • Hitchcock Heaven

    Starting Sunday May 8, the Oxford Mail and Phoenix Picturehouse are once again staging their annual film festival, which this year will be showcasing the greatest films of Alfred Hitchcock. Over the six-day salute to the world’s number one scare-meister

  • The Trouble With Hoodies

    RED RIDING HOOD (12A). Romance/Thriller/Horror. Amanda Seyfried, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Virginia Madsen, Julie Christie, Lukas Haas. Director: Catherine Hardwicke. The Twilight films have a great

  • Bear Necessities

    WINNIE THE POOH (U). Animation/Family/Musical. Featuring the voices of John Cleese, Jim Cummings, Travis Oates, Craig Ferguson, Bud Luckey, Tom Kenny, Jack Boulter, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Wyatt Hall. Directors: Stephen Anderson, Don Hall

  • Loco For Lola

    Rachael O’Connor discovers the dazzling delights of Magdalen Street’s new Polynesian paradise bar Lola Lo. Oxford has a brand-new addition to its busy club scene. You may have previously known it as PoNaNa, but since a hefty makeover in

  • Sax Appeal

    Soweto Kinch talks to TIM HUGHES about the prospect of coming back to Oxford, the city that inspired him and where he studied, ahead of the annual jazz festival. JAZZ missionary Soweto Kinch tells Tim Hughes that he can’t wait to get back

  • Monkey Business

    KATHERINE MACALISTER speaks to Peter Elliott, who, on top of being an animal film star, has one of the most bizarre roles in the industry... Know any professional gorillas? Then Peter Elliott is your man. The star of The Legend Of Tarzan

  • Devon Sent

    Metronomy’s Joseph Mount tells TIM HUGHES how he does love to be beside the seaside as they gear up for the release of their new album The English Riviera and new single The Look on the Because Music label. THE ENGLISH Riviera… the euphemistic

  • Duo aim for tennis world record

    YOU’D have a sore neck with a centreline seat at this tennis match as Ryan Trickey and Andy Aitken limber up to play non-stop for more than three days to smash a world record. The coaches hope to set a Guinness World Record for the longest continuous

  • Family journeys back to orphanage

    THE sign above the cot pleads ‘Don’t kill your baby, leave it in the cradle below’. And for Sobia Afridi, it was a stark reminder of the fate that could have befallen her adopted daughter if she and her husband Amjad had not rescued her. Sabrena Afridi

  • Class war: Waitrose too posh for our town

    CAMPAIGNERS in Faringdon say “class war” has broken out over which supermarket giant should set up shop in the town. Both Tesco and Waitrose want to open branches, with the chains putting forward rival sites to open the town’s first large supermarket

  • Frederick Drewett - remembered for kindness

    A POPULAR Wolvercote man who had been involved in the village’s boys’ club since the 1940s has died aged 76. Frederick Drewett grew up in the village and joined its branch of the national boys’ club network in the 1940s. It would continue

  • SPORTS CALENDAR 15TH APRIL

    SATURDAY FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Accrington Stanley v Oxford Utd. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Didcot Tn v Halesowen, Oxford City v Banbury Utd. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v Paulton Rov, North Leigh v Totton. UHLSPORT HELLENIC

  • Local shares (PM)

    AEA Technology 4 BMW 5108 Electrocomponents 270 Nationwide Accident Repair 103 Oxford Biomedica 5.86 Oxford Catalysts 98.5 Oxford Instruments 748.25 Reed Elsevier 536.75 RM 148.5 RPS Group 203.8 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Wheeling in: Volkswagen Passat Estate S BlueMotion 1.6 TDI

    On paper, combining a car the size of the Volkswagen Passat Estate with a modest 1.6-litre engine sounds like a potential nailed-on nightmare. In reality, the union is surprisingly something of a dream team. Every diesel engine powering

  • Williams goes for growth

    Luxury boat manufacturers Williams Performance Tenders is expanding as a result of international business growth. So far this year, Berinsfield-based Williams has appointed four new local team members and will be growing its headquarters, taking on an

  • Francesca targets fun activities

    FRANCESCA Owens kept her eye on the target of having fun at an all-action activity day at Blenheim Palace. The 12-year-old was among youngsters having a go at archery as part of events being run by Oxford Active at the Woodstock stately home. She

  • Flood fears over link road plan

    A CONTROVERSIAL link road plan for Witney will put homes at risk of flooding, claims a report commissioned by a resident fighting the scheme. It says Oxfordshire County Council’s plan under-estimates the risk of flooding the road would pose to homes

  • Iffley pair go back up the aisle after 70 years

    A COUPLE celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary in the same church 70 years to the day since they tied the knot. Bill and Marie Charlesworth from Iffley, Oxford, celebrated their anniversary on Saturday with the service at Greyfriars

  • Parents raise £20k for hospital in memory of infant son

    A COUPLE whose infant son died after an 18-week fight for life have raised more than £20,000 to help the hospital which cared for him. Luke and Gemma Froude’s fundraising efforts have brought in £20,840.66 for Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents

  • Emma heads up property group

    Emma Jewson has been appointed Thames Valley Satellite Branch Chairman of the Association of Women in Property (WiP) for 2011/12. A partner and head of commercial agency at Oxford based Kemp & Kemp Property Consultants, Ms Jewson has more than 20 years

  • Death threat pilot guilty

    THE pilot of a plane which crashed and injured UKIP leader Nigel Farage during an election day stunt was today convicted of making threats to kill. Justin Adams, of Buckland, was found guilty by a jury at Oxford Crown Court of five counts of making

  • Thief steals necklace from woman in Banbury

    Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman had her necklace stolen from her in Banbury. At about 11.30am on Saturday, the elderly woman was waiting for a bus at the bus stop in Bridge Street. A woman approached her and took hold of her hand

  • The Bribery Act: Are you ready?

    The Government has announced the Bribery Act will come into force on July 1. It has also published guidance about the procedures which commercial organisations can put in place to prevent people associated with them from bribing. A seminar arranged

  • Learn the secrets of social media marketing

    For many business owners and managers, social media is recognised as an important marketing tool, but how to make it work effectively remains a mystery. Now a half-day seminar promises to shed some light on the mysteries of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

  • Try before you buy at audio 'boutique'

    A new ‘boutique’ store offering the latest in audio-visual technology has opened in Oxford. Entertainment system manufacturer Meridian has joined forces with Lewis Building Technology to open the unit at the Isis Business Centre, opposite the Mini plant

  • Already feels just like home

    Staff at financial and business advisers Grant Thornton have completed their move across Oxford. All 111 employees are now in place at the company’s new headquarters at Rowan Place on the Oxford Business Park, after moving from the Minns Business Park

  • Extra leave for new dads

    Vicky Schollar, a solicitor in Blake Lapthorn's Employment team, examines how the new additional paternity leave legislation operates Fathers of babies born, or matched for adoption, on or after April 3 will have the right to additional paternity

  • Learning to share

    Bruce Potter, a partner with Oxford law firm Morgan Cole, discusses the implications of shared services for local businesses More than ever before, organisations are having to deliver more using fewer resources. In Oxfordshire, publicly funded bodies

  • Big plans for former White House pub

    A prominent Oxford pub is getting its second major revamp in two years and reopening as a restaurant and bar. The White House in Botley Road is undergoing a major revamp to be renamed The One restaurant and bar by new landlord Raymond Chu. Mr Chu took

  • Land up for grabs

    A prime piece of arable land has come on the market. Agents say Home Farm, part of the Duke of Marlborough’s Blenheim Estate at Bladon near Woodstock, is one of the first pure arable holdings to come to the market since commodity prices broke through

  • Avoiding the tax trap

    Janice Parker, director of personal tax at Oxford-based Critchleys accountants and business advisers, reveals how thousands of people could fall into a new tax band and suggests what can be done about it The Government has enveloped another 750,000

  • Green grows the grant

    Talk of cuts dominates the economic and political agenda, so it is a pleasant surprise to be able to report on a source of funding. It is simple to understand and easy to apply for. Sustainable Routes offers matched funding of up to £1,000 for projects

  • New age is dawning

    Andrew Egan, an employment specialist with Wantage law firm Charles Lucas & Marshall, explains the impact on employers of the Government's plans to abolish the default retirement age The default retirement age will be abolished from October 1 and

  • Converted to convertibles

    I was dreaming of life in the fast lane, and money, and what it could buy. The sun was warm on my face. And when I opened my eyes, there indeed was a castle in Spain — for real. I was sitting in the passenger seat of a new BMW 6 Series Convertible, which

  • On the wings of angels

    Chris Baker, manager of Oxford Early Investments, highlights trends towards syndication and co-investment that could boost access to finance for early stage businesses The availability of equity finance for early stage businesses remains challenging

  • Paperless words

    Will books be worth the paper they are written on in five years time? No-one knows, but what is certain is that many more of them will not be written on paper at all. And, according to George Lossius, chief executive of Publishing Technology

  • Friendly welcome keeps Greyhound on track

    I often whizz past places in the car and wonder what they are like inside. A case in point is the Greyhound, situated just off the main carriageway of the A420 at Besselsleigh near Wootton. For years this has caught my eye under different

  • Hold on to what you have

    Mark Barclay, of the St. James’s Place Partnership in Oxford, outlines the importance of wealth management A bumper summer season of tennis, golf and cricket is ahead of us. The Formula One circus is back in full swing and another football season will

  • The rain in Spain ...

    I was in Gibraltar for two days on business earlier this month and, important stuff completed, took the opportunity to venture a little further up the Spanish coast, a few miles west of Marbella, a place I have never previously visited. The weather was

  • More than football

    Andrew Smith meets one of the driving forces behind Oxford City FC, current holder of the The Oxford Times Charity and Community category of the Oxfordshire Business Awards Most people will have heard of Oxford City Football Club and followers of the

  • Furthering the quest

    Oxford Expression Technologies featured in this column exactly a year ago. The company, based at Oxford Brookes University, develops and produces harmless viruses that are used to discover new drugs. Now it has linked with a Dutch company to offer a major

  • Prospects are infinitely better

    The publishing industry is in trouble. More books are now sold via the Internet, and the net book agreement, which fixed a minimum sale price, is lost in the mists of history. But one sector is booming — self-publishing. Once known disparagingly as ‘vanity

  • Success is their driving ambition

    The 2011 racing season is now running at full throttle for RJN Motorsport. The first event left the grid at Zandvoort in Holland, and at the team’s headquarters at Denchworth, near Wantage, cars have been prepared for events this month at the Paul Ricard

  • Squeezing the bunny

    Parallel with the oil price increase, and in the middle of the run-up to Easter, came the threat of another price hike — again thanks to the antics of an African autocrat. In the former French dominion of the Ivory Coast, the president, Laurent Gbagbo

  • Celebrating in the round

    It seems we are enjoying the outdoor lifestyle more than ever nowadays, weather permitting. This summer, for example, there are a plethora of festivals taking place in the county at venues including Henley, Great Tew and Cornbury Park, as well as Truck

  • RUGBY UNION: Four in regional squad

    FOUR Oxfordshire girls will play for the South West Under 15s in a national festival at Hartpury College this weekend. Olivia Jones, Imogen Reay, Rowan White and Maddy Peris, all from Wallingford Maidens, fly the flag for the county in three 20-minute

  • BOWLS: Title joy for Wise

    ANDY Wise beat Paul Sharman to be crowned Carterton’s indoor singles champion. ROLL OF HONOUR Sets singles – winner: C Weedon; runner-up: B Turley. Open pairs – winners: G Walker & P Sharman; runners-up: K & T Jupp. Triples – winners: P Radband, J Latter

  • POINT-TO-POINT: Hill hits heights with four-timer

    Aston Rowant trainer Alan Hill reeled off his first four-timer to the delight of favourite backers at the Kimblewick Hunt meeting at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor. Hill, who took over the point-to-point reins from his wife, Lawney, following

  • AUNT SALLY: Allen's title

    Bicester's Phil Allen captured the Banbury Indoor League’s singles title with a 2-1 win over General Foods’ Brian Gough in the final. ROLL OF HONOUR Banbury Indoor League – Knockout Cup: Deddington 2, Banbury 0. First Round Losers Cup

  • BAR BILLIARDS: Kennington keep hopes alive

    Kennington are still in the hunt for the Johnson Buildbase Oxford League Premier Section title after a 4-1 win at Didcot Conservative Club, writes PETE EWINS. Steven Sheard (5,400), Mark Trafford (7,030), Kevin Godfrey (5,670) and Ian Gordon (5,280)

  • GOLF: Results round-up

    SHAW GIBBS OXFORDSHIRE FOURSOMES LEAGUE Section 1 The Oxfordshire 1½, (2pts), Burford 1½ (2) (The Oxfordshire first): M Shimmin & D Knight bt A Salter & D Henderson-Sowersby 4&3, G Rogerson & J Garnish halved with J Wilks & B Gaertner, G Abbott & A

  • RUGBY UNION: Strong hangs up his boots

    Brian Strong is retiring from rugby at the age of 55. The Gosford All Blacks hooker joined the club as a colt and has remained a committed player ever since Kidlington-born Strong’s last match will be Gosford’s over 30s versus under 30s clash on May

  • Local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 4 BMW 5130 Electrocomponents 265.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 103 Oxford Biomedica 5.75 Oxford Catalysts 98.5 Oxford Instruments 747.5 Reed Elsevier 537.75 RM 149 RPS Group 205 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • GOLF: Stockford steps up

    RUTH Stockford looks poised for action before driving in as Oxford Ladies’ new captain. Stockford, a member for over 20 years, captained the club to Oxfordshrie Bronze League victory in 2009 and second place last year. She has already reached the quarter-finals

  • BOWLS: Oxon capture national fours crown

    Indoor round-up Oxfordshire captured the fours title at the Short Mat National Championships at Kempston IBC, Bedford. Julian Bradbury (Didcot Conservative Club), Mike Keevil (Wallingford SMBC), Les Woodward (Warborough and Shillingford SMBC) and

  • Ancient Greeks inspire young artists

    YOUNGSTERS produced their own take on classic sculptures at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. They made plaster casts with the help of city artist Francesca Shakespeare to mark the forthcoming Oxfordshire Artweeks annual celebration of the county’s art and

  • Game Fair 'will not bring jams'

    ORGANISERS of this year’s Game Fair at Blenheim Palace have promised no repeat of the traffic chaos that engulfed the event when it was last held there in 2008. Measure to be taken include mobilising the police helicopter and having extra officers on

  • COMMENT: Working hard to tackle jams

    THE organisers of the CLA Game Fair and other organisations such as Oxfordshire County Council and Thames Valley Police certainly seem to have made great strides in trying to alleviate the effect of traffic from the event. Now it comes down to hoping

  • GOLF: O'Connor tops order of merit

    KATHERINE O’Connor went top of the Welsh Ladies’ Order of Merit after winning the Tenby Open. The 21-year-old Tadmarton Heath member and Welsh international pipped Curtis Cup squad player Amy Boulden (Maesddu) by two shots in the 36-hole event. O’Connor

  • Bicycles are pedestrians' worst problem

    It iS surprising that the members of Oxford Pedestrians’ Association make no mention of bicycles in their search for clutter obstructing pedestrians. (Oxford Mail, April 12). They are often the cause of walkers being forced to go in single

  • Labour government didn't work

    I take it that Peter Collett (Oxford Mail, April 11) does not like the Conservatives. But in his condemnation he does not say what his alternative would be. Surely he is not suggesting that at the last election we should have returned Labour, a party

  • Why must we bale out other countries?

    NICK Clegg said in a Lib Dem party political broadcast this month that Britain was having to borrow £400m a day to keep the country afloat. That’s very alarming indeed. If this is the case, why the heck are we having to bail out Ireland to the tune

  • Different fuel prices are unacceptable

    With reference to Ken Roper’s letter (Oxford Mail, March 30) regarding the price difference of the cost of fuel, he is totally correct when he says it unacceptable when garages a few miles apart show such a marked difference in their prices.

  • Charge is unfair on charities

    Little Foxes Wildlife Sanctuary has benefited from a standard free entry in Yellow Pages for some years, listed under animal welfare societies. We need people to be able to find us easily so that they can bring wildlife casualties to us – that is in

  • Reasons to drop the £50 residents parking charge

    THERE are many and varied reasons for dropping the £50 charge for resident parking in Oxford, not least the many loopholes in the regulations that allow resident parking spaces to be taken up for free by rubbish skips, maintenance vehicles, and

  • Breaking the £1.5m mark

    Royal graffiti scratched across a window is one of the character features of a six-bedroom house in Combe. The Duke of Edinburgh etched the name ‘Philip’ on a pane of glass while on a visit to open a cricket pavilion in the village in 1949. The six-bedroom

  • RUGBY UNION: Littlemore 'ready for promotion'

    LITTLEMORE head coach Carl Wright says they are ready for promotion to the BB&O Premier Division if organisers admit them. Wright’s side are the highest ranked first team in BB&O Division 1 South, which makes them prime candidates to go up.

  • The Insider - a weekly update from the corridors of power

    Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has revealed he has no designs on moving in Oxfordshire society circles, despite the coalition double act he has formed with Prime Minister David Cameron. Quizzed about reports that Mr Cameron had attended a social event

  • Six bedrooms and seclusion

    An eco house in Cumnor Hill is packed with environmentally friendly features including the ability to harness the power of sun and rain. Two of the many ‘green’ features include underfloor heating and a tank that stores almost 4,000 litres of rainwater

  • Prime Minister is festival's poster boy

    WHAT would David Cameron look like today if he had been inspired by gothic music instead of politics? That very pressing question has been answered by the organisers of the Witney Music Festival, with a series of new promotional posters by Wantage artist

  • Caution urged over offer of 'rental carrots'

    Letting firms are dangling carrots such as rent guarantees to pull in new landlords but one agent advises caution. Jennifer-Lee Crowshaw, of Hodsons, said: “There are many types of rent guarantee products out there but before signing up to any of them

  • Patient Sangare to get his chance for Oxford United

    Jimmy Sangare will be given the opportunity to come in from the cold and make a name for himself for Oxford United on the next two Saturdays. The former York City defender has been back-up to the U’s regular centre backs Harry Worley and Jake Wright

  • RUGBY UNION: Wilson on high after late try

    JACOB Wilson said it was an “emotional experience” to score a last-gasp try as England Under 18 Clubs and Schools earned a dramatic 23-23 draw with Ireland. The Cokethorpe School pupil and Wasps Academy wing started on the bench for the clash against

  • ATHLETICS: Carter is crowned champion

    WOODSTOCK Harrier Sophie Carter landed the Oxfordshire title along with the open women’s crown at the White Horse Half Marathon in Grove. With the course bathed in warm spring sunshine, the race, which also incorporated the second round of the 2011 Oxfordshire

  • BLUE BADGE FRAUD: 'I was offered £2k for my permit'

    THOUSANDS of drivers in Oxford fraudulently using blue badges meant for genuinely disabled people have sparked a new crackdown. The number of motorists being caught for blue badge fraud has spiralled over the past few years. The new

  • ATHLETICS: Sun shines on curtain-raiser

    GLORIOUS conditions greeted the athletes as the Oxfordshire track & field season got under way in earnest at the Radley Open at Tilsley Park. Hundreds of competitors from across the county and beyond took part in the traditional curtain-raiser to the

  • 'Halt this train'

    Matt Jackson, of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, says the Government has not thought through the new high speed rail link. He urges a halt to the process for the sake of wildlife If you were asked to spend £17bn of someone else’s money

  • Mini rally car to make public UK debut in Oxfordshire

    The World Rally Car variant of Cowley’s Mini, designed and built at Prodrive in Banbury, will star at Cornbury Park Rally Show, on May 14 and 15. It will be the first public appearance for the new Mini John Cooper Works World Rally Car, launched earlier

  • COMMENT: A slap in the face

    THE illegal use of a disabled parking spot is a real sign of the lazy and ignorant. The temptation of a prime spot is always there but it is staggering to see how many people have been caught in the city over the past year actually parking in a disabled

  • Romantic Decay is over for Osney Mill

    Of course I know that most landscapes, whether natural or man-made, are constantly evolving, changing, or even (with any luck) improving. But I suspect many of us, deep down, are incurable Romantics who, like me, enjoy nothing more than the sight of a

  • Winnie The Pooh and Red Riding Hood

    AA Milne’s rotund bear, immortalised in the illustrations of EH Shepard, celebrates his 85th anniversary this year. Our affection for Winnie The Pooh hasn’t diminished with time and Stephen Anderson and Don Hall’s delightful animated feature ensures

  • Rich man's delight

    Rich Victorians loved to amuse themselves and their house guests in their homes and gardens. They didn’t come much richer — or grander — than William Waldorf Astor (1848-1919) the American owner of Cliveden House, near Taplow, in Berkshire. He designed

  • West Side Story: The Theatre, Headington

    Don’t mess with us – that’s the message blasting off the stage as the Jets and Sharks square up to each other in the opening seconds of Musical Youth Company of Oxford’s West Side Story. The violent atmosphere is all the stronger because it’s contained

  • National Theatre Connections, Oxford Playhouse

    Ten plays newly commissioned for actors aged 13-19. Two-hundred young theatre companies across the UK then choose one of the plays. That’s the idea behind the National Theatre Connections festival. This year the Playhouse is participating in the festival

  • Find out why Picasso was inspired by African art

    Visit Waterperry Gardens this year and you will understand why, probably the greatest artist of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso, was inspired by and borrowed from African art. An Englishman, Frank McEwen, went to Paris in the 1920s and befriended Picasso

  • Thousands: Jericho Tavern

    Thousands are Seattle acoustic duo Kristian Garrard and Luke Bergman. They came to prominence after Fleet Foxes guitarist Skye Skjelset tipped his record label off that they were a worthwhile acquisition. They echo Fleet Foxes’ sensibilities, too, with

  • Tango spectacular

    There’s little doubt that most of the packed house had come to see the Strictly Come Dancing stars Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, and it’s equally clear that the show has been devised to appeal to an audience not over-familiar with the tango. This

  • Pork and sage fry (serves two)

    Pork can be enhanced by many flavours, most particularly fresh sage leaves, which when lightly fried, then tossed in lemon juice can add something magical to a pork steak. The pork I used for this recipe came from Home Farm, Kelmscott. Although

  • Distraction or wind-down

    If you are looking for a distraction from the Royal Wedding — or, indeed, a pleasant way to wind down after the ceremony — then Oxford May Music has the perfect answer. In one of several innovations this year, there is an afternoon concert on that day

  • Jazz festival is here again

    The new Oxford Jazz Festival, now in its third year, continues to expand at an almost exponential rate. This Easter weekend, from Thursday to Sunday the city will be flooded with music from a diverse range of musicians and composers with 60 different

  • Kelmscott pork wins wide following

    The attractive little village of Kelmscott, in a remote corner of West Oxfordshire, two-and-a-half miles from Lechlade and just five minutes from the River Thames, is William Morris country. Built round two working farms, this is the village that the

  • Bishop drops in for a bit of advice on debt problems

    THE Bishop of Oxford saw first hand the debt problems being faced by Rose Hill residents on a visit to an estate advice centre. The Rt Rev John Pritchard spent more than an hour at the Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre, meeting staff, volunteers

  • EDUCATION: Ofsted won't inspect county's best schools

    TWENTY-SEVEN of the county’s best schools have been relieved of upcoming inspections because of their high standards. Ofsted, the school’s inspectorate, said the schools did not need the forthcoming routine visits because it is satisfied of their quality

  • The Chequers, Chipping Norton

    I rarely visit the little theatre in Chipping Norton without enjoying a drink, or sometimes a meal, in The Chequers next door. This excellent old-fashioned pub was known to me even before the theatre opened in 1975: it was in fact my first port

  • Human face

    As billions of pounds of Government cuts filter down to local authorities, it is inevitable that what start out as anonymous statistics turn into very real and human consequences. This week, we report on the fears of those who attend the Beatbox youth

  • Game on

    No one who was on the roads in and around Oxford on Friday, July 25, 2008 will forget the chaos. The arrival of tens of thousands of people for the 50th anniversary CLA Game Fair, coupled with a crash on the A34 at peak commuter time combined to produce

  • New man at the helm

    When James Erskine hit the road with a group of Shakespearean actors a few years ago, he could claim it was the first time the London Globe had been taken on the road since the days when the Black Death stalked Europe. After packing their props and costumes

  • Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 14/4/2011)

    Hollywood produced hundreds of Westerns in the wake of Edwin S. Porter's 1903 landmark, The Great Train Robbery. But, apart from Irving Cummings's Belle Starr (1941), David Butler's Calamity Jane (1953), Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar and Allan Dwan's

  • Parky at the Pictures (DVD 14/4/2011)

    In 1996, a Cistercian monastery in the Algerian village of Tibhirine in the Atlas Mountains was raided by Islamic fundamentalists. Six of the brothers and a recently arrived guest were taken hostage, as the terrorists demanded the release of their jailed

  • Late change of emphasis

    As he approaches his 76th birthday, Oxford academic Sir Christopher Ball is feeling guilty. He is a man of colossal energy, having at 72 broken a world running record, completing ten marathons in ten days. But until now, the ex-warden of Keble College

  • Death threats a cry for help, claims pilot

    A PILOT accused of threatening to kill UKIP leader Nigel Farage has told jurors his threats were “rubbish” designed to get him sectioned. Justin Adams was carrying Mr Farage in his light aircraft on Election Day last May when it crashed at Hinton-in-the-Hedges

  • Villagers' weight worry over bridge

    VILLAGERS in Wolvercote fear they will be cut off from Oxford, because an ageing bridge can no longer take the strain of heavy traffic. The Goose Green bridge in Godstow Road spans the Oxford to Banbury railway line and is the main route into Lower Wolvercote

  • Heritage board tells the story of Oxford's Jericho

    A NEW interpretation board is to be placed in Oxford’s first industrial suburb to bring the area’s rich history to life. The panel, telling the story of Jericho, has been designed by architecture students at Oxford Brookes University. It will explain

  • City garden bloomed from toxic wasteland

    Almost four years ago, the local community in Cowley and East Oxford set about transforming a toxic, waste-filled old garage site into a beautiful community garden, open to all to visit and enjoy. The surrounding community has come to love

  • Two-way street

    Sir – Simon Pollock (Letters, April 7) rightly criticises cyclists who ‘pile down’ Queen Street. But there’s no ‘wrong way’. Queen Street is a two-way street. Motor vehicles aren’t allowed to access it from Carfax. But if they access it from Bonn Square

  • Industrial-scale effort

    Sir – I was depressed to read on page 25 of last week’s issue that a proposal for a solar farm at Cornbury Park had been turned down. One of the reasons mentioned was that it would be “industrial in character and scale”. Sad as it might seem, we are

  • Matter of taste

    Sir – CPRE’s Michael Tyce (Letters, April 7) describes wind turbines as monsters that would blight Oxford. How would he describe the huge electricity pylons that stride across the landscape? The mammoth shapes of the Didcot cooling towers? Isn’t it odd

  • Momentous occasion

    Sir – Witney Town Council has finally accepted the required resolution so that an application for Fairtrade status for the town can be made to the Fairtrade Foundation. This was quite a momentous occasion as it was over three-and-a-half years since we

  • Bearskin battledress

    Sir – In addition to his plea for ‘smarter’ dress for policemen on operational duty (Letters, April 7), perhaps Paul Hornby would like to see our gallant troops in Afghanistan fighting in bearskin caps and scarlet tunics? David Bond, Witney

  • One-way bus route

    Sir – In answer to Simon Pollock (Letters, April 7), there is no ‘wrong way’ down Queen Street. It is a two-way street. The buses are simply routed one way. The cyclists in the wrong are those who ride through in either direction between 10am and 6pm

  • Minimal cover

    Sir – I would like to comment on just one aspect of Reg Little’s article on the development of Oxford University’s Old Road Campus (University’s £57m Campus Bid, April 7). As reported, the revised plan does indeed move the Nuffield Department of Medicine

  • Worthwhile service

    Sir – In reply to the letter from Mrs Dorothy Holloway of Minster Lovell (March 31), I agree completely with her statement that a patient/visitor needs a guiding hand in negotiating the many, long corridors in Oxford’s hospitals, in order to reach the

  • Monkeys to meerkats

    Sir – As an international environmental charity we are appealing for volunteers to help our scientists in South Africa this year. If you want to explore this beautiful country, and combine your visit with a 12-day expedition helping scientists to understand

  • Litter patrols

    Sir – I have come up with a possible solution to two eternal problems and possible part-time employment for a suitable applicant in Witney. I have written to you in the past about the annoying practice of lazy people throwing their litter anywhere

  • Wildly off topic

    Sir – While the original discussion about faith schools may have held some local relevance and interest, the squabble which the letters section has descended into for over a month has gone wildly off topic. With no disrespect to the illustrious readership

  • Motorists at fault

    Sir – In reply to Colin Cohen (Crass Decision, Letters, April 7) the people who should be apologising to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured on the Oxfordshire roads during the ‘switch off’ of speed cameras is not the Oxfordshire

  • No difference

    Sir – It is interesting to note that the turning off of the county’s speed cameras resulted in no significant difference in the number of accidents or serious injuries on the roads, despite what some ‘road safety’ groups claim. Interesting. Benjamin

  • Alarming picture

    Sir – I must confess to a wry smile when I saw your report informing us that some speed limits in the Witney area are being reduced. I am not alone in being concerned for some time about the blatant disregard for the 30mph speed limit along the straight

  • Politicians' myths

    Sir – Since both are minority MPs, not surprisingly both Andrew Smith and Nicola Blackwood are unenthusiastic about the Alternative Vote. Smith was elected in 2010 with 42.5 per cent of the votes cast in Oxford East, Blackwood with 42.3 per cent in Oxford

  • Strange idea

    Sir – The latest Government idea of doing away with fines for misuse of rubbish collection could only be suggested by rich people who live in large houses. For those living in smaller or terrace houses it is a policy guaranteed to harm communities.

  • Luxury service

    Sir – I remember when free collection of green bags with garden waste started, and my husband and I said to each other ‘This is wonderful. It can’t last . . .’. We were quite right. But it was a luxury service, and with necessary cuts happening all round

  • Improved scheme

    Sir – Thank you for highlighting Oxford’s new pay-for garden waste scheme (Report, April 7). Unfortunately the Government cuts have forced the city council to charge £35 a year (or £1.34 a fortnight) for the garden waste recycling service.

  • Missing cover

    Sir – In the March 31 issue there is an article on the £53m re-vamp of Abingdon’s Bury Street shopping precinct. The large picture shows the site as it currently is — not looking too bad at all! However the ‘artist’s impression’, apparently sketched