As always, there’s plenty of hopeful, happy and heartwarming stories to appreciate from this past week in Oxfordshire.
From new restaurant openings to the return of the county’s most beloved sport, here are a few stories that will lift your spirits.
Oxford’s Gees Restaurant & Bar has reopened this month
After more than a year of being closed for a major £1.5M revamp, the Banbury Road restaurant is now set to welcome people back into a renewed glasshouse, two new dining spaces, Gees Gallery and Gees Secret Garden.
First-ever Witney Pride March will take to streets 50 years after first parade in UK
The first-ever Witney Pride March and Pride Day Festival is set to take place – 50 years after the first Pride parade in London.
All the performers are local and include a choir, drag, folk music, electro, pop and soul, a Spanish singer, saxophonists and ukuleles.
Wheatley Park School gets ‘good’ Ofsted rating again
The secondary school was praised by Ofsted for encouraging students to “aim high."
Inspectors from Ofsted reported that “the school’s value of ‘everyone learning, everyone caring’ are at the heart of everything leaders plan.”
Oxford City AC’s Eloise Hind in GB team at Loughborough international
The Oxford City AC youngster was part of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Under 20 team taking part in the Loughborough International at the weekend.
In the high jump, Hind’s best attempt came in at 1.70m.
Oxford United Women to have trials for senior squad
LIAM Gilbert is hopeful of unearthing some gems as Oxford United Women look to launch trials to join the side.
A date for the trials has yet to be confirmed, but Gilbert said they have worked well in the past as United seek players for both the senior and development squads, for the 2022/23 season.
Aunt Sally makes a return in Oxford
The county’s most beloved sport is into its fourth week of action in the Oxford & District league.
Andy Beal, results and fixtures secretary for Oxford & District Aunt Sally Association, said: “It’s a massive relief to be back – we’re four weeks in now and it’s gone brilliantly.”
Read more from this author
This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.
Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1
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