Iffley's 'saviour' society marks half a century (From Oxford Mail)

Iffley's 'saviour' society marks half a century

6:16pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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A COMMUNITY group that has fought off developers and crime sprees to preserve a unique part of Oxford will toast its half century on Saturday.

Friends of Iffley Village are holding a day of activities to mark the occasion, including an exhibition of local history, a peal of bells from St Mary’s Church, a treasure hunt, tug of war and a barn dance.

The group was formed in December 1959 to “watch over the future development of the village and to take such steps as prove necessary to preserve its essential character”.

It currently has more than 300 members and its achievements include improving the area around Iffley Lock, preventing housing being built on Glebe Field, supporting the village shop and fending off a proposal for a college sports ground off Meadow Lane.

I think it will continue for another 50 years

Former chairman David Penwarden

Former chairman and co-organiser of tomorrow’s events, David Penwarden, said: “I think it’s an amazing landmark. For the first 25 years it was very much manning the barricades, not always successfully, with all the development taking place.

“In the second 25 years I think it realised it had to operate on a number of different levels. A lot of social dimensions were added, like the village shop and the ferry we organised when the bridge was down for three months, and neighbourhood watch.

“It was set up in response to rising crime levels, and won a Thames Valley award, then we realised the crime had social dimensions and we started building links with Rose Hill and the church and its wider parish.

“We have got two major events a year – the summer party and winter party – which we have to move to ever bigger premises each year and we’ve also helped spawn things like the history society and Friends of St Mary’s Church.

“I think it will continue for another 50 years because it meets a need and because people do like to find out what other people are thinking and have a say themselves.”

Geoffrey Scofield, 87, recalled that the village came together to fight plans to build several large blocks of flats.

People were asked to donate to a fighting fund and a total of £4,000 was pledged. He added: “In the end the money wasn’t needed as the application was thrown out but it showed how the village could unite.”

Lord Mayor Mary Clarkson will officially open Saturday’s events at the church at 3pm.