BOMB disposal heroes based in Oxfordshire are making final preparations for a visit by Prince Charles. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will meet soldiers from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Regiment, of the Royal Logistic
A CORNER of Oxford fell silent yesterday evening as the bodies of two British soldiers arrived in the city. Members of the Marston Royal British Legion lowered their flags as the coffins of Ranger David Dalzell, 20, of 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment
Tim Hughes takes a walk on the wild side - joining a wild boar farmer for a feast of game. WITH the current obsession for locally-sourced foods, it’s odd we haven’t embraced the most genuinely local food there is... the beasts that live in
Dancin’ Oxford has not only become a massive success, and a global dance festival to be proud of, but it’s also celebrating its five year anniversary by bringing some of the world’s top dance acts to town. KATHERINE MACALISTER talks to aerodynamic choreographer
Our new Book of the Month, I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson, sends ANDREW FFRENCH on a nostalgic trip back to his teenage years. THE BOOK: A FEW years ago, newspaper columnist Allison Pearson decided she would write her
Tousled singer/songwriter Carrie Mac tells TIM HUGHES why she’s determined to go her own way. IN an industry dominated by manufactured bands and TV talent show contestants, Carrie Mac is the real deal. Possessed of a beautiful voice, the
TWO years ago, brothers Sam and Jack Halliday and their friend Sonny Watson-Lang were sitting in a pub dreaming about being pop stars. Now the self-styled ‘Essex pop and rock trio’ are on tour with probably the hottest group in Britain – The
NEVER LET ME GO (12A). Drama/Romance/Sci-Fi. Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins, Izzy Meikle-Small, Charlie Rowe, Ella Purnell. Director: Mark Romanek. Based on the Booker Prize-nominated
TRUE GRIT (15). Western/Drama/Comedy/Action. Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper. Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen. John Wayne won the Oscar – from his only nomination – as hard-drinking gunslinger Rooster Cogburn
YOGI BEAR 3D (U). Family/Comedy/Action. Tom Cavanagh, Anna Faris, TJ Miller, Andrew Daly, Nathan Corddry and the voices of Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake. Director: Eric Brevig. Created by Hanna-Barbera, Yogi Bear gained a cult following
SUNSEEKERS will be able to fly from Oxfordshire to Mallorca this summer following the launch of a new service. A 50-seat aircraft will fly once a week from Oxford Airport, in Kidlington, from mid-June to the end of September. The new route to the Balearic
FIREFIGHTERS have bought a disabled man a new bike after we reported he had his only means of transport stolen last month. Daniel Conder, 55, had his £140 bike pinched from the communal area of his Lains Court flat, in Wolage Drive, Wantage
A TALENTED cricketer has been given a suspended jail sentence for a drunken attack. Lloyd Brock, of Oxford Road, Kirtlington, punched student and semi-professional rugby player Adam Whiter in the face at a freshers’ week event. Mr Whiter was knocked
AEA Technology 5.1 BMW 5172 Electrocomponents 273.2 Nationwide Accident Repair 100 Oxford Biomedica 5.6 Oxford Catalysts 85 Oxford Instruments 612.75 Reed Elsevier 582.75 RM 167.25 RPS Group 210.5 Courtesy
FORMER Didcot reporter and photographer Willie Pereira has died, aged 73. Mr Pereira, right, of Barnes Close, Didcot, passed away suddenly on January 29, at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Born in Kenya, he came to England in 1957 to study journalism
PROF Alison Brading, a leading figure in pharmacology, has died at the age of 71. She was a pioneer in the field of smooth muscle research, head of the Oxford Continence Group and the first non-clinician to be awarded the St Peter’s Medal of the British
Living next door to a waterfall is highly recommended, according to one South Oxfordshire family. Richard and Amber Stammers bought Mill Stream House when it was built nine years ago as part of a new homes development on the old mill site at Drayton.
A gingerbread house was once three cottages owned by local farmers who can be traced back to the mid-18th century. The properties were built using Hornton or ‘gingerbread’ stone that is a feature of many Oxford colleges. Douglas House, in Chipping Warden
Case Study ACE Training in Kidlington prepares apprentices for a career in Site Carpentry and Brickwork, learners are based with their employer four-days-a-week and spend the fifth day at ACE working towards their qualification. For
Case Study TTMOBILES, based at Milton Park, provides mobile communications management solutions to clients across the country. At present, five of its Service Centre Operatives (SCOs) are enrolled on the Level 1 Customer Service Apprenticeship
Case Study The Horticulture Apprenticeship is aimed at young people aged 16-18, who are working as greenkeepers, in garden maintenance, at nurseries or as landscape gardeners and want to learn new skills while they are working and gain recognised
Case Study Matthew Roberts was an 18-year-old assistant chef when he first spoke to HIT about taking a work-based Apprenticeship. Matthew had started an Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery at a college but had left quite quickly because
Case Study Finishing school or leaving college is a daunting prospect for many young people as they face major decisions that will affect their future. Unlike many of his peers, Dennis Chikwanha, Research Technician at Oxford University, decided
Case Study ICON Training is one of the leading training providers offering Apprenticeships in sport and the active leisure industry throughout England and Wales. Apprenticeship programmes delivered by ICON Training range from leisure
Case Study HYDAC Technology Limited is a global supplier of fluid technology, hydraulic and electronic equipment. With more than 5,000 employees worldwide, 40 overseas companies and over 500 sales and service partners it is close to its customers
Case Study With more than 700 apprentices deployed within companies throughout the south-east, training provider JTL has two decades experience providing the region’s employers with high quality apprentice electricians and plumbers.
Case Study JHP Training is a national training provider, specialising in Apprenticeship and NVQ delivery across the country. One apprentice who has benefited from JHP Training is 20-year-old, Jodie Herbert from Oxfordshire. Jodie has transformed
Case Study That is the message from the Scion Group. Scion, based in Didcot provides a range of electrical, mechanical and facilities management services for clients ranging from individual households to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford
Case Study Prodrive’s Apprenticeships coordinator and electrical workshop supervisor Rob Alderman is very clear that they are part of the team from the start — and an integral one at that. Prodrive is one of the world’s largest and most
Case Study HMG Law LLP, Solicitors in Oxford and Bicester, were looking for a receptionist for their busy Bicester office. Jade Bowerman was looking for a job with a future. Jade is now enjoying her Business Administration Apprenticeship with
Case Study The Henley Training Company at The Henley College delivers Apprenticeships and work-based training in hairdressing, business skills, childcare and catering and hospitality. It specialises in the selection and recruitment of apprentices
11.03: Bridgets Love 3, Pennys Missing, ROYALTY, Next Champ, Smile On Sveta, Bestboy Jamie 2. 11.19: SERGAR, Pennys Lexi, Maymount Moll 2, Blue Natalie 3, Emly Target, Lingrawn Hero. 11.34: Hard Luck Emma, Spice Please 3, Minnies Magneto
TWO police officers have been praised for stopping a suicidal man jumping on to a busy motorway. Pcs Steven Gilks and Nicola Lewis were called to reports of a man on the A423 bridge crossing the M40 at Banbury at about 10.15pm on Valentine’s Day last
A complete response at Easter to your educational needs, just as you would expect from a college offering its year-round students individual tuition as the main method of teaching. For students facing A-Levels and GCSEs in the summer, the Easter
Rye St Antony’s co-educational nursery provides a secure, happy and stimulating environment where each child is nurtured, valued and guided to become a confident, enthusiastic and independent learner. First-hand experiences, exploration and play
A LORRY driver fatally shot himself because he could “no longer stand” his worsening health, an inquest ruled. Geoffrey Pointer was two days short of his 62nd birthday when we was found beside a double-barrelled shotgun in his garden in Green Close,
On a warm early summer afternoon many, many years ago, I sat in a semi-comatose state star-gazing out of a dusty window at an even dustier horse chestnut outside and was vaguely aware of our form master saying that he had the list of prizewinners
In September 2009, Headington School, Oxford, introduced the International Baccalaureate (IB) to its Sixth Form programme. Headington School’s IB co-ordinator, James Stephenson, said: “Our decision to offer the IB as an alternative to A-Levels
At this time of year pupils all across the country, having taken their mocks, are planning their revision for the real exams in the summer term. This is the culmination of all their hard work begun when they first started school. Some pupils,
For many students, even the most able, the hardest thing about revising for exams is getting started. In my own student days, I could spend hours drafting immaculately colour-coded revision timetables and shopping for luminous highlighter pens.
Like nature itself, education has its seasons, and for prep schools the cold and the dark of January and February signal that the pre-tests of various Oxford senior independent schools are upon us. These tests, generally a mixture of IQ-style
The King’s School has been heralded as Oxfordshire’s ‘best kept secret’ and having just benefited from nearly £3m of investment, the school’s future looks bright. A recent inspection stated: ‘This is a successful school where pupils are happy and
Police are appealing for witnesses following a robbery in Oxford last night. A man was cycling along Marsh Lane cycle track shortly before 9pm when two men stood in his way. One asked him for a cigarette so he handed over some tobacco
WE all know sexual abuse is horrific, but there is a danger the public is becoming desensitised to the damage caused because there are so many cases being reported. That is why we believe everyone should take note of the story about a primary schoolgirl
OXFORDSHIRE’S Thomas Kynge scored a try as London defeated the South West 43-10 in the Under 16 Divisional Festival at Broadstreet RFC. The Abingdon School lock helped London to a second straight win after beating the Midlands 32-5. JUNIOR SCORERS
FRILFORD HEATH Stableford (Red Course): 1 A Turner 36pts, 2 G Young 35, 3 J Burns 34. OXFORD CITY Extra Medal – Div 1: 1 C Disley 77-8=69 (cb), 2 M Allen 83-14=69, 3 A Groves 83-13=70. Div 2: 1 N Ray 85-15=70 (cb), 2 A Fowler 88-18=70 (cb), 3 P Beard
A YOUNG girl abused by paedophile John White is so scared she has been keeping knives in her room for “protection”, her mother has revealed. She said the youngster had suffered behavioural problems at school and had been referred to a counsellor
A YOUNG artist is hosting her first solo exhibition in Oxford. Mirren Kessling, 17, from East Hendred, has filled The Jam Factory with her pictures drawn using ink, fine-liner, print and pen. She was also inspired by cult designer Vivienne
A COACH driver has been left “devastated” after being criticised for letting on a drunk man who later grabbed the wheel. Thomas Roby caused the Oxford Tube coach to overturn on the M40 when he lunged for the wheel, despite the best efforts of driver
Oxford University wing Luke Fenwick is recovering after breaking the tibia and fibula in his right leg. New Zealander Fenwick, who was injured in last Wednesday’s 22-13 victory over the Royal Navy, was released from hospital on Monday. Oxford University
Four new captains drive in at Hadden Hill. Club captain William White, June Pipe (ladies), Ken Hounslow (seniors) and Simon Vaisey (juniors) teed off, watched by more than 80 members. The previous day, outgoing captains John Robinson and Mary Greene
AEA Technology 5.1 BMW 5208 Electrocomponents 273.15 Nationwide Accident Repair 100.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.55 Oxford Catalysts 85.5 Oxford Instruments 617.5 Reed Elsevier 584.5 RM 168.5 RPS Group 207.5 Courtesy of Redmayne
BAYWATCH star David Hasselhoff turned up at the Oxford Union to air his views on everything from reality TV to David Cameron. US actor, singer and all-round entertainer Mr Hasselhoff was given the floor to hold forth, and occasionally sing,
OLYMPIC champion Sally Gunnell visited Oxfordshire yesterday to teach youngsters about fitness and healthy eating. The 400-metre hurdles champion met children aged six months to seven years who attend Tumble Tots activities group at Chipping Norton Town
TWO men pleaded guilty yesterday to stripping lead from church roofs and selling it for thousands of pounds. James Wall, 20, and Aaron Hennessy, 24, appeared before Didcot magistrates charged with stealing lead on a series of occasions in December and
Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon is enjoying the best season of his career. Longsdon, in just his second campaign since moving to Hull Farm, has now clocked up 22 winners. He equalled his previous best tally of 20 – set in 2007
A 54-YEAR-OLD man has been charged following the death of teenage cyclist Tom Kahl. Jonathon Ashworth, from Shipton-on-Cherwell, was charged with causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit, causing death by careless driving while
OXFORD’S Westgate shopping centre will get a revamp but it is likely to be a scaled back version of previous plans. The Crown Estate and Land Securities Group PLC consortium is discussing a new scheme and will meet Oxford City Council planning chiefs
OXFORD City Stars’ play-off hopes suffered a setback with an 8-1 defeat at the hands of leaders Wightlink Raid-ers in South Division 1. Having lost 5-1 to the table-toppers a week earlier, Stars made the trip south determined to gain revenge. But a
THE Bishop of Oxford last night sounded a warning about the coalition Government’s ‘Big Society’ idea, branding it a cover for cuts. The Rt Rev John Pritchard warned community groups in areas such as Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill would not be able to
BUSINESSES in Oxfordshire are hoping the spring’s Royal Wedding will bring a boost to the economy. And firms are already preparing products to mark the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Husband and wife David and Sally Emery, who own the
MUSLIMS and human rights supporters turned out in force in Oxford last night to show solidarity for Egypt’s democracy campaigners. Carrying placards bearing the words ‘Democracy for Egypt’ and ‘Muslims behind Egypt’, more than 100 people met at Carfax
never mind all the letters on libraries... where have the car wash people gone? There are people like me who valued their presence greatly. I suppose some people must have complained, but why? I thought they were doing a sterling service. I for one
I CAN’T understand why political activists want to cause mayhem at Kate and Will’s wedding. The couple have as much right to marry as anyone else in the country, and my attitude is, if you don’t like living in Britain with the royalty we have, then you
David Cameron has criticized state multiculturalism and argued the UK needs a stronger national identity to stop people turning to extremism. What he doesn’t seem to be able to grasp is that his speeches referring directly to Islam, and linking that to
AS a dedicated anti-hunt campaigner, hunt monitor and general thorn-in-the-flesh pain to all animal abusers, I am nevertheless aghast that a Countryside Alliance member should sink so low as to attempt an orchestrated boycott of a small animal charity
A BOMB disposal hero was killed in Afghanistan after rushing his deadly work on the eve of returning home to see his family, an inquest heard. Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, based in Didcot, was impatient and rushed, and had told a comrade to “hurry
AS any East Oxford resident will testify, parking in that part of the city is hellish. The side streets are choked with parked cars, while numerous anxious motorists circle like vultures preying on those elusive spaces. The whole thing can be rather
WELL, Christmas is long gone. Our political leaders countrywide and our local council leaders have been to their holy places and wished goodwill to all. Now, they can get back to continuing with the ‘great con’ of the century, engineered by David Cameron
WE are only weeks away from what has been described as the most intrusive census ever. On March 27, we will have to account for anyone who spends that night at our homes, and their personal details, including their relationship with us. People in England
GROVE head coach Nathan Brooks says they are good enough to win promotion from Southern Counties North. Brooks’s side lie third in the table, five points behind Aylesbury, who are in the play-off position. And with the way the fixtures fall, Grove can
FRILFORD Heath edged out local rivals Oxford City 3-2 to reach the second round of the Mail on Sunday National Golf Club Classic. In a very close match on Frilford’s windswept Blue Course, Paul Dolton beat Mark Walker, Paul Richardson saw off Andy Harris
ABINGDON Amblers’ Simon Fisher made the most of series leader Steve Naylor’s absence to record a convincing victory in the fourth round at Cirencester. Fisher, who is emigrating to the USA to start a new job, cruised to his first victory in his last
OXFORD have been drawn at home to Thames Valley League side Amersham in the ECB National Club Championship first round on Sunday, May 8. Banbury, meanwhile, are away to Potters Bar, who were relegated from Home Counties Premier League Division 1 last
Oxford City’s Nat Jones made it four wins in a row to secure the under 13 boys’ title a round early at Cirencester. Jones edged out Abingdon Amblers’ Michael Fabes by a second to clinch victory and wrap up the crown. In the team event, City sit in the
Woodstock Harrier Steve Naylor emerged from the biggest road race of his fledgling career with an impressive ninth place at the Alsager 5 in Crewe. Competing against some of the top road-runners in the UK, Naylor braved the heavy rain and strong winds
THE Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, is right to help prick the myth behind the new buzz phrase ‘The Big Society’ doing the rounds in all corridors of power. The way it has been adopted and repeated by some is almost approaching cult-like
CARE home places, care workers and transport to day centres are set to be axed under plans for deep cuts to adult social care. Last night, county council leaders admitted plans to strip £37m from the care budget over the next four years were giving
MASONS B’s Chris Webb and Kennington’s Ian Gordon recorded personal best scores to help their sides reach the Team Knockout Cup semi-final, writes PETE EWINS. Webb’s brilliant 24,590 helped Masons B to a 4-1 second leg win over Masons A for a 7-3 aggregate
Kevin Baker’s 15 dolls, including a six, couldn’t save Cricketers from a 4-2 defeat by Alders Oldies in the Gladiators Beer Seller Friday League. RESULTS Banbury Indoor League – Singles Competition semi-finals: B Gough 2, N Tustain 1; P Allen 2, J Weller
THE MEETING POINT Lucy Caldwell (Faber, £12.99)Belfast-born Caldwell’s first novel, Where They Were Missed, was set against the background of the Troubles that changed people’s lives in unaccountable ways. In The Meeting Point, the focus is also on
Alex Miller is well known in Australia, but less so in the UK. Lovesong (Allen & Unwin, £12.99) may be about to change that. It is apparently born from Miller’s own experiences living as a writer in Paris in the 1970s. He obviously holds the city in great
SUPERMARKET giant Asda has started recruiting for 70 new jobs at its new £2.2m “mini department store” in Cowley. The new Asda Living will sell homeware, furnishings, electrical goods and the George clothing range. As well as shop-floor positions, the
MARY Poppins once sang that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Now an Oxfordshire biotech firm has set out to prove her right by developing a new form of a common painkiller that tastes a lot sweeter. Researchers at Oxford Nutrascience
OXFORDSHIRE needs an East-West railway if it is to achieve its ambition to create 100,000 more jobs and 100,000 more homes, according to the county’s newly formed Local Enterprise Partnership. Now Oxford City Council has said that it would back a £5m
Replacement flanker Dugald MacDonald was taken to hospital with a neck injury as Oxford University went down 24-8 to a powerful Army outfit at Aldershot on Wednesday night, the match finishing ten minutes early. It was the second Blues match in succession
Drivers are being ripped off by "greedy" motorway service retailers, according to a survey by What Car? magazine. Motorists pay far more for such items as petrol, food and drink than they would at high street outlets, the survey showed. What
Oxfordshire star Josh McEachran has been tipped for the very top by England Under 21 boss Stuart Pearce. The former left back likened the Chelsea midfielder, who lives in Kirtlington, to Jack Wilshere, who won his first full cap for England
Making An Entrance by Margaret Martin This is a remarkable book about a most remarkable man. Gerard Gould is known to many as a teacher and director of amateur drama with a uniquely charismatic personality, and those gifts are rare enough to merit attention
Josh Payne suffered an ankle injury as Oxford United Reserves went down to a 3-0 defeat against Ipswich at Loop Meadow Stadium in Wednesday night's Totesport.Com Combination East Division fixture. Payne limped off 15 minutes into the game
It is not big news that Oxfordshire has a few hundred thousand pounds more in its coffers than it was expecting when you place it in the context of the millions that need to be saved. The money could, however, buy some time for the many people campaigning
Although the subject matter of Josceline Dimbleby’s two most recent books differs greatly, they are both page-turning stories that link to aspects of her life. Her latest book, Orchards in the Oasis, is a memoir exploring the food influences of her rich
Sir – Dane Clouston, of Stadhampton, asks (Letters, January 27) “What is happening to the postal service?” Surely it is obvious? We are being softened up to suppose that even privatization might be better than this. The poor posties don’t like it either
Sir – Chris Koenig’s piece about the Thornton family (Weekend, February 3) reminds me of a story that used to circulate in Oxford publishing circles in the 1970s. A callow, wet behind the ears, publisher’s sales representative was despatched to sell-in
Sir – “The new home rubbish collection system needs a degree … to understand it” (Letters, January 27). Rubbish! Basic literacy and numeracy suffice. Mr Wright should take three simple steps: 1. Read the helpful printed information explaining which
Sir – Could not the editors of The Oxford Times, in this age of austerity, show a little more taste and sensitivity and in any one issue set limits to Christopher Gray’s glorying in his own high living? (Gray Matter and restaurant review, January 27).
Sir – Dick Woolf is right(Report,January 27), there certainly needs to to be another cycle track under Botley Road railway bridge. If there really is room in the carriageway, then fine. But putting in more traffic lights to make the bridge one-way might
Sir – Oxford’s economy, and its environment are dependent on large numbers of us walking, cycling and catching the bus. Too many people still drive, getting in each other’s way. When they get the chance, too many drivers still go too fast, making conditions
Sir – Some time ago, the local authority leisure centres were taken over by a commercial company and, on the whole, they have honoured a commitment to help under-18s and over-60s use facilities at a reasonable price. The local authority, on the other
Sir – In response to the many letters about proposed library closures. I, too, am incensed. The solution to me seems simple. Abandon the extensive revamp of Iffley Road. Whilst re-surfacing, new crossings etc may be desirable it is not essential. When
Sir – Gordon Balme, of Oxford Civic Society, has copied his letter to me concerning Oxfordshire’s libraries and I am happy to give him the assurance he seeks. The county council will be asked to set a budget on February 15 which will include funding
Sir – When the county council meets on February 15 to agree the budget for 2011-2012, it will do so on the basis of proposals to withdraw funding from 20 libraries across the county. The Oxford Civic Society has made representations directly
Sir – So, “County Hall says it is ready to invest £2.75m of its own money in ring road improvements” (Report, January 27). Excuse me, whose money? That is our money and is the same money that is usually called taxpayers’ money when it’s necessary to
Sir – It is scarcely believable that the county council plans to extend its budget by a £2.5m upgrade of the Iffley Road at the very time when it is proposing drastic cuts to the library services. If Keith Mitchell wishes to retain any credibility he
Sir – The leader of our county council, Keith Mitchell, needs to get a few facts straight before making sweeping claims about authors. It is certainly not in authors’ financial interest to encourage people to borrow their books from libraries. Authors
Sir – The decision of the county council to close some of the waste reception centres may be ‘plain daft’, as city councillor John Tanner (board member for a cleaner, greener Oxford) says (Letters, January 27), but the closing of some of the city public
Sir – Six local authorities, Waltham Forest, Newham, Luton, Nottingham City, Sandwell and Kent County Council, are challenging the Government by applying for a judicial review of the Government’s decision, taken last July, to impose cuts by scrapping
Sir – Last week Christopher Gray wrote that “For some reason, Oxfordshire seems not to have required a Carnegie Library . . . The closest Carnegie gift, I think, was in Stratford-upon-Avon . . .” It’s a pity that Mr Gray did not consult back numbers of
Sir – Philip Pullman’s recent speech, critical of Oxfordshire County Council’s harsh plan for library closures, is echoed and advertised in the editorial comment of the New York Times (February 1), no less: “What he [Mr Pullman] registers so forcibly
Sir – Nicholas Purcell is right to draw attention (Letters, January 27) to the obscene plan to erect a phone mast in St Giles. I find it impossible to understand how this preposterous application has got this far. Oxford is already cluttered with pointless
Good documentaries about film-making are surprisingly rare. Kevin Brownlow has made a number of fine studies of silent clowns, while Martin Scorsese has undertaken some personal journeys through the movies that most influenced him. Titles like
There can't be many aspects of the Second World War that have not been subjected to screen scrutiny. But Nicolas Steil has alighted upon the little-known ordeal of the French and Luxemburger `réfractaires' who opted to go into hiding rather than
A MUCH-LOVED theatre company may “die a death” unless it can recruit some new blood, members have warned. The Lime Walk Players was set up a quarter of a century ago by a group of parishioners from Lime Walk Methodist Church in New High Street, Headington
ALMOST 100 community groups, including 26 schools, have signed up to take part in Oxford’s annual spring clean. OxClean is in its fourth year and 96 community groups have signed up. Organisers are calling for more groups to join the
PEOPLE with severe learning disabilities are using sound and music to develop communication skills, thanks to Comic Relief cash. The charity Soundabout, which received £1,800 in March, helps people in Oxfordshire with severe learning difficulties improve
UNIVERSITY and council chiefs are set to clash on controversial plans to build student flats near a medieval leper hospital in East Oxford. Oxford University and Oxford City Council will make the case for and against the Bartlemas plan at an appeal hearing
A “musical adventure” is how the brochure describes OCM’s spring season, which begins next week with a four-day mini festival, Audiograft, a sonic art event presented in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University. The season runs until June 14, and
With the image of Jack Black astride Blenheim Palace, in Gulliver’s Travels, still fresh in our minds, the historic house reopens on Saturday to tell an eccentric tale that has all the ingredients of a Hollywood movie — except this one is not fiction
Edward August Bowles (1865-1954) of Myddleton House, near Enfield, in Middlesex, was dubbed ‘The Crocus King’ because he grew more species than anyone else. His privileged background gave him time to devote to gardening. His family (the Myddletons) owned
Green shoots: After the grey days of winter, it is heartening to see cascades of golden catkins and green shoots of bluebells in our woodlands. Why not take a walk on the wild side this half-term to discover woodland wildlife, learn how to make camp
Oh, the shame. Last night I broke one of my cardinal rules by poking my busybody nose into the wine choice of the people sitting at the next-door table. No sooner had I opened my big mouth than I wished I had not. We were drinking a competitively-priced
Philippe Rogier may not be a household name, but he is, Philip Cave tells me, “a wonderful composer of late Renaissance music”. That’s why he has lined up three concerts — in London, Oxford and Cambridge — to showcase Rogier’s music and mark the 450th
