Five more historic images
Another five historic images have been uploaded to the website.
See https://www.astonrowantparishcouncil.gov.uk/historic-images
Enjoy fun for all the family this Easter
/in News /by Adam BernsteinFun activities and community days, family exercise, a museum of marvellous things and a cartoon circus are just some of the free and low-cost activities available for children and their families to enjoy during the Easter holidays.
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are providing activities and events at venues across the area from 29 March to 12 April.
The councils’ Active Communities team are providing family circuits, Boxfit for teens, music-based exercise sessions and Xplorer events for young children and an activity day. There’s also a series of community days in south Abingdon hosted by The Oxfordshire Play Association.
Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot will be packed with family entertainment. From The Museum of Marvellous Things where the impossible can happen, Decorate Your Own Bug House and live action and puppetry with There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly to swashbuckling with Pirates at a pre-holiday performance on 24 March.
There’ll also be lots of circus themed fun at The Beacon in Wantage, with the laughter-packed stage show, Cartoon Circus Live, featuring some of Britain’s funniest clowns, traditional slapstick comedy and much more and a range of low-cost activities with a circus theme throughout the Easter break for children of all ages including arts and craft and Monkey Mayhem.
The activities are expected to be very popular so, where required, residents are encouraged to book now to avoid disappointment.
For details on what’s on and how to book, visit southandvale.gov.uk/holidayactivities.
The 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 with this Easter.
They are launching their new Active Holiday Clubs at leisure centres in Abingdon, Didcot, Faringdon and Wantage. There are junior funded memberships as part of the Holiday, Activity and Food programme (HAF), plus family swims, roller skating and soft play. Details about what’s available at each centre can be found on the Better UK website and the leisure centre Facebook pages.
Compost give-away
/in News /by Adam BernsteinFrom SODC:
This March the compost give-away is back! Come along with your own box, bag or container to fill up with local compost. Residents can take a maximum of three bags.
The event is on Sunday 17 March between 9am– 11am at the old South Oxfordshire District Council car park, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8ED.
See flyer below.
Five more historic images
/in News /by Adam BernsteinAnother five historic images have been uploaded.
See https://www.astonrowantparishcouncil.gov.uk/historic-images/
Changes coming to garden waste service
/in News /by Adam BernsteinSouth Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have set out plans to change the way their garden waste service is paid for in 2025.
The councils’ have agreed the introduction of a permit scheme from April 2025 which will include subscribers receiving a sticker for their bins to identify them as fully paid-up garden waste customers.
This kind of scheme is offered successfully by many other local authorities, including in neighbouring West Oxfordshire.
When customers sign up and pay for the scheme in 2025, they will be sent a garden waste permit sticker to put on their bin/or bins, which will help the waste collection crews identify which bins should be emptied. The permits will act in a similar way to a parking permit as a proof of subscription payment. All subscribers will receive a new sticker annually each time they renew.
This will help to ensure that only households that have paid for the service have their brown garden waste bins emptied.
The changes are part of the councils’ ongoing work to improve the efficiency and value of public services.
The garden waste subscriptions currently run via annual direct debit payments from the date people signed up for the scheme. Next year, the councils will stop taking direct debit payments for the service. Customers will instead make a single annual payment by debit or credit card – so that everyone’s payment year will run from 1 April to 31 March each year.
The council will directly contact all customers, via letters and email, in plenty of time to remind them to renew.
Benefits to customers include an all-new online system so they can manage their account and change their details much more easily. This will also mean the councils can contact people quickly if there are any disruptions to the service, such as during adverse weather.
Current subscribers will receive notification of the changes with this year’s invoices. This will provide more information on the new system in 2025 as well as details of changes to their direct debit payment this year and the annual fee increase to cover the cost of running the service.
FAQ covering all the changes is available on our garden waste section: South FAQ. The councils’ customer services team will also be on hand to assist with any queries customers have.
More historic images
/in News /by Adam BernsteinYet another five historic images have been posted to the website.
See https://www.astonrowantparishcouncil.gov.uk/historic-images/
Update on the Kingston Blount Play Area
/in News /by Adam BernsteinThe latest state of play on the revamp of the Kingston Blount Play Area is now on this website.
See: https://www.astonrowantparishcouncil.gov.uk/kingston-blount-play-area/
Duck Race – This Sunday
/in News /by Adam BernsteinIt’s that time of the year again when the snowdrops are out… and so it’s time for the Duck Race and cream teas.
It’s being held this Sunday, 18 February, at Fiveways. Cream teas are being served at Aston Rowant Church from 2pm to 4pm.
Please wear boots or wellingtons as with the amount of rain we have had it will be muddy in parts.
Last year was fantastic with over 100 people down at Fiveways, let’s hope the weather is the same as last year. But if it is raining just enjoy the cream teas.
Event is organised by the Church and Aston Rowant Footpaths and Amenities Group.
Five more historic images
/in News /by Adam BernsteinAnother five historic images, of people from times gone by, have been uploaded.
See https://www.astonrowantparishcouncil.gov.uk/historic-images
ARCC crowdfunding appeal
/in News /by Adam BernsteinAston Rowant Cricket Club has launched a crowd funding appeal to help pay for phase one of the development of the club facilities. The pavilion for the bottom field is on order and we are looking for support to assist us not just on this project but the full development of the old pavilion on the top field. All the money donated to this development will be spent on the buildings rather than the day to day running of the club.
Clicking on the link leads to a video produced by our vice chair, Thad Cooper, and details on how to sign up. Please note that it would help if donors tick the Gift Aid box and that also, it’s possible to remove the additional amount paid to crowdfunding appeal by pressing “custom amount” and entering £0.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/aston-rowant-cricket-club-new-pavilion
Steven Sowerby