Archive for category: News

A note from SODC:

There’s an array of free or low-cost activities this February half-term to keep the kids entertained across South Oxfordshire and the Vale.

Active Totz 

Active Totz is a fun play session that is full of energy and excitement, with interactive games aimed at children from 18 months to 5 years old with siblings up to seven years welcome to join in. There are three Active Totz sessions taking place across the two districts and all the activities will have a Winter Olympics theme.

Each session will be from 10-10.45am on:

1. Monday 13 – Steventon Village Hall
2. Tuesday 14 – Wootton and Dry Sandford Community Centre
3. Wednesday 15 – District Community Centre, Great Western Park, Didcot

Sessions are free for YouMove members or £8 per child and an additional £5 per sibling. To book please call Sophie Butler on 07709 168740 or email .

The Beacon Wantage 

Come along to The Beacon for an unforgettable Jurassic experience for all the family to enjoy. At Dinosaur Adventure Live, you’ll be able to find out some amazing dino-facts, meet beautiful baby dinosaurs and even feed them as they introduce you to some of the most incredible species ever to have lived on Earth. This awe-inspiring interactive show captivates and immerses audiences in the enthralling and realistic world of dinosaurs.

Tickets are now on sale at The Beacon for performances on Tuesday 14 February, with tickets at £14, shows are at 2pm and 4.30pm.  For more information and to book your tickets visit The Beacon website.

Cornerstone Arts Centre Didcot 

For those with children interested in getting crafty, Decorate Your Own Bird House on Wednesday 15 February at 11am will have children designing an exciting new home for local wildlife just in time for spring to arrive. This one-off workshop and is aimed at children in key stage 1, it costs £10 with all materials provided to get creative.

Or book tickets to see the crowd pleaser Quentin Blake’s Mister Magnolia on Sunday 19 February at 2pm. This show is full of colourful characters, live music, puppetry and audience interaction inspired by the incredible work of illustrator Quentin Blake. This is family-friendly theatre at its best.

Head to the Cornerstone website to find out more.

Xplorer 

Our Active Communities team will be keeping children busy with their free Xplorer events. Xplorer is a family friendly fun navigation challenge that is suitable for all ages.

Using a simple map, the aim is to find several markers that are located around the park. Places are available for:

1. Monday 13 – Edmonds Park, Didcot
2. Monday 13 – Southern Town Park, Abingdon
3. Tuesday 14 – Benson Recreation Ground
4. Wednesday 15 – Wantage Memorial Park

Sessions run from 10am-midday and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Families can book online via this link or turn up anytime from 10am on the day with the last registration for all events at 11.30am.

Family walks and talks at Harcourt Arboretum 

On Thursday 16 February, families can go along to Harcourt Arboretum near Oxford for free family walks from 1-2pm and 2.30-3.30pm. There will be lots to see and do from exploring the ground to attending some special talks from the staff on site.

For more details, please contact

There’s more information about the Active Communities team and YouMove on the council’s websites southoxon.gov.uk/activecommunities and whitehorsedc.gov.uk/activecommunities.

The government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station at some elections.

This will apply for the first time at the local elections on Thursday 4 May 2023, so please spread the word to your friends and family.

Accepted forms of photo ID will include, but are not limited to, passport, driving licence (including provisional license), disabled parking blue badge, certain concessionary travel cards and proof of age cards with a PASS mark.

Anyone who doesn’t have accepted photo ID can apply on the government’s website now for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

For more information, visit the Electoral Commission website or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.

There are numerous salt bins that the parish council has provided, with five more on the way.

Each has, or should have, a shovel and gloves and is refilled once a year free of charge by Oxfordshire County Council and when necessary, by the parish council.

It would help the parish council if residents could take it upon themselves to spread grit on roads and junctions near them when needed; the council is not in a position to lobby residents to this undertake this duty.

Please note that the grit salt provided is for public roads and pavements only; it must not be used on private drives and paths.

If bins are empty or missing a shovel or gloves, please email and this will be dealt with.

As before, please help us to help you.

Residents may want to read about an application for 150 houses in Chinnor on the Thame Road.

The detail is at https://data.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/support/Main.jsp?MODULE=ApplicationDetails&REF=P22/S4643/O.

SODC are taking comments until 2 February.

New Year Circular Parish Walk on Sunday 8 January starting at 10.00 promptly from Kingston Blount Village Hall – 6.75 miles

We will use the New Permissive Path to Crowell and after that the Ridgeway to reach Woodway Farm. Then Aston Rowant village, Church Lane, Fiveways and the Olde London Weye, before crossing fields to reach Chalford – returning to the Kingston Blount Village Hall via Sydenham on a short section of road but mainly on footpaths.

This will be a leisurely walk – expecting to be back by 13.15. There are two stiles.

Wear boots and bring a drink and a snack please. Being this time of year we will expect some mud.

Organised by Aston Rowant PC Footpath and Amenities Group and Thame and Wheatley Ramblers. No need to book and anyone who can walk 6.75m is very welcome.

If some want a much easier 3m walk they can take the direct footpath back from Aston Rowant to Kingston Blount along the Cricket Field path.

For more information contact Peter Hetherington on 07767 647714