Archive for category: News

Sunday 4 January sees the next parish walk.

It starts at 10.00 from Stokenchurch, meeting at the bus stop by the defunct Kings Arms in the centre of the village at 9.50. There is a small car park and plenty of parking to the side of the small roads by the green.

The route is 4.5 miles long; there are no stiles and we walk on well defined footpaths through beech woods and open farmland. This route has been chosen as it is well known as the least muddy in the area.

We stop half way round for a banana break (other snacks allowed! ) and walk at the speed of the slowest with a back marker. There are a few downs and ups as you would expect on an Chiltern Walk.

Unfortunately there is now no cafe in Stokenchurch.

The walk is a joint venture between the Aston Rowant Parish Council and Thame and Wheatley Ramblers. You don’t have to be a parishioner nor a Rambler’s member to join the walk. Booking is advised.

Peter Hetherington – Accredited Ramblers leader – 07767 647714

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are reminding residents that crews can only empty household wheelie bins if the lids are fully closed lids.

Crew members check to make sure that the waste is fully contained within each bin. They need to do this because there is a real risk that an overfilled bin won’t attach properly to the lifting equipment at the rear of the collection vehicle. In such cases, it’s common for bins to become unattached and end up being thrown from the lift, causing a serious danger to collection staff, the public and motorists who might be in the vicinity.

Waste can also drop from overfilled bins while they are being wheeled to the collection vehicle, creating a street cleansing issue. Closed lids minimize spillage and help to prevent vermin (such as foxes and gulls) from taking items from bins, which leads to dirtier streets.

As part of their safe working requirements, to minimise the chance of injury, collection crews are instructed to adopt correct manual handling techniques when lifting, carrying and wheeling waste receptacles to the collection vehicle. Unfortunately, it is human nature to try and catch waste falling from a bin while it is in motion, which can lead to injury.  A closed bin lid will stop waste from falling out and prevent this from happening.

The councils’ waste and recycling policy states that bin lids must be fully closed in order for the bin to be emptied on the scheduled collection day.  This requirement applies to all wheelie bins – including general rubbish, recycling and garden waste.

If a household has more waste than will fit in their bin with the lid shut, residents should:

• for general rubbish and garden waste– hold it back for next time or take to their local Household Waste and Recycling Centre (you won’t get charged for household waste)
• for recycling– put the extra items in a clear plastic sack or cardboard box and leave it next to the bin ready for collection.

As part of the application process for Reception entry to infant and primary school, OCC is advertising the need for parents and carers of children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 to apply for a school place.

Parents and carers can apply from 4 November 2025 to 15 January 2026 for a Reception place at primary or infant school for entry to school in the 2026/27 academic year.

Parents or carers with any questions should visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/primaryadmissions. Alternatively, the School Admissions Team can be contacted direct on 01865 519800 Option 2
or via

The deadline for receipt of completed school applications for Reception is 15 January 2026.

See attachment below for more information.

The parish Litter Pick has been confirmed for Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd November – as detailed in the most recent issue of the Parish Notes.

Both start at 1000hrs. On Saturday, we meet in the Cherry Tree car park, and on Sunday we meet in the lay-by on the A40 opposite the Lambert Arms.

If we have enough helpers the picks will be done in an hour or so. We’re a parish of some 1300 people – please don’t leave it to others to care for our villages.

Bags, hi-viz jackets and pick sticks will be provided, but please bring gloves and of course, wear suitable footwear.

For more information, call Steven Sowerby on 07802 814625.

It’s a fact of life that emergencies of one kind or another will happen. While there is plenty of help from local authorities there is a limit to what they, including parish councils, can do.

This makes it important for individuals to take some responsibility for planning for what might happen to them, their community, and their businesses.

The Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum has some very useful – and free – guidance available here.

Do take time to have a look; when an emergency happens it will likely be too late.