Parish Notes – latest issue online
The October / November 2020 issue of the Parish Notes is now available online and should have been posted through your letter box.
Navigate to Your Community > Parish Notes.
What3words helps locate
/in News/by Adam BernsteinAnyone with a need to give their exact location, whether that is to friends, family or the emergency services, ought to consider a free to download and use app, What3words.
The app, for iOS or Android as well as desktops, divides the world into a series of 3m x 3m boxes, each identified with a unique combination of three words.
So, giving a location quickly and easily no longer needs exact co-ordinates or map reading skills, just the three words that the app generates.
The app can be downloaded from here. More detail is available by navigating through the website.
Sydenham Road closure in November
/in News/by Adam BernsteinFrom 23 – 27 November the road through Sydenham will be closed while traffic islands are being built.
The downloads below offer more detail.
Problem with downloads
/in News/by Adam BernsteinWith the latest update of Apple’s Safari browser there appears to be a problem with downloads from the parish website. The solution is to use an alternative browser such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge – downloads via these apps do work.
Voles at Fiveways
/in News/by Adam BernsteinMike Eaton, one of the group that cares for Fiveways Corner in Aston Rowant, has captured some day time video of a vole feeding in the stream.
The video (AVI format) is downloadable below.
Work on chicane to start
/in News/by Adam BernsteinSeveral years in the planning by the parish council, work on the chicane in Kingston Blount (adjacent to the cricket pitch) is scheduled to start on Monday 21 September.
Please expect a little disruption for a couple of weeks… but it will be worth it.
The council is now turning its attention to a chicane in Aston Rowant.
Chinnor Library is to reopen
/in News/by Adam BernsteinChinnor library is to reopen post lockdown, week commencing 5th October 2020. Its opening hours are being reviewed and details will be available nearer the time.
For reference, the library is at Station Road, Chinnor, OX39 4PU, and can be rung on 01844 351721.
Funding available for volunteer groups and organisations
/in News/by Adam BernsteinVoluntary and community sector groups can apply for funds to help people affected coronavirus. South Oxfordshire District Council has £45,373 to distribute to projects that are delivering essential services to vulnerable residents in the districts who are struggling to afford food and other essential provisions as a result of coronavirus.
Voluntary groups and organisations can now apply for grants of up to £5,000 to go towards:
- projects directly helping vulnerable people affected by the effects of coronavirus, such as providing access to food and other essentials e.g. toiletries;
- existing schemes supporting people struggling to afford food and other essentials, and where the need is greatest;
- projects advising and providing information to people to help them access longer term support they might need, such as benefits;
- projects that provide targeted support in areas of greatest need and deprivation, including rural areas.
Town and Parish Councils who are collaborating with un-constituted third-party groups e.g. coronavirus community response groups, mutual aid groups are also eligible to apply.
Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis. The first deadline for applications is midnight on Tuesday 15 September 2020. Further rounds will be assessed every two weeks thereafter, and the scheme will remain open until the funds are spent, so early applications are encouraged.
To apply, please read the application guidance notes before completing the online form which you can find on the South Oxfordshire website.
The funding comes from £63 million of emergency assistance from the government for local authorities to support people who are struggling to afford food and other essential provisions as a result of coronavirus
For further information contact the Community Connector Team at or the South Oxfordshire website.
Green Homes Grant
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe new Green Homes Grant Scheme, a government programme, will fund up to two-thirds of the cost of home improvements of over 600,000 homes, supporting over 100,000 jobs in green construction. The government has now set out further details on the range of measures included and how consumers in England will be able to claim vouchers, which are worth up to £5,000 for homeowners. Households on low income can receive vouchers covering 100 per cent of the cost of the improvements, up to a maximum of £10,000.
Builders, plumbers, and other tradespeople across England will need the Government’s seal of approval to provide their services as part of the new green homes grant, which goes live at the end of September. Tradespeople must register for TrustMark or Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation to take part in the scheme.
More detail is available here.
Moors Path and horse riders
/in News/by Adam BernsteinA polite reminder regarding the Moors Path:
The owner of the section of the path that stretches from the school to the cricket pitch has not granted permission for horses to cross his land.
It would be appreciated if horse riders could kindly respect his wishes.