South Oxfordshire District Council

As Great Big Green Week gets underway the National Emergency Briefing film is being shown in several venues across our districts by local community organisations. This 45 minute film tackles the issues of action on climate and nature. It is introduced by Chris Packham, using material from the national emergency briefing which was held in Westminster last winter. This website https://orlo.uk/film_screening_map_CpQAa has info about the film and a map showing where the screenings are being held.

Find out what sustainability support for Oxfordshire SMEs is available, including free energy assessments, match funding for upgrades, practical checklists, local and national resources, and grant schemes to cut costs and emissions. Find out more here https://orlo.uk/help_for_businesses_OxwUo

Enjoy a ‘Noticing Nature’ event this summer - Take a moment to slow down and reconnect with nature at Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre’s (TVERC) Noticing Nature events. These free, expert-led sessions are a great way to discover more about your local environment and the wildlife around you. There are a range of events taking place across the summer, including one at Harcourt Hill on Friday 12 June (10am to midday) and Barton Fields next month.
Find out more and book your place on TVERC’s website - https://orlo.uk/2E8de

On Sunday 7 June Cow Lane underpass in Didcot will close for a few days to allow for maintenance work to take place.

The road will be closed from 9.30am-3.30pm each day (with access for cyclists and pedestrians from the 8 June) so that the Probation Service, Network Rail and Oxfordshire County Council can remove vegetation, improve guttering and update the existing lighting.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances the installation of The Cow Lane Connecting Communities Artwork will now not happen at the same time as planned.

We will keep you updated on this artwork project, and you can find out all the latest news about other Didcot Garden Town projects on our website https://orlo.uk/NaZjr

Interested in making a real difference for nature in your community?

We’re proud to support Earth Trust, who do amazing work managing council-owned sites across the district so that nature can thrive.

Earth Trust are always looking for volunteers to help with crucial conservation work across their sites in the district, including:
Wallingford Castle Meadows - pictured
Mowbray Fields (Didcot)
Riverside Meadows (Wallingford)

You don’t need any experience to volunteer with Earth Trust – they’ll teach you everything you need to know. Sessions run throughout the week and are very flexible.

Find out more and sign up today via Earth Trust’s website! https://orlo.uk/kluxj

Cornerstone Arts Centre and The Beacon have joined forces to launch IGNITE, a free development scheme supporting artists across Oxfordshire.

IGNITE offers free rehearsal and development space, opportunities to connect with other creatives, and support to help artists develop and share their work.

Know an artist who might be interested? Find out more below.

Artists, this one’s for you ✨

Applications are now open for IGNITE, our new free joint artist development scheme with The Beacon, Wantage.

We’re excited to be opening up more space for artists to create, rehearse, experiment and connect. We know that the right environment, time and support can make all the difference when you’re developing creative work.

Whether you’re at the beginning of something, coming back to your practice or ready to test what’s next, we’d love to hear from you.🧡

Know an artist who might be interested? Please share this with them!

Apply now: https://orlo.uk/hPrKl

Time’s ticking!
Our waste and street cleaning survey closes 4 June.
Don’t miss your chance to have your say -
https://orlo.uk/BPrRg

Update from Riverside Park and Pools ...

Since opening this year, we’ve had a hugely successful early season at Riverside Pools, with 4,000 visitors through the doors already. However, we have been made aware that a handful of children reporting grazed feet when they visited over the hot Bank Holiday weekend.

In response to these concerns, we conducted two surveys of the pool floor and walls and have not identified any issues such as debris, damaged or loose tiles.

We therefore believe that these may have been incurred outside the pool, when children were running around barefoot on hot concrete or uneven ground. Our team has subsequently checked poolside areas to ensure there is no sharp or dangerous debris in the area.
In short and following these detailed checks, we feel confident that there are no safety issues at the site and families should feel confident that they can visit safely.
For any local resident who still has concerns and would like to meet onsite at Riverside with one of our senior managers, please do use the email below to get in touch.

[email protected]

It’s Volunteers Week, a perfect time to say a huge thank you to the amazing volunteers who make Cornerstone Arts Centre such a welcoming place.

If you’d like to be part of the fun at Cornerstone, meet new people, socialise and watch fantastic shows for free visit their website to learn more about how you can get involved https://orlo.uk/18ABx