Welcome to the website for the village of Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire, England. Within these pages you will find information on the village, the Parish Council and its activities, a directory of local businesses and services, information on clubs and groups, and lots of other things too.
Complete the “Subscribe” option at the bottom right of this page to be notified by email when village news is posted.
More than £6,550 has been raised for new play equipment at Bodkin’s Field in Long Wittenham and the campaign organisers say they hope children will be playing there next spring.
A grant of £7,300 has been secured from South Oxfordshire District Council but one of the conditions is that the campaigners have to match-fund the grant. Supporters say they are £737 short of their target but are confident of hitting it by the end of the year.
So far £6,554 has been raised including a donation of £2,500 from the parish council. The Wittfest music festival at The Plough pub raised £1,600 and the village Fun Run £700. Wittenham Warriors and Safari Supper each gave £500 and a women’s social party £419.
Campaigner organiser Catherine Harrison said: “Our thanks to everyone in the village who has put their hands in their pockets to help support this project. New play equipment is long overdue and will be a great leap forward for children in the village to have new and up-to-date play equipment.”
One of the fund raisers Sally Duff said: “We are doing really well to meet our target of £7300. We still have a few events planned most notably Bonfire night, as this year’s profits will go towards the playground project.”
It’s hoped to start work on the playground in the Autumn and it should be ready by next Spring. Before work starts a section of hedging will be cut back to create more space for the playground.
The breakdown of donations is: Parish Council £2,500, Wittfest £1,613, Fun Run £700, Wittenham Warriors £500, Safari Supper £500, Sylva Foundation cake sale during Arts Week £260, Girl’s Just Wanna Have Fun evening £419, and the cake sale at the swap shop £62. There are still Long Wittenham bags for sale and there’ll be a cake stall at the Sylva Wood Centre Christmas event.
Catherine Harrison said the main people to thank were Steve Brown for helping with the grant application to the district council, Sally Duff for organising the Girl’s Just Wanna Have Fun evening and Jenny Caw for hosting it.
Clare Winterbourne ran the swap shop cake sale, the main Fun Run organiser was Prew Bowtell, Matt Clamp organised the barbecue at the Fun Run and thanks were due to The Plough pub for staging the Wittfest music festival. Many others helped by baking and volunteering.
Catherine said: “I will now get on with choosing the contractor and my aim will be for them to start work in November so that it is all ready for spring. This is the exciting part so if anyone wants to get involved in helping select the contractor, choose the equipment and be involved in overseeing the works then that would be great.”
The Long Wittenham 200 Club is pleased to announce the winners in June and July.
June 2017
The £50 prize goes to:
198 K. Whitehead
£10 each goes to:
120 R. & B. Edwards
86 M. & S. Duff
19 A. Ainsley
54 J. Peckham & J. Davies
July 2017 Continue reading
Below are details of the forthcoming referendum for the Neighbourhood Development Plan and a summary of the Plan itself. It is purely factual as the Parish Council is not allowed to campaign during the run up to the election.
The Referendum
The referendum date for the Neighbourhood Development Plan is Thursday 7th September 2017. It is run by South Oxfordshire District Council along the same lines as any local government election. Anyone registered to vote in a local election is eligible to vote. Proxy and postal votes are available for those not able to vote in person. Forms are available from:
https://www.gov.uk/apply-vote-proxy
OR
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote. Continue reading
Oxfordshire Historic Church Trust organises an annual Ride and Stride sponsored event to raise essential funds to repair, restore and improve the county’s churches. This year’s event takes place on 9th September and local families are encouraged to take part.
Ride and Stride is a sponsored event whereby participants travel between our wonderful churches, enjoying their architecture and history which, let’s face it, we often take for granted. The funds raised ensures their beauty can be appreciated by future generations. So why not get on your bike, feet, horse, tractor or any form of transport you choose to search out and support all the finest church architecture Oxfordshire has to offer?
Long Wittenham Parish Council and others objecting to plans for a huge quarry near Clifton Hampden are asking Oxfordshire County Council for an extension to the third consultation period which closes on 3rd August.
The council, Burcot and Clifton Hampden, Appleford and Culham parish councils are part of an alliance of organisations and individuals opposing plans by Hills Quarry Products. The most recent concerns that the quarry would increase the risk of flooding along the Thames have come from the Environment Agency.
The county council opened another period of consultation to allow more time for Hills and objectors to respond. Bachport – Burcot and Clifton Hampden for the Protection of the Continue reading
Clifton Hampden Bridge will be closed to motorised vehicles from 18th September through to 29th September 2017. This is for work that is required following a road traffic accident last year that demolished a length of brick parapet. A temporary repair was undertaken after the incident using concrete blockwork as this was the only way to allow the bridge to be quickly and safely reopened. The bridge could not be repaired permanently as the bridge is listed and as specially manufactured bespoke bricks and copings are required.
The road closure is needed to undertake the work required as the bridge is too narrow to work safely without one. A route will be available for cyclists and pedestrians throughout the works. It is hoped that if all goes well that the work could be completed in less time Continue reading
Members of Long Wittenham’s Good Neighbours Club were entertained by children from the Long Wittenham primary school at the club’s July meeting in the village hall. Twenty children from class four (nine, ten and eleven year olds) sang “It’s a Kind of Magic” one of Queen’s big hits and which features in the school’s play Historical Laughter which will be performed at the end of term. The children were accompanied by teacher Fiona Smith and teaching assistant Tracy Eltham. The Good Neighbour’s Club is supported financially by the parish council.
The Parish Council will hold its monthly meeting this coming Thursday evening (13th July) at 7:30pm in the Village Hall.
Download the agenda here.
Neighbourhood Developments Plans or NDPs are vital in the battle against developers trying to exploit the national housing crisis says the author of a new book on village life. Retired journalist and now parish councillor Tom Fort was speaking in Didcot on Monday night at the annual meeting of the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils.
He went on to warn delegates that developers would push to build on the fringes of communities if housing plans in central areas were thwarted by a village NDP.
Mr Fort, who’s a member of Sonning Common Parish Council, urged villages to draw up an NDP to give some protection against developers. He said: “Villages can’t stand still. New houses are needed for residents and newcomers who will bring fresh blood into the Continue reading
Plans for more than 1800 homes in Didcot have been approved by South Oxfordshire District Council raising fears of more traffic passing through neighbouring villages.
Croudace Homes and Reading University, the owners of the land north-east of the town, have been given planning permission by South Oxfordshire District Council to build 1880 homes, 40 per-cent of which will be affordable.
The development which is an extension of the Ladygrove estate in Didcot will also have two primary schools and secondary school, a day nursery, a leisure centre and sports pitches including a pavilion.
In addition there will be a neighbourhood centre comprising shops and small units, a pub- Continue reading
