Best kept garden awards – Oxford in Bloom

Daffodils in the Park, taken by Frank Cummings

Daffodils in the Park, taken by Frank Cummings

 

Oxford City Council has launched this year’s Oxford in Bloom competition.

Please see details of how to enter on the Oxford in Bloom website.

The Council is keen to increase the numbers of people to enter the competition, it is free to enter and prizes worth between £25 and £100 are available. Any one scoring over 65 will receive a certificate of merit.

There are many well-kept gardens in Headington and it would be great to see lots of winning entries from our area!

Family events this weekend

SCIENCE OXFORD LIVE 1-5 London Place – Oxford – OX4 1BD

SATURDAY SCIENCE CLUB Saturday 20 April 11.00 and 2.30 for 5-7 year olds
Dino Detectives
Our dinosaur bones are missing! Can you help us find them all and match them up to build our dino-skeletons?
£5 (SO Friends FREE)
booking recommended call 01865 810000 or visit www.scienceoxfordlive.com
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OXFORDSHIRE NAPE : EXPLORER DOME THE SPACE SHOW
Saturday 20 April : 10.30, 11.30, 1.30, 2.30 St Andrew’s School – London Road – OX3 9ED
some places still available at the 11.30 and 1.30 shows
our planet, moon, sun and solar system; how they move & what we see; explore the stars through the gods
and heroes, myths and legends of Ancient Greece experience the wonder of space in the special
environment of the Explorer Dome’s planetarium Most suitable for children aged 6-12 and their parents
just £10 per family booking essential phone or e-mail Lesley Williams Chair – Oxfordshire NAPE oxfordshire.gov.uk” target=_blank>lesley.williams@oxfordshire.gov.uk 07982 439 828 and pay on the day
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OXFORDSHIRE GOES WILD
Saturday 20 April 11.00-4.00 Earth Trust Farm Little Wittenham OX14 4QZ
Nature and wildlife groups from across the county will share their knowledge, getting you closer to nature :
Meet bats, owls and bugs discover micro-monsters dissect an owl’s breakfast find out what lives in a pond
track animals across Wittenham Clumps
refreshments available suggested donation : adults £2, children £1
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FREE WORLD STORYTELLING WORKSHOP
Saturday 20 April 2.00-4.00 Fusion Arts East Oxford Community Centre – Princes Street OX4 1DD 

Listen, share and discuss – take part in a free world storytelling workshop with our inspirational storytellers Sef
Townsend and Gauri Raje
Part of the Inside Out / Outside In Project (2012-14) a participatory story telling project, that aims to reach
immigration detainees based in Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre and diverse community groups
in Oxford, to build a bridge between the groups through creative channels. 
You will get to hear traditional stories from around the world, and share your personal reflections on them, as well
as their wider, more universal themes. You will also get the chance to respond to the stories by sharing your own
stories, or versions of these stories.
All welcome, particularly family groups. Feel free to just turn up or contact us if you have any questions.

01865 245 735 or info@fusion-arts.org
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PROM 2013 : A FUNDRAISING FAMILY EVENT
Friday 26 April 3.30 5.30 Cheney School sports hall all welcome
To include food and drink, music, dancing, performances, henna and face painting, football, basketball, pie and
wet sponge throwing .at the teachers!

Events coming up for families in March

SCIENCE OXFORD LIVE 1-5 London Place – Oxford – OX4 1BD

SATURDAY SCIENCE CLUB £5 (SO Friends FREE)

AMAZING ANIMALS Saturday 16 March 11.00 am & 2.30 pm

Discover the amazing animals that use camouflage and mimicry, with the help of some extra-sssspecial
guests! This session is for children aged 8 – 11
booking recommended call 01865 810000 or visit www.scienceoxfordlive.com
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OXFORDSHIRE SCIENCE FESTIVAL 9 – 24 March www.oxfordshiresciencefestival.co.uk

opens with SCIENCE IN YOUR WORLD Saturday 9 March from 10:00am
An explosion of science to launch the 2013 Oxfordshire Science Festival!
Come and be amazed by the science in everyday life at our free and interactive science fair! With hands-on
activities in Bonn Square and science buskers around the town centre, there is something for everyone.
UNDERCOVER CHEMISTRY
This year, Science Oxford invites you to follow the Undercover Chemistry Trail!
We have hidden models of everyday chemicals in shops around Bonn Square: find them all and you could
win a prize! Just come to the Science Oxford stand to get your entry form.

OXFORD BROOKES SCIENCE BAZAAR! Saturday 16 March 2013, from 11:00am to 4.00pm at Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane site.

Where can you put your senses and your brain to the test, learn about DNA, health and fitness, run with dinosaurs and design a rocket car – all under one roof? Brookes Science Bazaar, the popular free feast of science fun for the whole family is back on Saturday March 16.

Staff and students from across the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, the Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment plus the Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology have put together a great variety of hands-on sessions, most of which are new activities.

All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

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DANCIN’ OXFORD Dance Festival 2013 1 – 11 March www.dancinoxford.co.uk

FESTIVAL LAUNCH Saturday 2 March 12.00-4.30 various locations around Oxford City centre
Join us on the City Centre streets for a series of impressive free public outdoor dance performances to launch
this year’s festival in style. Be entertained…be inspired…be amazed! Full details (including schedule of
performances) can be found on the festival website
And then a week of dance performances and workshops at the Pegasus and Playhouse Theatres, the Town
Hall, the Castle Quarter – and a digital dance trail to follow using a free app.
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LEARNING FOR ADULTS courses on Barton are open to all in Headington and beyond
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COMMUNICATING WITH CONFIDENCE The Roundabout Centre – Waynflete Road – OX3 8DD
Feel worried talking to the GP, teachers and family members or find it hard to deal with complaints or
compliments? This short course is for anybody who wants to feel more confident about communicating with
others – looking at real life situations!
NEW START DATE
Tuesday 19 March for 5 weeks ( 2 week break for Easter) ends Tues 30 April. 9.30-11.30 am
Cost £25 but FREE to those on income related benefits – £5 deposit required free crèche provided
enrolment or for further information : Emma Carney 07770 641 359 ecarney@wea.org.uk
or talk to Hayley Langford at The Roundabout Centre

Visit Santa in his Town Hall grotto, Town Hall Gallery

20, 21 and 22 December, 10am to 4pm. Last ticket sold at 3.30. 15 minute storytelling sessions scheduled for 10.30am 11.30am 1.30pm and 2.30pm

Santa will be away feeding his reindeer between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

 ? Meet Santa and receive a present – £3.50

 ? Meet Santa, receive a present and enjoy a seasonal story – £5

Exploration Station (crafts) and a festive Christmas trail are also available all day for £1.50 each

Santa at the Town Hall

Santa at the Town Hall

New Year’s Day Walk – Shotover Country Park

Boxing Day Walk

Boxing Day Walk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start the New Year blowing away the cobwebs by joining the free Secrets of ShotoverNew Year’s Day Walk.

The walk, that takes you around some of the less well known parts of this beautiful park, is being organised by the Oxford Health Walks team as part of GO Active at Oxford City Council.

Local history enthusiast Mike Stranks will lead the 1.5 mile stroll that takes in some spectacular views across Oxford. He’ll also be sharing some of the park’s historical tales.

The group will meet at Shotover car park on Tuesday 1 January at 11.15am. Everyone is welcome; however it is not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs and people with limited mobility due to the woodland steps and inclines.

Flood partnership forum – ask questions!

Residents of Oxford are invited
(With residents of the parishes of Botley, South Hinksey, North Hinksey, Kennington and Wytham in Vale of White Horse district)
to:
The Oxford Area Flood Partnership’s
OPEN FORUM 2012
Town Hall Oxford
–
Tuesday 16th October 2012
From 7:00 ~ 8:30 pm
• The meeting will open with a short presentation
• The main part of the meeting is for residents to ask questions
for answer by Partnership representatives from:
• Environment Agency
• Oxfordshire County Council
• Thames Water
• Network Rail
• Oxford City Council
• Vale of White House District Council.
For more information telephone 01865 252 770

Novelist heads for Headington

There’s an exclusive chance to meet accomplished romantic novelist Alison Lucy at Headington Library towards the end of the month

Book cover

On the 27 September between 5.30pm and 6.30pm the author of new romantic novel ‘The Summer of Secrets’ will be visiting to tell all about her latest book, and give  a little insight into the writing process.

The Summer secrets is set in Mexico and features three young women who set off in the hope of unlocking the missing clues that will help them find out about their father.

This is a free event, but please book by contacting Headington Library in person or by telephone, on 01865 762867.

Oxford Family Sports Day on Sunday! Admission free!

Have a great afternoon out at Bury Knowle Park this Sunday afternoon at the City Council’s free Oxford Family Sports Day between 1pm and 5pm.If you fancy getting active, the confirmed sports and activity taster sessions on offer include football, tennis, volleyball, trampolining, jitsu, boxing and many, many more. Traditional family fun activities like rounders, egg and spoon races and tug of war will also be taking place.   

  • 1pm Zumba workshop
  • 1.40pm – Capoeira performance and workshop
  • 2.20pm – Street Dance workshop
  • 3pm – Tai Chi performance & workshop
  • 3.40pm – Samba workshop
  • 4.20pm Belly Dance performance and workshop 

If taking part isn’t quite for you, come along to enjoy the dance demonstrations, have a wander around the various stalls and find out more about some of the sporting opportunities available in Oxford.  There is something for everyone. For more details visit this website

Fund-raising walk for Oxford University Hospitals

OUH Charities are holding its annual 3 mile sponsored ‘Walk in the Park’ on Sunday 21 October at 10.30, raising funds for the Oxford University Hospitals. Now in its fifth year the Walk has raised over £110,000 for the Oxford Cancer and Heart Centre’s. This year participants can specify the part of the Hospital they would like to walk and raise sponsorship for from anything from Ward to research Funds!
 
Participants can register online by clicking here and entry has been held at £7.50 for adults and children under 16 can walk for free.