Countdown to Oxfordshire Cycle Challenge 2011 begins

Schools, colleges, and major businesses have signed up and are raring to go for the county’s largest ever cycling competition: The Oxfordshire Cycle Challenge 2011.

However, there is still time to sign up to the challenge. All you have to do is visit the dedicated website

The challenge begins on Monday 9 May and ends on Sunday 29 May. It aims to encourage as many people as possible to discover the benefits of cycling as well as logging their details of the journey on the website when they get on their bikes.

It’s a fun, free competition which saw over 1,300 people take part last year.

Workplaces and community groups can compete in six size categories to see who can get the most members of staff to ride a bike for at least 10 minutes.

The Oxfordshire Cycle Challenge is being organised in conjunction with CTC Challenge for Change, NHS Oxfordshire, Go Active, Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxfordshire District Councils.

There are ‘weekly spot prizes’ which will be presented during the three weeks of the competition which include a lunch time river cruise for two from Oxford River Cruises, a pair of theatre tickets from Pegasus Theatre or tickets for Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Do your bit for climate change!

The World Wildlife Fund, who organise Earth Hour, ask households, businesses and organisations around the world to turn their lights out for one hour to raise awareness of climate change.
 
Last year Oxford City Council took part in the event by switching off all non-essential lights and equipment over the weekend of Earth Hour and managed to reduce electricity use by nine per cent across our five main sites, representing a saving of 1,577kwh.
 
Over the weekend of Friday 25 March to Sunday 27 March the City Council will be switching off all non-essential lights and equipment in its offices and encouraging staff to take part at home by switching off their lights for the Earth Hour between 8.30pm to 9.30pm on Saturday 26 March.

Will you do your bit for climate change in Headington?

Brookes Science Bazaar Sat 12 March

Spaghetti skyscrapers, rocket derby, amazing butterfly colours……….Brookes Science Bazaar is back and promises to be bigger and better than ever. The science-based, family fun day will take place on Saturday 12 March, from 11.00am to 4.00pm at Gipsy Lane site. 
There will be a host of new hands-on activities and one or two of last year’s favourites aimed at chidren and their parents. For the first time this year, there will be special activities for the under fives. All activities are free and there is no need to book in advance. Please be aware that all children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Workshops will run throughout the day and will offer the chance to get hands on with a praying mantis, design a rocket and more besides. Workshops can be booked on the day and there will also be several drop-in sessions ranging from a chance to study the beauty of butterfly wings to the gory history of plagues and diseases.

Do you have the skills to foster?

Fostering is an experience like no other as it uniquely bridges family and professional life.  As a foster carer you will be working closely with parents, County officers, and other professionals, supporting families and rebuilding relationships. 

Foster carers combine a love and desire to help children with a passion and dedication to providing the best possible care.

Want to find out more? 

Why not come along to meet foster carers at a coffee morning on:  

Wednesday 26 May @ 10 – 1pm

At All Saints’ Church House,

New High St

Budding scientist in the family?

BROOKES SCIENCE BAZAAR Saturday 20 March

Cost: Free

Brookes Science bazaar is back with a host of new hands-on activities and one or two of last year’s favourites! * Become a certified micro-astronaut and take a journey to the micro-cosmos (age 5+) * Get a whiff of some smelly science (age 5+) * It all adds up to fun- try the Funmaths Roadshow (age 5+) * Fabulous fruits – learn more about a favourite food group (age 5+) * Get a fly’s eye view with our special glasses (age 5+) * Garlic in your porridge? Fish with green tea –discover the science behind functional food with added health benefits * Habitats and lifecycles – how can some animals live in extreme conditions? (age 5+) * Rocket car derby – design, build and test your won rocket car (age 8+). Places for this workshop are very limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. * Cook up some healthy food and learn what makes for a healthy diet (age 8+) * Speedy dinosaurs – discover how the way we walk can reveal more about the speed of these creatures (age 8+) * Create stories in a virtual world – write your own computer programs with 3D characters (age 8+) Plus much more ………. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Please be aware that children under 8 will not be permitted in workshops designated 8+.

For further information, please phone 01865 483129. Booking on the day is required for some sessions. 

Fill up on washing liquid at the new Fair Trade Shop!

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 It was a great privilege to attend the opening of the Fair Trade Shop in London Road this lunchtime and to thank all those concerned for their dogged hard work and enthusiasm in bringing us this exciting new venture.

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I was particularly interested in the Ecover containers of fabric softener, non bio laundry liquid, and washing up liquid available – at last, there is no need to buy plastic containers full of washing up liquid, just bring in your old ones and fill them up in the shop! What a great idea, and one that I know will appeal to many Headington residents who are concerned about their environment


 

 

 

Help plant bulbs in Bury Knowle Park on Sunday!

Sunday 29th November 2009

2 pm

Bury Knowle Park

Come and help plant spring bulbs!

All welcome

 

We’ve got 500 bulbs to plant

 

  Meet in front of the Library

Bring your own tools, gardening gloves etc

 

Children must be accompanied/supervised by an adult

 

Then come in the spring and admire the bulbs you’ve planted!!!

 

 

For more details about Friends of Bury Knowle Park, click here

Up for discussion!

The Area Committee meeting will be at Corpus Christi Hall at 6 pm on Tuesday 20 October. Among the issues we will be discussing are:

  • installation of bollards outside St Andrew’s Church Parish Hall, Dunstan Road
  • Headington District Centre Christmas lights
  • Police quarterly report
  • the County’s Children and Young People’s Plan 2010-2013

Fun for everyone! All welcome

Friends of Old Headington open gardens day

It was great weather for the Friends of Old Headington’s Open Gardens Day yet again this year, and the event was very well attended today.  The event is not only legendary for its wonderful variety of attractive gardens, but also for its excellent refreshments, especially the home made cake by the WI.

Please click here if you would like to see the Friends of Old Headington website, it is hot off the press, and a valuable community resource.