Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Oxfordshire County Council are working in partnership to develop a programme to improve the mental well-being in the county. We want to make a positive difference to the lives of people in Oxfordshire.
As part of this work we need to understand what influences well-being and what local people feel is needed to help improve the mental well-being of those living in the county.
To begin this process we are asking as many people as possible what their views are.
Please find out more and fill out our online survey on http://www.oxfordshirepct.nhs.uk/
The closing date for responses is Friday October 24th.
Name Supplied
Last sunny Thursday, and today a wet and windy Tuesday, I have been out around the town on the annual Geography field trip with Year 7's from Faringdon Community College.
My usual moan is about the traffic using the bus lane by Saddlers Coffee Shop. Not today though. Although it is still happening, it does seem to have improved.
Today its DOG POO. I thought a while ago a team came in to town to sort out the problem.It has'nt worked. Many of the pupils trod in it, causing a bit of a stink. We, as dog owner ourselves, could not understand how some owners are letting their pets do this and turning a blind eye. Have they not heard of Bag it and Bin it? There dont seem to be many bins about, but they could take it home could'nt they?
One of the worst places was the alley that goes from Beech Close down to Canada Lane.
Yuk
Chris Higgs
the Jam club reopens this Friday 3rd Oct with "The Obscure" plus support from "A/C".
Doors open 7.30pm. Entrance £3.
Sam Prince
Are you Celebrating Something special ?
Maybe a wedding
a Baptism
A Special wedding Anniversary party
Would you like the memory to last Forever on DVD
Then contact SGV Productions sgvproductions@tiscali.co.uk
Competitive prices with Professional production
Name Supplied
Apparently there were thiefs spotted breaking into the sheds of some of the resident's houses in Carters Crescent, someone disturbed them in the act, the police helicopter was out and about in Oxford so helped them out.
Name Supplied
I was in Switzerland the other week, not a litter in sight wherever we went, it was utterly lovely - came back, drove up the road to my house, litter everywhere - walked with the dogs to the park - not a meter without some rubbish on the ground.
It is such a sad site and I am fed up that the council does not take stronger action! We only just cleaned the Folly Park a few weeks ago! Something must happen, it just cannot go on like this.
I was brought up in Switzerland and I am not biased as I have lived here in England for 20 years, but it was hammered into our heads from a very early age, that all rubbish goes in the bin. If there is none take the rubbish home.
Why do we in England have such a problem with that obvious solution? Grown ups and children all need educating and if someone does drops litter, one should not be too scared to tell them to pick it up again. It is utterly pathetic the way we tip toe around problems like these. And it is down to volunteers like us to clear up after people who cannot care less.
I feel suffocated by all this litter and I am sure I am not the only one.
Bernadette Disborough
To let readers of Talking Points know that the October edition of The Faringdon Folly is out this afternoon, early this month because of when the first of the month falls. There's a review of last Saturday's gig at the Crown, a plea for performers to join next year's FDS panto, a story about goings on on Coxwell Road - developers and planners - and what people got up to in Faringdon in the 1930's for amusement.
All this and much more including sports news, clubs news, police and fire reports and village news. Available in glorious technicolour at all local supermarkets, newsagents and convenience stores, price just 60p
Al Cane
Colin you are right but they do give up there time unpaid and unthanked by the like of yourself and others . The main thing i find is the lack of intrested by are so called local very well paid police.
Complaints have gone up against police in south. I would like to see a policeperson in faringdon to make a complaint about. Long gone are days of tim and mitch walking around the town, they used there legs shock horror.
I have noticed a slight rise in small crime in the town kids on motorbikes parking on paths etc.
If the police do not get on top of this ,we will end up with more serious crime eg knife crime etc. regards
Name Supplied
Can anyone shed any light on the presence of a Police helicopter tight-circling the streets around Coleshill Drive in the very early hours of this morning?
It was strafing the Eaton Close area for a good 45 minutes with a very bright spotlight trained on one spot.
Not quite a Vulcan, but just about as noisy!
Name Supplied
Anyone have any idea why the Police Helicoptor was in action just before midnight Tues 23/09 towards the Community College?
Police on foot and cars up and down Marlborough Gardens and Marines Drive also I believe.
Name Supplied
In reality there shouldn't be one, but unfortunately there is, so I'll tell you about it. I live on Gloucester Street, which you will know by now, if you are a regular Talking Points reader, has a totally unnecessary single yellow line along much of its length, dating from years gone by when there was a seed merchant operating in the street. I am not alone in wanting this line removed because it serves no useful purpose.
Yesterday our dishwasher packed up so I made some calls and arranged for an engineer to come out to look at it this morning. At 11 o'clock I received a call from the engineer. He was phoning to apologise because he could find nowhere to park. The entire length of the yellow line was free of parked vehicles and he had pulled in pretty much outside our house only to be moved on by a traffic warden, or whatever they are called now. He moved on to Gloucester Street car park instead, but when he got there he was told his van is too big and because it was sticking out over the lines he would be liable to a £80 fine if he stopped there.
I suppose there's bound to be some nameless supporter of jobsworths out there who thinks this is all very reasonable. However, I am throughly peed off once more by the continuing existence of this completely unnecessary yellow line.
Fortunately I work from home and hadn't had to take the morning off work to be here; others would not have been so fortunate. I'm hoping he'll find a place a to park this afternoon, but I if he doesn't I can't expect him to keep trying.
Ifor Phillips
Two lady PCSO's were doing a fine job of holding up the traffic at the bottom of Coxwell Street, very closely checking out all the parked cars on the single yellows outside the hairdressers.
At last!
Name Supplied
Thanks to all who braved the sunny weather to come out to The Crown on Saturday night.
A big thank you to The Follys for kicking off the gig and producing a storming set and for Sam and all the staff at the crown for their hospitality.
In these days of doom and gloom lots of very positive feedback about the town from all who travelled to the show from far and wide.
The next show, a full band rather than acoustic night, is set for Sat 29 November this time up at the junior school.
Headliners are Tommy Hale and The Snakes from Dallas with confirmed support as of now from Faringdon's own The Lucky Generals and Disclosure.
Look out for posters in due course
Cheers
Hamish Millar
FO Online poetry competition has now closed to entries. This year we had over 500 entries, of which 65 were in the comic category, 38 were local, and there were 27 junior entries.
I was surprised, and delighted this year to receive entries from (among a great variety of other places) China, Georgia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Israel, as well as USA, Australia, Other parts of Asia, Africa, Europe and all over the British Isles.
The winners and short list of commended poems will be published on the site as soon as possible.
I hope to arrange a poetry event, when Helen Kidd, this year’s adjudicator, will come and talk about the competition and present the local prize; and there will be an opportunity for local authors to read their poems.
In due course there will also be an anthology of selected poems from the competition, more details later.
Thanks to all of you entered, and who have supported the competition, I look forward to seeing you later in the year at the poetry event.
Hilary Taylor
The above Championships are to be held at Faringdon Leisure Centre 30th/31 May 2009
This is a chance to see the best skaters Great Britain have in the sport of Artistic Roller Skating.
Put this date in your diary Dont MISS IT
We have 4 Faringdon skaters that are working qualify for this competition.
Tamara William
Georgie Howe
Hollie Fidler
Ben Timbrell
All these skaters travelled to Italy and represented Great Britain in the European championships and all were placed in top 20
Congratulations to them all.
Dee England
Dressing room ghosts, sharing chord progressions with the Sugababes and immersing the good people of Faringdon in beautiful ballads is all in a days work for Jake Shillingford, one time frontman of cult orchestral pop sensation My Life Story.
Mid-way through his acoustic tour to promote his recent solo album "Written Large", Jake took to the stage in the intimate surroundings of the Old Crown Inn in Faringdon on Saturday night accompanied by pianist Toni Krause to perform tracks from his aforementioned solo album and some old My Life Story favourites. Following support slots featuring Tyla from Dog's D'amour and Faringdon's very own The Follys, Jake had the audience under his spell from beginning to end with renditions of tracks such as "Butterfly Wings" and "Antiques" along with the albums title track "Written Large".
Not put off by an appearance of "The Faringdon Ghost" in his dressing room, although not risking a trip back down there before his encore, Jake roared through the old My Life Story favourites "Sparkle" and "Strumpet" ensuring that the good people of Faringdon won't forget the name Jake Shillingford for a long time yet.
Jake's solo album "Written Large" is available from www.jakeshillingford.com
review by Lindsey Taylor-Fullman
Starting after half term Monday at 5pm to 6pm at Faringdon Leisure Centre.
BOYS AND GIRLS
Inline skaters
Quad Skaters (4 wheels)
Younger skaters who have barby skates or any other skates.
Book in at the leisure Centre or contact Dee England 07872955355
Faringdon Skaters will be there to give one to one attention.This will ensure good progress
Dee England
Five Faringdon Skaters travel to Italy on the 30th September to represent Great Britain in the Cup of Europe. We have one family going with 3 boys.The cost of sending these three boys is expensive.
If anyone out there has any euros sitting in a drawer or would like to help in any way please contact Dee England 0787 295 5355.
Thankyou
While walking the footpaths between Faringdn and Badbury Clumps last week I saw lots of cross country horse jumps/fences in and between several of the fields and wondered if anyone knew if they were connected to an upcoming event?
I don't think it has passed as there are only a small number of hoof prints !
Kate Brady
Saw 2 of the PCSO's today; Blunketts Bobbies walking past cars parked illegally on London Street and not seeing them and walking at great pace to obviously get back for a fag and a cup of tea.
What is the point of them?
Colin
Faringdon Town Council are asking for comments and suggestions on their Strategy for Faringdon(88kb).
A copy of the comments form(140kb) and the strategy document are available from the Council Office
This letter has been sent to a number of organisations in the town. The deadline for comments is 12th October 2008
A long term planning and development process has been started across the whole of England. The process is begun by the Government, then taken to the next step by the Regional Authorities (in the case of Faringdon - the South East Regional Authority), then the County Councils, finally the local planning authority (Vale of White Horse District Council). The "spatial plans" that will then be finalised will set the broad areas for development up to the year 2026.
Some of the areas that are covered are:
· The number of new dwellings that are expected to be built over the period and each year of the plan.
· The provision ratio for "affordable" housing.
· The allocation of new dwelling numbers across the region, counties and districts. Then within each district.
· Provision and allocation of employment centres.
· Gravel extraction.
· Waste disposal.
· Transport policy (very broadly).
· Environmental policy.
This list is not complete but contains the major areas.
It should be emphasised that the spatial plans are not designed to cover detailed planning matters - for example they will not allocate the numbers of 4 bedroom houses against the numbers with 3 bedrooms. This type of detail is left to planning at local (district) level. What the plans set out to achieve is a comprehensive overall picture and commitment to long term planning.
Faringdon is not a planning authority. The Town Council does however, have a statutory consultation responsibility.
The enclosed "Strategy for Faringdon" is an attempt to help the planners and members at the Vale of White Horse District Council to have a clear view of the aspirations of our Town during the period when they are putting together the local spatial plan. Without this there is a danger that the planners at the District will include Faringdon without having the benefit of input from the Town.
The enclosed "Strategy for Faringdon 2008 -2026" has been produced by the Planning and Highways Committee and has been agreed as a basis for consultation by the Town Council.
To help this process we would be very grateful if you could consult the members of your organisation on the contents and let us have your written response using the enclosed form by 12 October 2008. Subsequently we intend to hold a meeting with all responding organisations so that we all have a full understanding of the issues.
After this process, the FTC planning committee will review the strategy. This will be sent to the Vale planners with the listed comments, hopefully in November.
Thank you for your help.
Cllr Alan Hickmore
Chairman
Faringdon Town Council Planning & Highways Committee
In October a small team of people from Faringdon will be heading for Kosovo with the National Charity 'Hope and Aid Direct'. There will be two trucks going from Faringdon filled with food, clothes and equipment.
One special thing that we are lacking are can openers. On the lorries will be a significant quantity of canned food, so we need can openers too. Adam Blackwell of The Cook Shop has very kindly agreed to sell can openers at a very special price of 55p. There will be a container to put the paid for can openers in, in The Cook Shop and in Davis Home Shop and they will be collected before the lorries leave Faringdon on Friday 10 October.
We anticipate delivering aid to 1000 familes in Kosovo, so please feel free to buy as many as you like - the familes will be hugely grateful!
Thank you very much.
Sarah Oliver
I am well aware that it's probably a fox that got my chicken but I thought I'd just check that no-one's found a ginger and white hen in their garden and is keeping her safe! She went over the fence at the back of my garden in Town End Road on Weds (17th) afternoon with her two friends and the other two came back but she didn't.
The other two weren't at all distressed when they came back which makes me wonder if something other than a fox caused her not to return.
Any info to Sarah Oliver 242769 Thanks
hi, iv been looking for a homeswap in faringdon and this seems as good a place as any to ask, i have a spacious 2 bed flat with garden and am looking for a 2 or 3 bed house, there is also the opportunity for a 3 way swap the other home is a 2 bed bungalow which i beleive is for 40 or 50+, so if you have a home and your thinking of down sizing please let me know.
Laura
laura_t9@hotmail.com
Composer of the week. Radio 3, midday, repeated tonight, Wed at 2200
Gene Webb
www.15minuteclub.co.uk
Check it out for news, photos and useful links!
Next 15MC is at the Crown Coaching Inn on Saturday 27th September.
David Reynolds
Anyone noticed that the 2009 Faringdon calendar only has seven photos of Faringdon?
Neil Supplied
Highly illogical!
Fiona Merrick
Now would that be the Roman god of fire, a vulcan like Mr Spock, a fictional character from a DC Comic, a delta wing subsonic bomber or a car made in Southport early in last century?
We deserve to be told which one was seen near the Folly.
The Flying Poster
This is the ONLY flying Vulcan XH558 details at www.tvoc.co.uk and is presently based at Brize until the end of the month to do some displays.
Check out their website at www.tvoc.co.uk and Wikipedia for information.
It has a few more to do before departing in a few weeks.
Colin
Yes, I've seen it. Apparently they are doing some training down at Brize.
Name Supplied
Just saw a VULCAN fly over my house (Coxwell Rd). Anybody else see it???
Basil Mandelson
Not long now until the next live music extravaganza at the Crown (Sat 20 September) for those afficienados of original live music. Tickets on £5 with £1 of each ticket going to Faringdon pre-school) 3 fantastic song-writers on show
Faringdon's own Trev Williams ably supported by his Follys
Tyla - fresh from a headline slot at the bulldog bash. Alone with his guitar so relive the last night of the corn exchange.
Jake Shillingford - accompanied by toni krause on keyboards, a brit pop legend with My Life Story having been NME artist of the year.
Sound and lights from Faringdon legends Tim and Rod.
Tickets Hamish 07879 418969 or fbpromotions@tiscali.co.uk
You can now buy tee shirts, fleeces, hats and scarves all with the new folly logo from Faringdon Community and Tourist Information Centre, or the Folly tower when it's open
Lots of different colours
We are choosing the Faringdon Christmas card this weekend.
Please email any winter shots of Faringdon you would like to be considered to tic@faringdontowncouncil.org.uk
We would like two designs and the prize is a years subscription to Cotswold Life or Oxfordshire Life.
The cards will be sold in the Community and Tourist Information Centre.
I couldn't believe that the picture of the crop circle in this months Folly near the windfarm was genuine- it was so complex and precise. So I did a bit of googling.
You can see more pics on http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2008/Watchfield/Watchfield2008.html where also you'll find a complex description (too complex for me) about the design.
On http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Crop-Circle you can find out more about how it's done, and the tools (rope, string, protractor and tape measure)
It still seems pretty amazing to me
Gene Webb
Cristina Steel
Born in Barcelona but have been living in Swindon for nearly 20 years. I am married and have a daughter. As a working mother I still managed to find time to expand my creative side, first by qualifying in Interior Design and now with my art.
I started painting with oils at evening class and I now work with acrylics mostly. I like to experiment with the paint and mediums to achieve different effects, textures and transparencies. I have also painted in watercolours, pastels and charcoals as I enjoy the variety. However, I consider myself self-taught.
I get my inspiration from every day life, whether from a photograph, a landscape, a conversation and even the new trends in home decoration. I would like to think that my passion for colour, texture and to have fun is reflected in my art. My paintings could be described as bright and lively. www.paintedforyou.co.uk
Sally Thurston
Faringdon Community and Tourist Iinformation Centre
FTC were intending to hold a Town Meeting on 17th September to discuss the impact and options once the VWHDC cash office in the Corn Exchange is closed at the end of September.
This meeting has been cancelled as VWHDC are currently reviewing their property to decide which buildings to retain
Once this has been done I suspect the meeting will be rescheduled
Gene Webb
Hi Hilary, I believe the waste recycling centre on the stanford road does have the facility to recycle fluorescent/ low energy bulbs. May be that you need to collect in a bucket or bin and then when full take there.
I appreciate that means getting in the car to drive them there which seems to defeat the point of reducing our carbon footprint.
Name Supplied
Litter-picking has just reminded me of something i.e. our responsibility for the correct way of disposing of various non-bio-degradable materials.
I work in Davis's and we are no longer able to put glass or batteries in our skip. Apparently, we can put them in our domestic bins but not a business one. I know that the Council provides a service for the safe disposal of batteries but what do we do with low-energy bulbs? We cannot put them out as glass because of the metal fittings and they are filled with something or other which includes mercury. Although they are undoubtedly excellent in reducing the use of electricity and there will soon be a change in the law concerning the sale of "suitable" bulbs to the general public, it doesn't seem to be very clear what the changes will be.
If we do not have plans in hand for safe disposal, are we digging ourselves another waste-hole?
Answers on a post-card please!
Hilary P-B
As some of you will know, September has been designated 'Big Tidy Up' month by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, Bill Bryson et al.
We're planning to meet under the Old Town Hall at 10am on the 27th September for the Great Faringdon Litterpick.
Volunteers welcome!
If you prefer to just club together with friends and do your own immediate neighbourhood, then no problem; just get in touch with Andy Hayter on 241289, and we'll supply you with the right equipment!
It would be great if you can let me know in advance if you're coming, so I've some idea of numbers.
Hope to see you there.
Andy
The Crown, Market place, Faringdon, free, 8.30pm
The man with the STEREO hands' first solo performance in Faringdon for six months. He returns to the front bar with his own unique brand of Singalong pop/indie/new wave classic covers from the 70s, 80s and beyond mixed with some original material old and new.
www.stereohands.co.uk
www.myspace.com/themanwiththestereohands
I have won a pair of tickets to the Dolls House and miniature exhibition at the NEC Birmingham on 5 October.
I wont be able to go due to work so am offering on this website.
Further details go to ://www.miniatura.co.uk/.
contact me on 01367242082.
Colin
This year's calendar is unique. It has been compiled using photographs submitted by local photographers.
We have chosen 13 beautiful shots out of over a 100 entered by local people.
The calendar is on sale at £7.50 at Faringdon Community and Tourist Information Centre
Below is a link to the BBC Website all about the Oxford Transmitter and the area it Covers: http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/tv/tv_oxford..shtml
also some more information on Digital Terrestrial Television Reception
Typical reception problems with digital terrestrial TV (DTT) - e.g. Freeview - include picture break-up or freezing, missing channels and no reception at all.
Long-term poor reception
If your reception has been poor for a long time, it may be a sign of a weak signal. DTT - e.g. Freeview - comes to your TV via an aerial, so even if you are in a Freeview coverage area, you need to have the right type of aerial and the leads and connections from it need to be in good condition. Your aerial may need repairing or updating. For more information, see TV aerials and connections.
On the following link is a wealth of information on Digital TV Reception. http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/digitaltv/freeview.shtml
But also Sadly our WOnderful Folly Hill also Blocks a lot of the Signal Coming from the Oxford Transmitter.
the Worst affected areas are
the Centre of Town and those Shadowed by the Folly the West of the Town especially those to the Far West Like Leamington drive
Westland Road should be able to receive signals from Either the Mendip Transmitter or the Oxford Transmitter.
Sadly their is No Real Solution to get Freeview Free of Charge without paying for Free Sat or Sky Television.
I know we all pay a Licence fee so that we can watch Television but if you look into the licence you are paying the fee because you have the capability of receiving television or Radio Signals not on the quality of the signal that you receive.
AND NO The Solution is NOT TO BULLDOZE THE FOLLY HILL
Scott Gildert