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Didcot Diary
Issue 13 May 2014
Didcot Town Council Awards Evening
Parks, Gardens and Lakes
Didcot Town Fayre
2
Contensts
Willowbrook Leisure Centre 3
Youth Activity Day 3
Parks and Gardens 4
Ladygrove lakes 5
Didcot Town Council Awards 6
Sport Relief 7
Allotment News 7
Citizens Advice 8
Vegcycle 8
Litter Pick 9
Lions International 9
Didcot Town Fayre 10
What’s on at the Civic Hall 11
Welcome to the May issue of the Didcot Diary. Since the last issue the rain has finally
stopped and the warmer weather has encouraged the spring bulbs to flower and the trees to
blossom making the parks , gardens and cemetery a mass of colour. The water level in the
Ladygrove lakes is high at the moment and they are a hive of activity with lots of goslings
and ducklings.
Spring is the time of year when there is traditionally a lot of movement on the allotment sites
and the waiting lists are currently short so if you’ve always wanted to grow your own fruit
and vegetables this could be the ideal time to take on an allotment. More details are on
page 7.
This issue also contains information about the council Awards Evening that took place on
Wednesday 26th March. This is where we award the allotment prizes, acknowledge the
work of local volunteer and charity groups and the evening culminated in the presentation
of the John Eldridge award for voluntary service, more details are available on page 6.
Looking forward the Annual Town Meeting will take place in the Civic Hall on Wednesday 7th
May. Tea and coffee will be available from 7pm and throughout the evening and the
meeting starts at 7.30pm. This is your opportunity to discuss local issues with the council.
Our plans for the Didcot Town Fayre are coming along well and you can read all about this
on page 10.
Willowbrook Leisure Centre
The Willowbrook Leisure Centre is owned by the council
and managed behalf of the council by the SOLL Leisure
Group.
The Willowbrook offers a fantastic range of facilities that
include a dance studio, an air conditioned gym with life
fitness and technogym equipment, children’s parties, cafe,
meeting rooms, sports courts, a free car park and
monkey mayhem for toddlers.
For anyone looking to get fit and work off their chocolate
Easter eggs the Willowbrook Leisure Centre is currently
offering membership for just £19.99 per month and if you
sign up before the end of May 2014 and take along a copy
of this issue of the Didcot Diary there will be no joining fee.
Youth Activity Day
The youth activity day at the
Cornerstone promises to be
A great event for all young
people aged between 9 and
16 years.
The event is organised by
the Oxfordshire Play
Association and is supported
by Didcot Town Council by
grant aid.
Grant Aid - if you or your organisation would like to apply for grant aid an application
form or more information can be obtained by calling 01235 812637 or emailing
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Parks and Gardens
Good April temperatures have
brought on the blossom and many
Broadway are now in full bloom.
Flowering trees within our parks
and lining the Cemetery drive are
showing good colour and we have
planted some more blossom trees
along our boundary with Lynmouth
Road there.
These new trees are crab apple
varieties with white, pink and cerise
flowers to complement the cherries
in the Cemetery.
Trees have started to leaf out around the town and
the grass and weeds are growing like mad.
The flower borders still have some spring bulbs
after the early crocus, snowdrops and aconites.
Dwarf narcissi and tulips brighten up the Broadway
gardens and with late alliums to give colour to the
massed bulbs along Hitchcock Way. Spring is a time
of new beginnings in the growing year and with the
lighter evenings it encourages us all to get out and
enjoy life.
Outdoor Gym Development for Edmonds Park
We have secured all the funding to get the outdoor gym installed at Edmonds Park. There
will be three stations – one beyond the end of the rugby pitch with access from Park Road.
The second gym will be down in the old memorial garden and will be accessed off
Newlands Avenue and another station of gym kit will replace the old kit that stood near the
main play area with the runway. We have started the project by removing the old trim trail
that was past it and we have in stock new seating and litterbins for these gym areas. The
Great Outdoor Gym Company are working on preparing all the kit for us and before
summer we will have this extra ‘free for all’ fitness kit in place – so no excuses for not
getting and keeping fit!
There will be a mixed range of kit to work all the major muscle groups, some of the kit is
designed to be used by those who are less able and a further few pieces for juniors. At the
opening of the project there will be some demos to show how some of the kit works to give
users confidence but kit does come with simple instructions about use. Keeping fit, mobile
and well is a long term goal for us all – so enjoy the outdoor gym and it’s benefits.
4
Ladygrove Lakes
We have completed some tidying up around the lakes with re-gravelling the paths and
pollarding Willows and cutting back overhanging vegetation. Repairs to the staging has been
completed and erosion works will sort out the worn lake edges – this work will start in early
May.
The back filled areas around these worn lake edges will be topped off with planted coir rolls.
This plant growth will then root through the soil to strengthen the lake edges. The marginal
plants also provide a home for various aquatic wildlife. Last year in the small lake by the
boardwalk we had beautiful Damselflies with metallic green on their wings. They like
Dragonflies lay their eggs on pond plants. We hope to see more of these eye-catching
insects this summer.
The fish net under the boardwalk will be replaced as fish are getting into the shallows there,
which is an area reserved for amphibians. Fish will eat tadpoles and larvae so we need to
protect the shallow breeding area for amphibians. Last year a few newts were seen on site
so hopefully they have survived the winter and may breed this spring. Already there have
been successful broods of Ducks with 8 and 10 little ducklings keeping close to Mum on the
water.
Many Canadian Geese are on site and
later this spring we may see some
goslings as well. Earlier in the season a
couple of Kingfishers were seen darting
across the lake to one of the islands so
time will tell if they stay to set up home
and breed.
The water level in the lake are currently
the highest it has been for many years
almost covering the walkway; but the
ducks are enjoying it!
Information
Centre
In the Information Centre we have noticed that
some questions tend to get asked more often
than others. In this section we aim to provide
answers to some recurring issues.
Q. I grow lots of vegetables on my allotment and I’d like to take part in a produce
show later this year. Is there one held locally?
A. As part of the Didcot Town Fayre there is an inter-site produce show where allotment
holders on each site set up a display of items grown on the allotments and compete against
each other. If this is something you are interested in please contact your site representative or call 01235 812637 or email [email protected].
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Didcot Town Council Awards Evening
The Didcot Town Council Awards Evening took place on Wednesday 26th March in the Civic
Hall.
Prizes were awarded for the best kept allotments and the work of grant aid recipients was
acknowledged.
The evening culminated in the presentation of the John Eldridge award for voluntary service.
This year the award was presented to Courtney Hughes, pictured left with Mrs Eldridge, for her
work in organising a Charity Secret Santa which collected over 650 gifts that were distributed
to the special care baby unit at the John Radcliffe hospital, the Life Charity House in Didcot
and Helen and Douglas House.
The Mayor, Councillor Mr Axel Macdonald, was assisted in the announcing of the nominees for
the John Eldridge award by Christine Wallace of BBC Great British Bake Off fame and when
announcing who would receive the award this year the Mayor described Courtney as:
"an exceptional young woman."
The recipient of the award for voluntary service is chosen from nominations made by the
public. If you would like to nominate someone to be the next recipient of the award please
contact us on [email protected] or 01235 812637.
Pictured right is the Mayor with Christine
Wallace and the nominees for the John
Eldridge Award.
Pictured below is Mrs Jean Eldridge
presenting the John Eldridge award to
Courtney Hughes.
Pictured below right is the Mayor with the
allotment prize winners.
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Sport Relief 2014
On Sunday 23rd March the Willowbrook Leisure Centre organised a one mile, a
Three mile and a six mile run around Ladygrove in support of Sport Relief.
A total of 86 participants took part.
The Willowbrook Manager, Mr Stuart Mundy also completed a sponsored cycle ride over an 8
hour period and raised £161 pounds for the charity.
Allotment News
The allotment rents for 2014/2015 are now due
and must be paid by mid-may so please
remember to pop into the Information Centre to
make your payment or send a cheque made
payable to Didcot Town Council to:
Didcot Town Council, Civic Hall, Britwell Road,
Didcot, Oxon, OX11 7HN.
This the time of year when there is a lot of activity on the allotment sites; both in terms of
gardening and on the waiting lists. The current waiting lists are:
Broadway no waiting list
Cockcroft Road no waiting list
Mereland Road no waiting list
New Road 1 person waiting
Wantage Road 3 people waiting
If you would like to apply for an allotment please contact Sue Atkins on [email protected]
or 01235 812637.
Each year allotment holders ask if they are allowed to have bonfires on site and this year it has
been agreed that bonfires will be permitted at the following times from 1st April to 14th April
and
22nd October to 5th November inclusive
The allotment prizes for 2013 were awarded at the Didcot Town Council Awards evening on
26th March. Our congratulations go to all the prizes winners:
Ms Hunter at New Road
Mr Hayden at Mereland Road (not pictured)
Mr Gilbrook at Cockroft Road
Mr Renment at Wantage Road
Mr Mason and Mr Pierpoint were joint winners at Broadway
Ms Hunter's plot was also judged to be the best overall and Ms Hughes of the Mereland Road
site won the prize for best crops/wild flowers.
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I have heard in the news about going through
assessments to obtain my ESA benefit. What are these
and what should I expect?
No one knows when an accident or ill-health could have a dramatic impact on their life. Last
year the Government added an extra step to the process for applying for sickness and
disability support.
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) process, which has come under fire for lengthy and
unfair decisions since it was introduced in 2008, will now include an extra step before sick and
disabled people can access financial support through Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
If your sickness or disability prevents you from working, then you could be entitled to ESA to
help you manage your day to day living costs. Since October last year, the Government
introduced a new 'mandatory reconsideration' phase to ESA.
This extra step in the process takes place after you receive a decision on your initial application
for support and you can't lodge an appeal until it is completed. It is supposed to take about two
weeks to go through the reconsideration period but unfortunately some of our clients have said
it can take much longer than this.
You won’t be able to claim ESA during the reconsideration phase but you can apply for
Jobseekers Allowance. We're concerned that some people will find this difficult and be left with
no financial support – leading to people in already trying circumstances being subjected to even
more anxiety.
If you're in this situation then you should go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau in Didcot for
help on how to manage your finances and make sure your application is dealt with fairly and
promptly. Once the reconsideration process has taken place, you may well get a positive
decision about your application. If you are unhappy with the decision, you can appeal.
Appealing against a decision can seem like a daunting prospect but advisers in your local
Citizens Advice Bureau can help you to deal with this.
Local Initiative
Local resident, Nicole Wilson, had a bright idea to distribute surplus fruit and vegetables
around town to help reduce wastage. Nicole organised some
events locally which were a great success but as she is only 16
years old she needed help to buy a trailer for the delivery and
collection of produce. Nicole successfully applied to the council
for grant aid and launched her vegcycle and trailer at a recent
Sunday Market at the Orchard Centre.
The Mayor, Councillor Axel Macdonald, said:
“This is a brilliant idea and it is great that the council have been
able to support Nicole in her venture.” The Mayor, trying the
Vegcycle, and Nicole.
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Litter Pick
On Saturday 15th March approximately 65 people
joined with members of the Council to take part in the
annual litter pick. Volunteers included representatives
from the 2410 (Didcot) Squadron Air Training Corps
and Cubs from the 12th Didcot (Ladygrove) Scouts
troop as well as individuals, and family groups.
A total of almost 100 bags of rubbish were collected,
including 42 bags of recyclables.
Other items collected included a hubcap, two desk drawers, two large pieces of plastic, some
tiles, two umbrellas, an old fire extinguisher, a door and a supermarket trolley.
Some larger items were reported to the Fly Tipping Team at South Oxfordshire District Council
for collection.
Events of this kind could not take place without the support of Biffa who loan litter picking
equipment and make special collections and more importantly the volunteers who give up a
few hours of their time to help make Didcot a nicer and cleaner place to live.
The Mayor, Councillor Axel Macdonald, said:
“it was absolutely marvellous to see so many people working together for the benefit of
the town. It was excellent to see the air cadets and I would like to thank them and
everyone else who joined us in this worthwhile exercise. It was particularly
heart-warming to see the children getting involved.”
Lions Club International
Lions Club International are the worlds biggest community service organisation
With over 1.3 million members in over 200 countries. Oxfordshire has 10 Lions
Clubs but at the moment there is not a club in Didcot. This is a situation Lions are
looking to remedy.
Lions work with the community carrying out hands on activities such as events for the elderly
or children, gardening for the infirm or transport to hospital. Lions also hold regular fund
raising events. The Lions also have a young lions organisation for under 18s.
Lions are looking to recruit people who are willing to be involved with helping their community
Start a branch of the club in Didcot.
If you would like more information please contact Lion John Savell on 01844 338078 or
[email protected] or go along to their “Meet the Lions”
display on 15th May in the Civic Hall.
9
10
Are you looking to buy your first home?
The Newbury Building Society holding a first time
buyers event in the Civic Hall on Monday 12th May
between 4.00pm and 8.00pm.
Staff from the building society will be on hand to
offer advice on the different types of mortgage
available to first time buyers and on other aspects of
becoming a home owner.
If you’ve been thinking
about putting a foot on the
property ladder why not
go along and see what
help they can offer.
Didcot Town Fayre This year the Didcot Town Fayre will take place on Saturday 19th July starting at 12noon.
The Fayre is intended to be an afternoon of fun for all the family, there will be fair ground
rides, charity and volunteer stalls, a baking competition, a tea tent, a produce show
(organised by the allotments holders), mini ponies, a beer tent, bouncy castles and mini go
carts.
As well as all this there will be a dog show organised by the Deaf Dog Network , Lenny’s
Lizards, demonstrations by local groups and clubs and lots, lots more. Confirmed
performers so far
are:
Enchanted Players
Loreley Rice Egyptian Dancers
Angels stage school
Phoenix Drama Group
If you are interested in taking part in the Fayre or would like more information please call
Karen Dodd on 01235 812637 or email [email protected].
There is no entry fee and weather permitting, there will be limited parking for £1 per car so
just come along and enjoy an afternoon of fun in the park.
What’s on at the Civic Hall
Didcot & District University of the Third Age
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 2pm at
Didcot Civic Hall. Visitors are welcome to come to a meeting as
a taster before joining.
The May 2014 meeting will be held on Tuesday 20 May 2014 at 2pm at Didcot Civic Hall on
the topic of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution with John Owen.
For more information call 07804159993 or email [email protected] or visit
http://u3asites.org.uk/didcot.
The Lions Club International are hoping to start a club in Didcot and they are
looking for community minded people to join. If you are interested in learning
More about the work of the Lions Club why not go along to their “Meet the Lions”
display in the Civic Hall on 15th May.
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Didcot Town Council
All Saints Ward
Annie Birchall 07788 645989 c/o Didcot Town Council [email protected]
Nick Hards 01235 510146 184 Abingdon Road OX11 9BP [email protected]
Margaret Turner 01235 812958 18 Bosleys Orchard OX11 7NY [email protected]
Robert Bulman 61 Oxford Crescent OX11 7AL
John Ord 07533254711 4 Dunnock End OX11 6AD [email protected]
Ladygrove Ward
Tony Harbour 07771594368 c/o Didcot Town Council OX11 7UZ [email protected]
Neville Harris 01235 511363 180 Abingdon Road OX11 9BP [email protected]
Chris Harrison 07531 025403 106 Wessex Road OX11 7SU [email protected]
Roger Hawlor 01235 519061 11 Haydon Road OX11 7JB [email protected]
Phil Hayward 01235 819799 19 Ouse Close OX11 7FE [email protected]
Bill Service 01235 510810 15 Nunney Brook OX11 7FW [email protected]
Northbourne Ward
David Rouane 07957 287799 1 East Street OX11 8EJ [email protected]
Bernard Cooper 01235 811806 1 Loyd Road OX11 8JX [email protected]
Axel Macdonald 07425 176404 56 Campion Hall Drive OX11 9RN [email protected]
Peter Read 01235 211754 6 East Street OX11 8EJ [email protected]
Scott Wilgrove 01235 812181 130 Wantage Road OX11 0AJ [email protected]
Park Ward
Margaret Davies 01235 816496 15 Evenlode Drive OX11 7XG [email protected]
Eleanor Hards 01235 510146 184 Abingdon Road OX11 9BP [email protected]
Des Healy 01235 212102 19 Collingwood Avenue OX11 0AL
Catherine Kiely 01235 811596 195 Broadway OX11 8RU [email protected]
John Moody 01235 210242 63 Norreys Road OX11 0AW [email protected]
Council and Committee meetings in May and June
2014
May
Council 12th
Planning and Development 14th
Finance and General Purposes 19th
June
Environment 2nd
Planning and Development 4th
Council 9th
Planning and Development 18th
Finance and Development 30th
Staff
Dominic Stapleton Town Clerk
Karen Dodd Deputy Town Clerk
Brenda Andrews Outdoor Services Manager
Sharon Hickman Finance and Administration
Sue Atkins Information Centre Manager
Paul Copley Grounds Supervisor
Steve Andrews Gardener
Richard Dowling Gardener
Justin Strong Gardener
John Jones Gatekeeper
Neressa Copley Pavilion Cleaner
Jed Allan Gardening Apprentice
All meetings commence at 7.30pm and are held in the Civic Hall. The Council operates a policy of public
participation at meetings. For more information please contact us by calling 01235 812637 or email to
[email protected] or write to Didcot Town Council, Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 7HN or visit
our website www.didcot.gov.uk.
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