Olivia Churchill
Latest news and stories
-
Kingham Hill School announces strategic alliance with Dean Close Foundation
Kingham Hill School in Oxfordshire will join the Dean Close Foundation in July 2025, marking a significant step for independent education in the region.
-
Wantage care home uses AI to detect pain and transform the wellbeing of residents
Elmbrook Court care home in Wantage is trialling AI technology to improve resident wellbeing. Using the PainChek system, care staff can detect and manage pain in residents who struggle to communicate by scanning facial expressions with a smartphone or tablet.
-
Oxford Bus Company reports increased patronage after 3A timetable change
Oxford Bus Company has reported a 22% increase in passengers from Littlemore and Sandford following enhancements to its 3A service. Since February 2025, the route operates more frequently—every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 20–30 minutes on weekends—improving access to Oxford, Cowley, and Oxford Science Park.
-
Common Futures: Oxford residents called to co-create the city’s next civic landmark
Makespace Oxfordshire has launched Common Futures, a free public events programme inviting Oxford residents to help shape the future of the civic space at 38–40 George Street. Running monthly through 2025, the programme focuses on three themes—Regenerative Futures, Stories of Place, and City Changemakers—based on previous community input.
-
Former warden of Keble College to run 10k at 90 in support of SEND education
Sir Christopher Ball, former warden of Keble College and a knight for services to education, will celebrate his 90th birthday by running a 10K in Brathay, Cumbria, on 17 May. He’s raising funds for ten charities, including The Unicorn School, which supports children with special educational needs.
-
Persimmon champions sustainability with donation to local Didcot group
Persimmon Homes Wessex has donated £1,000 to Sustainable Didcot, a local environmental group, through its Community Champions programme. The donation supports the group’s initiatives such as repair cafes, clothing exchanges, and community workshops.
-
High Sheriff of Oxfordshire launches initiative to amplify young voices
John May CVO OBE DL, the new High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, has launched the ‘Hearing the Young Unheard’ initiative to spotlight the needs of young people. As part of this, a series of Big Breakfast Conversations are being held, including one in Chipping Norton focusing on the impact of domestic abuse on youth.
-
Oxfordshire Community Foundation marks 30 years of supporting local charities
Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) is celebrating 30 years of tackling inequality and supporting grassroots charities across Oxfordshire. Since its founding in 1995, the charity has awarded over 4,500 grants totaling more than £20 million.
-
World PoohSticks championships return to Oxfordshire with Allica Bank sponsorship
The Rotary Club of Abingdon has announced the 2025 World PoohSticks Championships will be held this May at Sandford Lock, Oxfordshire. Sponsored by Allica Bank, the event celebrates the classic game from A.A. Milne’s Pooh stories, drawing over 200 participants from around the world.
-
DogFest 2025 and Agria Pet Insurance unite to champion animal welfare
The festival, expected to attract over 150,000 dog lovers, aims to raise funds and awareness for seven rescue organisations, supporting their work in rehabilitating and rehoming dogs.
-
Oxford High School GDST team wins major award at global challenge
A team of Year 12 students from the school won the Entrepreneurial Innovator award at the Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit in Houston, USA. Competing in the Aerospace and Aviation category, they were the only European finalists.
-
Kidney Care UK renews support for the 2025 British Transplant Games in Oxford
The charity, celebrating its 50th anniversary, has been a key partner in promoting organ donation and supporting transplant recipients for over a decade.
-
Persimmon Homes supports Vale & Downland Museum redevelopment with donation
Persimmon Homes Wessex has donated £1,000 to the Vale & Downland Museum in Wantage to support its redevelopment plans, including a new barn gallery and community art projects. The museum, which celebrates the area’s human and natural history, plans to engage new residents and foster community spirit.
-
Oxfordshire expands cycling and walking network with plans for Chipping Norton and Woodstock
The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) aim to reduce reliance on cars by improving connectivity between residential areas, town centres, schools, and public spaces.
-
Labour’s Planning Bill slammed as a catastrophic licence to trash nature
Forty leading economists, conservationists, and former government advisors have warned MPs that Labour’s flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill could devastate England’s natural environment and harm economic growth.
-
Cricket Future Leaders tackle social media at Oxford workshop
A group of young cricketers took part in a social media masterclass led by Fortitude Communications at Oxfordshire Cricket’s Future Leaders Academy. Held at Cherwell School, the session equipped teens aged 13–18 with digital skills to boost engagement at their clubs.