News
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Affordable homes delivered at Wellington Gate near Wantage
Persimmon Homes Wessex, alongside CBRE Investment Management, Pinnacle Group, and Airey Miller, has confirmed the exchange of contracts to deliver 35 affordable rental homes in Phase Seven of the Wellington Gate development near Wantage.
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Grade II-listed rectory farm house once owned by Sir Michael Caine now on market
Rectory Farm House, a 17th-century Grade II-listed country estate in North Stoke, Oxfordshire, and once the home of Sir Michael Caine, is now on sale for £10m through Savills. The six-bedroom property spans 8.3 acres with 600 feet of River Thames frontage.
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HARE Oxfordshire Hair Studio named finalist in four major industry awards
HARE, an Oxfordshire-based hair studio founded by brothers James and George Talbot, has been named a finalist in four prestigious hair industry awards, including Best Business Leader and Salon of the Year.
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Oxfordshire County Council addresses national SEND crisis in Parliament
Oxfordshire County Council has submitted written evidence to the Parliamentary Education Select Committee’s inquiry into the national SEND crisis. Despite soaring costs, outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) remain stagnant.
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Climate Emergency UK ranks Oxfordshire best-performing council for second year
Oxfordshire County Council has been named the UK’s top-performing council for climate action by Climate Emergency UK’s 2025 scorecard. This marks the second consecutive year Oxfordshire has achieved this distinction. The score reflects strong efforts across waste, transport, built environment, and nature recovery.
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Ignite Training and Dell host free AI leadership workshop at Oxford City Football Club
Local businesses and charities are invited to a free experiential leadership session hosted by Ignite Training and Oxford City Football Club. Taking place on 17 July, the event includes AI productivity insights from Dell, a Tech Rally Mobile Unit experience, and expert talks on leadership and strategy.
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Oxfordshire Business Awards 2025 celebrates success, innovation and community spirit
The 2025 Oxfordshire Business Awards (OXBA) celebrated excellence across the county’s vibrant business community at Oxford Brookes University. With new co-chairs Heather Wood and Simon Bassett leading the evening, the event honoured achievements in 12 categories.
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Taylor Wimpey’s Valley Park development in Didcot welcomes local council leaders
Taylor Wimpey Southern Counties welcomed council members from Vale of White Horse District Council to its Valley Park development in Didcot. The visit included a tour of show homes and discussions on sustainability features such as air source heat pumps and EV chargers.
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Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service issues warning on water safety
Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has issued vital water safety advice due to rising concerns about people getting into difficulty in the county’s rivers, lakes, and canals, especially during hot weather. The public is warned of dangers such as cold water shock, strong currents, and hidden underwater hazards.
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Abingdon-based PMC secures BGF investment to expand digital commerce services
PMC, a retail and commerce technology service provider based at Abingdon Business Park, has secured investment from growth capital investor BGF to support it’s global expansion, enhance its digital engineering and managed services, and advance its proprietary Graphene Commerce Platform.
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Oxford Kidney Unit Trust supports 2025 British Transplant Games
The Oxford Kidney Unit Trust has announced its support for the 2025 Westfield Health British Transplant Games, set to take place in Oxford from 31 July to 03 August. The charity has long championed kidney patients and transplant research.
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Emergency repairs restore Oxford Canal after lock gate failure in Little Bourton
A vital stretch of the Oxford Canal is back in use following urgent repairs to a damaged lock gate at Little Bourton by engineering experts The Rothen Group.
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Plans lodged for 72 homes and care home in Kingsmere, Bicester
Countryside Properties has submitted plans to build up to 72 homes and a 75-bed care home in the Kingsmere development south of Bicester. The proposed site, located west of Oxford Road, is part of a larger plan for 1,585 homes and key amenities.
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Shoryu Ramen launches authentic Japanese breakfast menu at Westgate Oxford
Shoryu Ramen has launched a new Japanese breakfast menu at its Westgate Oxford location. Created by Executive Chef Kanji Furukawa, the menu blends traditional Japanese flavours with a modern twist. Highlights include viral Japanese Sandos, Smashed Avocado Shokupan, and Salmon Ochazuke.
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Estelle Bailey of BBOWT awarded MBE for services to nature recovery
Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for her services to nature recovery. With a 25-year career in The Wildlife Trusts and 11 years at BBOWT’s helm, she has led transformative projects, expanded nature reserves, and championed community-focused conservation.
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Aliki Braine flower works to feature at Ashmolean Museum still life gallery
In a notable recognition of her innovative still-life photography, Aliki Braine’s ‘flower works’ will be exhibited at the Ashmolean Museum’s Daisy Linda Ward Gallery from June 2025 to August 2026. These works will be shown alongside historic still-life paintings.