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TreeFest 24: Adopting a Tree in the Church

Poster for TreeFest

This year’s St. Andrew’s Christmas Tree Festival  will run from Friday 6th to Saturday 14th December.

If you have been kind enough to support TreeFest in the past, we hope that you will participate again this year. If you have not been involved before, we would love to include you in our “Tree Angel” family.

The festival has become so popular in recent years, with visitors coming from far and wide and thousands of pounds raised for charity. It is also a wonderful way for businesses and groups to promote their organisation whilst raising money and having a bit of fun too.

This year, proceeds will be split between St. Andrew’s Church and Didcot Emergency Food Bank / First Steps Baby Bank.

We will have 30 beautiful 4ft Christmas trees inside our parish church available for “Tree Angels” to adopt and decorate. Our optional decoration theme this year is “Christmas Films”, but you are welcome to use business / group specific decorations as much as you like, and the name of your organisation will be prominently displayed by your tree. By the way, you can also adopt a tree in your own front garden using the same sign-up form, more details coming soon.

As always, the public will vote for their favourite tree throughout the festival and the winner will be announced at the finale on Saturday 14th December, when they will receive The TreeFest Trophy, currently held by Hagbourne and Wallingford Young Pianists

You can adopt a tree for £26.00 using the sign-up form available on this website. Deadline for orders is Thursday 28th Nov, but please don’t delay as spaces get taken fast. Very importantly, your tree is not secured until payment is received. Thank you.

The actual location of your tree inside the church will be determined by a public drawing of lots on Saturday 30th Nov at 10.30am in the church. You are very welcome to come along for a coffee and chat and to witness that all is above board.

The whole “TreeFest” spectacle will start with “Carols in the Close” outside the church at 6.30pm on the 6th Dec, joyously accompanied by the Blewbury Brass Band. Everyone will then be invited into the church for a countdown and the big “lighting-up” of the trees.

The rest of the festival week will be jam-packed with an entertainment program, the Big Wassail, concerts, the grand raffle, endless mince pies, soup lunches, the odd mulled wine and cups of tea.

Keep your eyes on this webpage for latest details.

Thank you very much for your support.

Video

Adopt a tree qr-code

Adopt-a-TreeSign-up Form 2024

Changes to Bus route 94A during Main Road closure

Image of a green and white bus

From 26th October until the SGN works on Main Road are completed, the 94A bus service has a temporary timetable in place.

During the day, service 94A will operate via normal route to East Hagbourne, then divert via Blewbury and Upton to The Horse & Harrow pub in West Hagbourne, before returning towards Blewbury and resuming normal route.

The following bus stops will not be served:
– East Hagbourne War Memorial on Main Road – use the layby on Blewbury Road where service 94 stops towards Blewbury.
– West Hagbourne Moor Lane (with the exception of the school journeys – see below)

On school days, the morning 94A trip will leave Didcot Parkway at 0717 and serve Sandringham Road as an alternative for students who normally board in East Hagbourne. Both school journeys will then operate via Park Road and serve the Moor Lane bus stop in West Hagbourne for students who board here. These school journeys will not serve East Hagbourne at all.

This is being queried with the bus company and if there is any change made we will update as soon as possible. Please consider alternative methods of travel to St Birinus and Didcot Girls Schools in case the timetable is not able to be amended.

The temporary 94A bus timetable can be viewed here

A reminder:
Updates on all roadworks can be found on one.network

EAST HAGBOURNE IS SEEKING A NEW POSTMASTER!

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EAST HAGBOURNE IS SEEKING A NEW POSTMASTER!

Do you enjoy working with people? Are you looking for a new challenge? East Hagbourne Post Officer has a unique opportunity for sub-Postmaster, offering a valuable service as part of this vibrant community!

· East Hagbourne PO serves East and West Hagbourne, Upton, Didcot and neighbouring communities

· Key Skills include Retail Experience, Customer Service, Financial Awareness and basic computer literacy

· 30 Hours/Week, averaging £18-£20K p.a.

· The independent, not-for-profit Community-run Shop on the premises covers most lease & utility expenses

Interested? Stop in to speak to current Postmaster Steve Smith or email easthagbourneshop@gmail.com to arrange.

**Applications close 15th November**

MAIN ROAD CLOSURE 26th OCTOBER – 6th DECEMBER

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MAIN ROAD CLOSURE 26th OCTOBER – 6th DECEMBER
(ESTIMATED 6 WEEK COMPLETION SCHEDULE)

 

The Parish Council have been informed that as part of SGN’s ongoing gas maintenance works in the village, Main Road from Lower Cross to Upper Cross will be closed for an estimated 6-week period starting on 26th October.  Access for Emergency vehicles and properties within the closure zone will be maintained.

The hard closure (where active works are being carried out) will be completed on a rolling basis, with approximately 200m fully closed at any time, and residents will be kept updated during the works.
Diversion signage will be in place at both ends of the village for the duration of the works for all through traffic.The contractors are currently working on Blewbury Road with traffic lights in place until 15th November.

The notice and diversion map for the road closure can be found below. Further updates on all roadworks can be found on one.network

OCC – Flood Briefing Note

The County Council’s Lead Local Flood Authority have developed more detailed guides for each of the types of flooding as well as information on who is responsible for each.
Please see the attached Flood Briefing Note which contains useful information, links to organisations and a table of contacts, to help residents with both flood preparation and actions to take in a flooding event.
The Oxfordshire Flood Toolkit is a great resource: https://www.oxfordshirefloodtoolkit.com/
Please do ensure you are signed up for Flood Alerts here: https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings

Polling District and Polling Places Review

South Oxfordshire District Council is currently undertaking a Polling District and Polling Places review, in accordance with the statutory requirement to complete a review every five years.
Please see the attached poster with links to the survey – the District Council would appreciate your feedback on the existing proposals, and any recommendations that you may have in response to them.
SODC Polling districts and places consultation (for parishes).pdf

New trees for East Hagbourne

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Twenty new native trees are planned to the east of the village alongside footpaths 16 & 17 which over time will provide a lasting asset and focal point for the village, as well as  providing valuable wildlife habitat.

The planting, which will be carried out by volunteers was approved by East Hagbourne Parish Council at its meeting on 8th June.

We will be preparing the ground over the next couple of months ready to plant small bare-root native trees in November – four oaks and the balance largely birch.

We welcome your involvement and would appreciate help with our first working party on Saturday 21st September 10.00-12.30 when we will prepare the ground at each planting spot.

If you can help, or are just interested, please contact felicitytopping@gmail.com or david.rickeard@easthagbourne.net.

You can read more about the project here: Proposal for trees