Newsletter Article and Link - Temporary Flood Barrier

Following the article in the Summer 2026 Newsletter re Temporary Flood Barrier, the image link was too long to include in the Newsletter and therefore can be viewed here along with further information.  Follow link here

Reducing Floor Risk in a Natural Way

Flooding has been such a huge problem in our area in recent times and I wanted to summarise a very interesting talk entitled “Real-World examples of reducing Flood Risk” by Adam Bowes on 30^th April who is Project Manager of the Freshwater Habitats Trust which, I hope, conveys Adam’s rays of hope to all those who have suffered this terrible flooding.  His main message was that, although most think it important to dredge rivers and streams, actually the contrary is necessary - to hold back the water upstream in a natural way, using the flood plains and returning to pre-drainage times.

He was quite optimistic - if lots of people do small things, it can be more effective than major dredging or engineering works which can be very expensive especially when there is so little money available!

Read more in our paper newsletter..........

NFM

https://thefloodhub.co.uk/nfm/

 

EA

https://skyview-systems.co.uk/pages/environment-agency-national-flood-prevention-project?gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=22395461445&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsvTP-NWnjQMVYZSDBx1rXgCWEAAYASAAEgK3AvD_BwE

 

SESRO

https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/news/thames-water-sesro-and-thames-valley-flood-alleviation-scheme-abingdon-concerns

 

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY PROJECT

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/landscape-recovery-more-information-on-how-the-scheme-will-work/landscape-recovery-more-information-on-how-the-scheme-will-work

 

OCK CATCHMENT PARTNERSHIP

https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/our-work/conservation-and-practical-delivery/catchment-partnerships/ock-catchment-partnership/

Plant Swap

There will be another plant swap this Sunday 1st June on the driveway at 39 Masefield Crescent, between 2pm and 4pm. Bring your extra plants or seedlings or cuttings and take something else away with you. Houseplants also welcome. No payments involved - all free. If you don't have anything to swap, come anyway as there is usually a surplus of plants on offer.

Military Grave Restorer ... by Peter Brown (taken from the TFLRA Winter Newsletter 2023)

I was in the Army with Steve Davies who is the Military Grave Restorer, and after seeing the work he does, see his website at: https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/stories/grant-stories/steve-davies-grant-sep-22/ I was inspired to set up an Oxfordshire Group.  When I unfortunately lost my mother and was at the church to arrange the funeral, I asked the Vicar if he had any military graves, to which he said yes, and showed me 15 Crimean crosses that were covered with weed.

 

During the hard gardening task of cleaning these, we came across syringes, old bottles and even an animal skull, but the crosses can now be seen and read, and we will be returning to make sure this doesn’t happen again.  You might recognise residents Jules and Denise who are veterans and help veteran’s organisations all over the country.

 

Our second task was at Spring Road Cemetery where I was joined by the Military Grave Restorer Steve along with other veterans including Terry.  We were shown how to clean Marble graves and cleaned 6 graves including two old Lord Majors of Oxford.  We use washing up liquid and water to scrub the lichen off, then we use an environmentally friendly chemical to get the rest off, leaving them clean, and then spray them to keep them from getting dirty again for a while.

 

All the labour is voluntary - we do have a Just Giving page to help pay for tools and chemicals used, so if anyone would like to donate towards this please see this link:

 

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/peter-brown-867?utm_id=107&utm_term=dvXAXwqeQ&fbclid=IwAR0W1KHA5VpVs

Next Meeting and AGM

The next meeting and AGM will be held on Tuesday 7th November at 7.30pm in the Stonewater flats Common Room, Bridges Close.

Biffa Food Waste Collections number

 

TFLRA Meetings

We have recently welcomed another resident to our meetings - do let us know if you're a resident and would like to come along too.  We usually meet every month on either a Monday or Tuesday evening at 7.30pm in the common room of the Jephson Flats off Bridges Close.  Not everybody can come to each meeting, but there are usually between seven and twelve of us from all over Tithe Farm and Ladygrove.  We talk about our next newsletter and what has been happening and may happen around our estates, as well as events in wider Abingdon.  If you would like to know more, contact us on either the email address or telephone number at the end of this newsletter (dates of meetings are normally agreed a few weeks beforehand).

_____________________________________________________________________

The Spring 2023 newsletter covered the articles listed below - if you'd like to read more of them on the paper copy, please go to our Contact page at https://tflra.weebly.com/contact.html and let us know.

• Abingdon’s Repair Cafe
• Voter Identification
• Who Else Remembers?
• Some History of Preston Road Community Centre
• More About Preston Road Community Centre
• Spring Quiz
• Gardening in Challenging Weather
• Plant Swap
• Ock Bridge and the Chaunterell / Tesco Path
• Helping Hegehogs
• The ‘Living’ Green Man - Walk on the Wildside
• Freebie Days Again?
• Teabooks
• Making a Will?
• Missed Bin Collections
• How we Hope to Save on our Energy Bills and do a bit for the Planet
• Saving Water and Electricity
• Town Council an a New Cemetery
• Bun Throwing in May
• 20mph Speed Limits in Abingdon?
• For Sale
• Street Light Out?

Masefield Crescent 1970

 

Queen Elizabeth II

New Highway Code Changes

Are you aware of the changes to the Highway Code that came into force on 29^thJanuary?  It aims to protect cyclists and pedestrians from road accidents, and one of the major changes is the introduction of a road user hierarchy which puts pedestrians and cyclists at the top, and drivers of cars, vans and heavy goods vehicles at the bottom.  This is because pedestrians and cyclists are considered the most ‘at risk’ of being injured in a collision, whereas drivers of vehicles are considered more dangerous to other road users.  This is no doubt going to take patience and common sense from all road users to become the ‘new norm’.

Winner's of the Children's Christmas Colouring Competition 2021

We had some wonderful entries for the Children's Christmas Colouring Competition, and it was very hard to choose a winner.

The winner from the 6 and over category is Josie and the winner from the under 5 category is Joey.  Well done to you both and also well done to everybody who sent in their beautiful artwork!!

Garden Waste Service

Following the temporary disruption of the garden waste collection, the service will be starting again 4 weekly, not fortnightly, from next week ... BUT only part of Abingdon, not south Abingdon ... possibly south Abingdon will be collected in 3 weeks time, ie half of Abingdon one fortnight and the other half the next fortnight.

Letters/emails to households will be sent soon to explain more.  

Missing Cat

** UPDATE **  HE'S BEEN FOUND!! 🤗

MISSING:  Four year old, medium-haired jet black cat named Onyx, last seen at Orpwood Way on Thursday night 13th May.  He is an indoor-only cat, and managed to escape through an open door.

Please keep an eye out for him and would be grateful if you could check your shed and / or garage.

You can contact us via our Contact Page if you see him.

Many thanks!

Garden Waste Service restarting

The Vale of White Horse District Council are restarting the garden waste service again this week beginning 15th February.  Be sure to put your brown bin out.

Full details on the Vale website here :

https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/vale-of-white-horse-district-council/recycling-rubbish-and-waste/garden-waste/?fbclid=IwAR1KXIuB3GrgAN-wUu2N7Zc-7YLJQABuRXoKH-UtTfc7YY9meFB43VnltJ0

Missing cat

Smokey is missing from Byron Close - please check your sheds, garages and any outhouses in case he’s trapped.  He does like to wander far.  If you do see him please contact this blog on our Contact Page.

Oxford Kitchens & Bathrooms

One of our residents is a director of Oxford Kitchens and Bathrooms, based locally in Wootton. They are entering the 42nd year of trading in 2021, with the same management that started the business in 1979.  Their website is at www.oxfordkitchens.co.uk if you would like to know more about them.

New Planning Application - Tennyson Drive

There is new concern re new Planning Application for 2 Tennyson Drive for the extension and conversion of existing house into 4 dwellings (3 x 1 bedroom flats and 1 x 2 bedroom flat) with associated parking.

For further details please go to the Vale of the White Horse website Planning Application P20/V3179/FUL.

Comments by 16th January 2021.

Appeal for Witnesses following a Burglary

The incident occurred between 9.30am and 5pm on Friday 11th December where offenders gained access a property in Masefield Crescent via the rear garden.  Offenders cut the wire to the security light and forced open a rear window.

Nothing is believed to have been stolen.

If you have any information, CCTV or doorbell camera footage from around the time of the incident, please contact the Police using their online form or by calling 101, quoting Reference Number 43200419989.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously via their website or on 0800-555-111.

A little oops!!!

Please note on the winter 2020 newsletter distributed recently, the link for both the Quiz and Children's Colouring Competition are slightly wrong.  The Quiz should say https://tflra.weebly.com/quiz.html and the Colouring Comp should say https://tflra.weebly.com/colour-comp.html - both links of course can be found here on our site.

Pavement resurfacing begins ....

The long awaited pavement work has begun on Tithe Farm / Ladygrove with workmen currently in Francis Little Drive.  They are starting with a month of preparation work and planning on doing the main resurfacing from early December.