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Clarion Weekend, 29 May 2026

Clarion Weekend, 29 May 2026
Ozymandias, the Magdalen cat, is too hot and so are we. (Photo by Dinah Rose.)

Relentlessly reporting on the local impact of the climate emergency even if everyone else ignores it... Plus OCC on the move, a new coffee shop, playgrounds, the Kidlington dump, and all your weekend reading.

Long reads

This seems like a good time to reshare our article, from Oxford horticulturist Amandine Lepers-Thornton, on ways to climate-proof your garden. We'd say this is an evergreen article but...

Climate-proofing your garden
Is your garden suffering in this uncommonly hot summer? Oxford horticulturist Amandine Lepers-Thornton explains how to future-proof your planting in the age of climate change. Imagine a typical British garden. Lush green grass, shrubs and trees looking full and beds bursting at the seams with green leaves and spires of
Oxford ClarionClarion guest contributor

This week’s top stories

Oxford temperatures this year (graph by metjam.co.uk)

Oxford’s weather station, the longest running in the UK, has preliminarily broken its maximum temperature record for May by over 3ºC with a temperature of 33.7ºC. (Thanks to everyone, and there were many of you, posting the 'this is fine' dog meme in response to this on our Bluesky channel. We have the best readers.)

Flowers and an envelope left at the base of the Longbridges Nature Reserve sign, near where a 14 year old boy drowned this week.

Thames Valley Police have confirmed that a 14 year old boy died after getting into difficulty in the River Thames at Donnington Bridge on Wednesday. The death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. TVP say “Our thoughts are with the family at this extremely difficult time.“ The Oxford Timorese Community Association  have confirmed the name of the boy who drowned as Baltazar L’Qui.

Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue promote a simple message: “If you fall in, remember to relax, lean back and ‘float to live’ until you can control your breathing.”

The number of people Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI) on Oxfordshire roads in 2025 fell by 18% to 213 according to provisional data issued by the Department for Transport yesterday. This is the lowest level on record. (Traffic data is not yet available for context, but in 2024 it increased 2.4%.) In comparison, KSIs in the Thames Valley Police area rose 20% in 2025 after a record low in 2024. KSIs across Great Britain rose 4%, but people killed reduced by 3%. OCC Leader Tim Bearder said “This strongly suggests the approach we have taken in Oxfordshire is working. We have made a conscious decision to take speed seriously because lower speeds save lives, reduce the severity of injuries, and make our communities safer and healthier places to live.” Gareth Epps, Cabinet Member for Transport commented “Behind every statistic is a real person, a family, and a community affected by road collisions. Although these figures are provisional, they provide evidence that our safety measures, including 20mph schemes and wider traffic calming initiatives, are having an effect.”

Coffee #1 in Botley; artist’s impression of Friars Wharf playground improvements.

Around the city

  • Oxfordshire County Council will be based at Midland House in Botley, next to Seacourt Tower, during 2027. The council is set to vacate County Hall in late 2026 for it to be converted to a hotel, but the refurbished offices at Speedwell House (near the police station) will not open until 2028. OCC will also continue to use its existing office space across the county, as well as flexible work-from-home arrangements. Midland House, which is close to Seacourt Park & Ride, was recently advertised by estate agent Savills. Cllr Dan Levy said: “The move to Speedwell House will help regenerate that area just to the south of the city centre and the hotel at County Hall is part of continued work to improve the western arrival into the city, with the council having recently acquired the lease at the Oxford Castle complex.”
  • Extensive renovations to the Ruskin School of Art at 74 High Street have been drawn up. The plans envisage new library and teaching space for a new course in contemporary art; restoring the core spaces to “their original 19th century splendour”, so that they can be let out for events in the summer months; and accessibility improvements. The building nestles between the Examination Schools and Merton Street on the south side of the High. Designed by prominent Oxford architect T.G. Jackson ('Anglo-Jackson'), it was built in the 1880s to house “students that were not attached to colleges”. A wonderfully detailed history in the planning application (26/00841/FUL) relates:
“The University had reluctantly agreed to the admittance of unattached students following William Ewart, a liberal politician responsible for permitting the establishment of free municipal public libraries in 1850, leading attempts in Parliament to introduce a bill which would open both Oxford and Cambridge to students not living in a college or hall. […] These unattached students were under the supervision of a delegacy… many students from the colleges transferred to the Delegacy as a result of dismissal from failing to pass their examinations.”
  • The chair has been appointed for Greater Leys’ Pride in Place Board, which will distribute the £20m Government regeneration funding earmarked for the area. Daniel Wadsworth, who lives in the area and works as a director of Jessop & Cook Architects, was chosen by a three-person panel comprising Anneliese Dodds MP, Cllr Linda Smith, and the City Council’s locality manager for the Leys. He said: “This is a once in a generation chance to make a huge difference to the Leys. It’s a chance for people to come together and have their say on what they feel is needed and what they'd like to have in the future. I'm very honoured to be playing a part.”
  • A flea market, street food including vegan pulled pork buns, free activities for children, local musicians, and yoga in the road will be the stars of the show as the resident-organised Magdalen Road Village Summer Festival returns for a third year on 6 June. Organised by residents, and backed by local businesses and charities, the Festival returns for a third year, bigger and better, say organisers. This annual event celebrates the amazing community in and around Magdalen Road with a focus on supporting local independent traders. Local resident Craig Simmons said: “For the last two years our amazing community of residents have showed up to celebrate the fabulous organisations we have here. This year will be bigger and better. From fantastic cafes to wonderful charities this is an amazing place to live, shop, eat and drink.”
  • Botley's West Way Square has a new coffee shop: Coffee #1 now brings their signature cosy living room feel to Oxford. Store manager Nick Price says: "Local community groups are encouraged to host regular catch-ups in the store, and dogs are welcome too."
  • Creative arts charity Film Oxford celebrates its 40th anniversary with a free programme of arts and filmmaking activities (including documentary filmmaking and an experimental film workshop), culminating in exhibitions and screenings at the Museum of Oxford and Ultimate Picture Palace.
  • Oxford University Hospitals has cut its carbon emissions linked to asthma inhalers by 18%, by supporting patients to switch to dry power inhalers that do not contain the greenhouse gases in standard 'puffers'. (If you prefer your measurements in “how many trips to the moon” terms rather than percentages, over 12 months, that reduction works out to the CO2 equivalent of just over three one-way trips to the moon, according to OUH. We're slightly concerned about why the trips to the moon are one-way.) OUH's Sarah Poole said: "This project shows that we don’t have to choose between high‑quality patient care and protecting the environment – we can achieve both." The NHS aims to be net zero by 2040.
  • Improvements to Friars Wharf playground in South Oxford are set to start next week. Following feedback from local residents about the lack of equipment for younger children, two new multi-play climbers with slides, a swing for younger children, and seating will be installed. This was made possible following a generous donation by an Oxford resident who wished to create a legacy in memory of her late daughter; the play area will be named Emily's Playground after her daughter. Work is expected to be completed in time for the summer holidays. Cllr Anna Railton said: "I am delighted that works are about to start on the Friars Wharf playground thanks to the generosity of a private donor. There was great feedback in the consultation. It will be finished in time for the summer holidays, ready for children both sides of the river to enjoy.”

Brain Cancer Justice petitioners at 10 Downing Street; clean up work at Kidlington.

Around the county

  • Clean-up work at the illegal Kidlington waste site has moved onto the southern part of the site. More than 400 lorry-loads of waste have already been removed, but the Environment Agency cautions that the southern part is “narrow and more confined, so the work will take a little more time”. In the northern section, the contractors found pockets of buried waste, in some places up to 2m deep. Ongoing tests of pollution levels in the River Cherwell show chemical levels “similar to those found in other rivers across England”, but samples will still be taken every two weeks.
  • Following a UK wide national petition that gained more than 109,000 signatures, Oxfordshire campaigners Brain Cancer Justice (BCJ) have welcomed the confirmation of a parliamentary debate on brain cancer that will take place in Westminster Hall on 15 June at 6pm. The petition calls for urgent action to address decades of underfunding, inequality and limited treatment options across the UK. Brain cancer remains the UK’s biggest cancer killer of people under 40, claiming thousands of lives each year. BCJ are calling for MPs of all parties to attend. Georgie Maynard, Brain Cancer Justice, said: “Brain cancer patients have long been left with too few options and too little time. We need the Government to move from talking to investing in solutions and clear, actionable plans on research, trials, treatment. We must have action to save lives.”
  • A 22-year old from Winchester has been charged with causing death by careless driving, in connection with a fatal road traffic collision in Brize Norton in January 2024. Kieren Kilminster is due to appear at High Wycombe magistrates’ court on 7 July. 68-year old cyclist Tim Joss died at the scene. Tim Joss founded Aesop Arts & Society, a charity addressing social problems through the arts. The trustees are currently winding up the charity having concluded it is no longer viable “in the absence of Tim’s founding vision”. Local campaigners have suggested that cyclists and motor traffic could be safely segregated by closing the twisting Brize Norton to Curbridge road, where Tim Joss was killed, to through traffic, prioritising the route via the A40 dual carriageway for cars.
  • Blenheim Palace has opened a new Changing Places toilet in the Walled Garden, featuring a privacy screen of collage artwork created by students from local SEN schools. Boun Norton, Blenheim Palace, said: “We hope this will make a real difference to visitors with complex needs.” The Changing Places initiative was established in 2005, campaigning for fully accessible toilets to be installed in all big public spaces to enable disabled people to access their communities. The new facility includes a changing bench, hoist system, and wash facilities.
  • “No additional costs are being incurred by the council” for Eynsham Park & Ride, Oxfordshire County Council has reiterated, even though the site remains empty for now. The comment comes in a Freedom of Information Act response in which OCC states that maintenance and security are already covered as part of the construction contract awarded to Balfour Beatty. Legacy media commentary had claimed that “nearly £10,000 is being spent of taxpayers’ money every month”.

East Hanney and Crowmarsh Gifford proposed developments.

  • 150 homes are proposed for East Hanney, just north of Grove, in a planning application lodged by Bloor Homes that would swell the size of the village by around 50%. The proposal would be overlooked by Thames Water’s planned Abingdon Reservoir; Bloor say that “the significant length of the [reservoir] construction process would increase the required level of housing provision to accommodate workers on site”. The plans envisage new pedestrian crossings over the busy A338, but despite a pledge to “reduce reliance on private vehicles”, no cycleway towards the shops in Grove, two miles away along a 50mph road. The planning application is open for comment on the Vale of White Horse website (P25/V2635/O).
  • Meanwhile in Crowmarsh Gifford near Wallingford, another Bloor Homes development envisages 195 homes – reduced from 215 after council officer feedback, particularly about encroachment on the Chilterns National Landscape/AONB – and a community building. The application is on the South Oxfordshire website (P25/S4092/O). (Thank you to the Clarion reader who sent us a poem protesting against this development!)
  • As the stragglers in Oxfordshire’s 20mph programme cross the line, the picturesque North Oxfordshire village of Great Tew is the next to make its way over the line. Consultation is open until 26 June, and 4x4-owning Soho Farmhouse denizens will be delighted to know it doesn’t affect the road to the chichi country club.
  • Inspectors say their findings for HM Prison Bullingdon, near Bicester, are “disappointing”. At the most recent visit, they said illicit drug use remained high; more than half the prison population was locked up during the working day; and the quality of teaching was not good enough. Prisoners said that staff were “too busy or distracted to engage in meaningful conversations about their concerns… they told us they were bored, and there was little to do other than stand around”. A previous report in 2025 had found that “large quantities of illicit drugs” were being delivered to prisoners by drones: this year, the inspectors said, drone sightings had reduced but there was “no meaningful progress” on drug supply. Built on ex-MOD land, HMP Bullingdon principally holds prisoners on short sentences and on remand.
  • “What matters now is implementation”, says the independent body representing parents and carers of special needs (SEND) children in Oxfordshire. Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum was responding to the County Council/NHS SEND Priority Action Plan 2026-28, which sets out actions to continue Oxfordshire’s long road back from the ‘failing’ judgement issued in 2023. OxPCF says that the plan identifies “areas that we known families have consistently rated as important”, particularly around communication, early support, and timeliness of EHCPs (Education Health and Care Plans) – but it cautions that “plans are only meaningful if they lead to tangible change”.
         Separately, OxPCF has published its parent/carer feedback report for 2026. It notes that inclusion in mainstream schools is not a panacea: “inclusion needs to mean safety, belonging and the right provision - not simply being present”. Communication from schools can often be “too attainment-focused” and annual reviews too formal. OxPCF wants support for SEND children to be “needs-led rather than diagnosis-led… long waits for diagnosis can delay support, and children with complex needs may struggle to fit existing pathways”. The full report is available online.
The plan for the pedestrian/cycle pathways under Botley Road rail bridge: cycle lanes are in the lighter salmon colour.

Walking and cycling

  • The walking route under the Botley Road rail bridge will swap to the southern side in mid-July, Network Rail has confirmed. Work will then start on upgrading the northern side (currently in use) to its final spec. Although the southern walkway will be fully complete, the railway authority says “cyclists will still be expected to dismount and walk through” until the northern side comes into use.
         When both sides are finished, the cycle section will be distinguished by “different floor surfacing”. Cycle passage will be one-way – westbound on the southern side, eastbound on the northern side. According to Network Rail’s engineering diagrams, the cycle tracks will merge with the road at Cripley Road/Mill Street on the western side, but just before the station roundabout on the eastern side – meaning that cyclists will need to dodge into the main carriageway among queuing traffic.
  • Parents and residents in Sandhills and Risinghurst are calling for barriers to be erected along the A40 around Headington Roundabout and Thornhill. They say: “Children walk and cycle to school next to a 50mph/70mph road, along a shared use footway/cycleway that is sometimes only separated from this traffic by a narrow verge… there should not have to be an ‘injury collision’ before a barrier is put in place.” They believe many people avoid cycling the route because of safety concerns. A petition has so far attracted over 350 signatures.

This weekend

  • Our Land (£), Fri (3.30pm) and next week, Ultimate Picture Palace. New documentary on the campaign for a right to roam.
  • Banbury Pride (free), Sat, Butcher's Row. Street party with face painting, karaoke, and firefighters. #BeMoreBanbury
  • Medley Sailing Club Open Day (free), Sat, Binsey. Oxford’s family-friendly sailing club offers a chance to try sailing on the Thames. (Then pop into the Medley for a restorative pint and pizza afterwards!)
  • Chadlington Beer Festival (£), Sat. A relaxed, friendly beer festival in one of West Oxfordshire’s loveliest villages, even if Cl*rkson does live nearby. Catch the X9 bus from Witney, Charlbury or Chipping Norton.
  • No Worries If Not (free), Sat, The Harcourt Arms. Absurdist synthpop duo.
  • Rainbows & Gardens (£), Sat, St Barnabas Church. Bob Chilcott conducts his choral works The Rainbow and new commission Gardens with Worcester College choir.
  • Headington Festival (free), Bury Knowle Park. Open-air screenings of Coco and The Fall Guy on Saturday, funfair on Sunday.
  • May Song in Bartlemas (£/free), Sun, St Bartholomew's Chapel. Springtime music and poetry in the tiny medieval leper chapel off Cowley Road.
  • Plant sale, Sun (11.30-3), John Radcliffe Hospital opposite Women's Centre. Plants from award winning RHS Chelsea Garden, sold in aid of Parkinson's UK.

This week

Dates for your diary

A selection of upcoming events for which you might want to book in advance.

  • ffennell festival (£), Sat 6 Jun, Hill End. Willow weaving and circus skills, a climbing wall, and workshops with local artist Korky Paul. We wrote about the history of Hill End Centre, which celebrated its centenary this year.
  • GloFest (£), Sat 20 Jun, Florence Park. Over-50s punks The horMones, teenage rockers The Shotovers, and an alfresco lightshow from DJ James Ussher (not the archbishop).

Oxfordshire’s independent media

Books

Heat getting to you? Our Clarion fiction correspondent has just what you need – ‘Dark Reads for Bright Days’.

Yes, with the sunnier weather we thought you'd appreciate some gloomy speculative fiction to bring some balance. Here are four books and one short story from Oxfordshire writers, and two books from post-Oxford University students, that you'll definitely want to read during the bright days. Beach reads. (Or at least lounging on the grass in Uni Parks reads.)

  • Magpie Lane, Lucy Atkins. Roaming Oxford's secret passages and hidden graveyards, Magpie Lane explores the true meaning of family, and what it is to be denied one.
  • Ex Partum, Emma Burnett. A harrowing near-future sci-fi novella exploring the impact of predatory capitalism on new parents.
  • One, Eve Smith. A young woman's job of enforcing Britain's one-child policy is compromised when she discovers an illegal sibling on the ministry hit list – her own.
  • Never Enough Pockets, Kat Day. A short story that will make you wish that you could store up happiness.

And two by Oxford graduates…

  • Piranesi, Susanna Clarke. A hauntingly beautiful book about one man documenting his existence in an infinite, otherworldly labyrinth, and his route out.
  • Dawn of the Firebird, Sarah Mughal Rana. With war escalating across kingdoms and a twisted magic spreading, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: revenge or freedom.

All too heavy? We also spotted the rather lighter Blind Date with a Book, an “Oxford-set summer romance” set around a restored Jericho Wharf (does that count as science fiction?). The synopsis goes: “Molly Bramble thought running a bookshop on a narrowboat would be a dream come true – until her biggest challenge turned out to be her new neighbour, Jack, a former city trader with a penchant for crashing boats and hearts.” You can probably guess the rest. We are assured that author Emily Kerr is not the same person as the Oxford City councillor.

Finally, our non-fiction pick: Ukrainians beyond Borders: Nine Life Journeys Through the History of Eastern Europe by Olga Khomenko, Visiting Scholar at the Oxford School of Global & Area Studies. Through the remarkable and challenging journeys of nine Ukrainians from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Poltava, along with one Austrian who chose to become Ukrainian, it explores Ukraine’s complex relationship with its borders – a source of danger and division, yet also a space for trade, cultural exchange, and connection.

(As always, no affiliate links – support your local bookshop!)

Notes from Clarion HQ

Once upon a time we started out as a Twitter account. We added a website for long reads, then a Bluesky channel (thanks Elon) and a newsletter (again, thanks Elon) and then a Facebook page. We used to be "social first" but somehow we've become the newsletter people. It is a source of endless fascination to us what people pick up on: for Bluesky it’s climate change, on Facebook it's the Eynsham Park & Ride. However you reach our content, we're glad you're here and we're grateful to you sharing it – which you must be, because more and more people find us each week.

We are equally grateful for the many tips which have been sent this week. As volunteers with no lawyers we do have to be slightly more cautious than we would sometimes like, but we do read everything we’re sent. Thank you. Stay cool, literally and figuratively, and we’ll see you on Tuesday.