Do you love the bluebells at Badbury?  Well, so do we, and this year we want to staff Badbury at the key weekends of April 29/30/May 1, May 6/7 and May 12/13.  We are looking for volunteers to help us park cars, meet and greet visitors, hand out leaflets, etc., so that our bluebells are protected from damage.  A minimum of 2 hours in a shift will really make a difference.  Please contact Liza Dibble at the estate office 01793 762209.  There will be cake!

Liza Dibble The National Trust Community Learning Officer, Buscot and Coleshill Estates, 01793 762209.

If you want updates from the Thames Valley Policing team, sign up to "Thames Valley Alert”.
Link: https://www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk <https://www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/>

March is a busy month at The Regent Cinema!

This Friday, 10th March - Un homme a la hauteur (12A) - (comedy, romance).  A lawyer dating a dashing, wealthy architect four and a half feet tall gets ribbed by her family, employees and jealous ex about his stature.  Starring Jean Dujardin (The Artist). French film with English subtitles (in partnership with the Twinning Association) - doors open 7pm, film 7.30pm - tickets available on the door

BAFTA Saturday is planned for the 25th March - 3 films in one day!  Kubo & The Two Strings (PG) - won Best Animated Feature Film.  A young boy named Kubo must locate a magical suit of armour worn by his late father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit from the past.  Doors 12, film 12.30pm.

Arrival (12A) 9 BAFTA nominations including Best Film, Best Leading Actress: Amy Adams, - won Best Sound.  When twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor Louise Banks is tasked with interpreting the language of the apparent alien visitors.  Doors 3.30pm, film 4pm

I, Daniel Blake (15) - won Outstanding British Film.  Director: Ken Loach.  A middle aged carpenter who requires state welfare after suffering a heart attack is joined by a single mother in a similar scenario.  Doors 7pm, film 7.30pm.

BAFTA Saturday tickets available from Faringdon Information Centre or by phone 01367 242191.  Adult Day Pass £7.50 (for 2 films or more), Child (U18s) Day Pass £5.00 (for 2 films or more).

March Blockbuster on Friday 31st March is "Sully" (12A).  Director: Clint Eastwood, starring Tom Hanks.  The story of Chesley Sullenberger, an American pilot who became a hero after landing his damaged plane on the Hudson River in order to save the flight's passengers and crew.

April Cinema dates for your diary: Matinee Club at 1pm : Wednesday 5th April - Ethel & Ernest (PG) Blockbuster: Friday 28th April - A United Kingdom (12A).

We look forward to seeing you all soon and thank you for supporting your community cinema!  With kind regards Billie Hayter, Faringdon Regent Cinema Tel: 01367 242191

March 19th - Stonevale concert
May 6/7 & 13/14 - Artweeks in Oxfordshire and in the village
June - Village fete - date to be decided.

The Vale of the White Horse District council is engaged in a project 'The Big Clean Up', spending a few days in each parish, in March, litter picking, sweeping and removing weeds and moss on pavements.

They can only clear land which is accessible to the public and under direct control of the district council.

They would like to hear from you if there is anywhere in particular in our parish that you would like to be cleaned.

Please email [email protected]

19th March: Irena Radic (piano) and Jonatan Bougt (guitar)

Every Wednesday morning 10.30 – 11.30
Drop in to the Reading Room for coffee and conversation, news and views
Everyone welcome, walkers, talkers and listeners.

The responses we have received to our consultation were considered at the PCC meeting on Tuesday night. We hand delivered over 120 letters because we really do want to know what the village as a whole thinks about the possibility of restoring the bells so that they could ring out once again over our village and across the fields as they have done for centuries.

To date 41 replies have been received. Of these, 26 people would like to see the ringing of the bells restored. 32 people indicated that they would support fund-raising if the project went ahead, 17 would give a one-off donation (although of course we have no indication of how much this might be) and 16 would make a regular pledge.

This was very disappointing as we had been hoping to better be able to gauge the feelings of the whole village, and we would not consider going ahead with the project on this basis. However, as some replies have continued to trickle in, we have decided to extend the deadline until the end of March, especially as some people may have missed the recent reminder.

May we ask you please to consider returning your questionnaire to either the Vicar, David Williams; the Churchwardens , Mike Heathcoat and Chris Fielding; or the Treasurer to the PCC, Pat Cook. If you have mislaid or destroyed the original letter you can get a replacement from Pat on 241632. Just give her a call and she will deliver one to you. We would greatly welcome any more completed questionnaires.

Please, please let us have yours!

Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after an aggravated burglary in Faringdon. At around 11am on 1 March a man returned to his home in Radcot Road to find men leaving the property. They threatened him with a firearm before making off in a small blue vehicle. Later a firearm was recovered. Two men have been arrested in connection with this investigation. A 34-year-old man from Watchfield and a 36-year-old man from Faringdon were arrested on suspicion of burglary and are currently in custody.

Investigating officer Det Insp Mike Roddy said: “This was obviously a very concerning incident for the victim. Fortunately he was not injured. “We would urge anyone who was in the area at that time and may have seen anything suspicious or saw the vehicle to please get in touch as a matter of urgency. “We are linking this incident to a similar one near Bampton on 19 February when men broke into a home and stole firearms.”

If you have any information please call via the Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 101 quoting URN 441 1/3. If you don't want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers (opens new window) <https://crimestoppers-uk.org/> anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court. Join us on www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk (opens new window) <http://www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/> to receive local crime and safety messages. NB. A further man has been arrested since the publication of this press release.

Media Team (01865) 846699

 Faringdon and District U3A will hold their monthly meeting in the Faringdon Corn Exchange on Thursday 9th March at 2.30pm. The speaker will be Ian Caskie, talking on Brunel’s SS Great Britain: from launch to “relaunch”. Ian is a very popular Visitor Services volunteer with the SS Great Britain Trust in Bristol. He will talk about the ship’s remarkable story. Having visited the SS Great Britain in November, I would strongly recommend this talk as one that must not be missed. Refreshments will be served after the talk. All members are welcome but visitors will have to pay £1.50 to enjoy the talk. Alison Thomson