Yesterday afternoon, I had the great pleasure of joining members of the Oxfordshire Record Society for their Annual General Meeting and lecture, held in the Officers’ Mess at RAF Benson. As one of the Society’s Vice Presidents, it was a real joy to be among people who share my fascination with local history — those…
On Friday night, Mark and I joined Kev from Thames Valley Police’s Roads Policing Unit for a late shift across Oxfordshire. It turned out to be a very quiet evening — more than 150 miles of driving on Halloween, under clear autumn skies and with remarkably little trouble to be found. Early in the evening,…
This evening I joined the opening of Inspire Sounds’ new premises in the heart of Oxford. It was a joy to catch up with Kingsley, Sam and the team – and to see the space heaving with music-makers, youth workers, teachers, social prescribers and industry professionals. The buzz was real. A highlight of the night…
Imagine arriving in a strange city, speaking little or none of the language, with almost nothing but the clothes you are wearing – and finding yourself caught in a tangle of bureaucracy, fear, and uncertainty. It is a situation faced by hundreds of people every year in Oxfordshire, and for many, the first door that…
Last night, in the beautiful surroundings of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, I had the privilege of attending — and saying a few words before — a quite extraordinary concert by the Polish pianist and composer Marcin Masecki. The event formed part of this year’s Oxford Science and Ideas Festival, and it…
This evening, I had the enormous pleasure of joining Oxfordshire Scouts for their annual Adult Awards Dinner, held at the beautifully appointed Bicester Hotel and Spa. Nestled just outside Chesterton, it’s a rather lovely setting – part country retreat, part hive of activity – and it proved the perfect venue for a night of celebration,…
Every now and again, a social media storm comes along that makes you stop and think about identity — what it means to belong, to be from somewhere, or of somewhere. The recent one that caught my attention involved the writer Michael Rosen, who found himself being told by strangers on the internet that he…
This evening, I was delighted to join the six-monthly meeting of Oxfordshire’s magistrates, held in the Council Chamber at County Hall. My thanks to Carole Payne, Chair of the Bench, for the kind invitation and warm welcome. The meeting began with the presentation of long-service decorations by James Macnamara, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire and himself…
Mark and I were truly delighted to be the Civic Guests at last night’s Trafalgar Night Dinner, held at The Bear in Wantage and hosted by the Royal Naval Association (Wantage Branch). It was a particular pleasure for me to attend this year, not least because of my recent appointment as a National Vice President…
Tonight at Christ Church Cathedral we gathered to mark the inauguration of Oxfordshire’s legal year — the Court Sermon and Glove Ceremony, a tradition that binds together city, university, church and the realm of justice in a single act of worship, symbolism and renewal. In the hush and candlelight of the nave, with the procession…