Welcome to the October 2025 edition of the Town Council’s newsletter.
Get to Know Your Town Council: Roles, Services, and Support
Chipping Norton Community Awards 2025
“Together we are stronger, together we are Chippy.”
On the evening of Friday 26th September 2025, the Town Hall came alive with pride and celebration for the Chipping Norton Community Awards 2025.
The ceremony recognised the people, groups, and organisations whose dedication and achievements make our town such a special place.
With friends, families, children, and neighbours filling the hall – almost a third of the audience under the age of 18 – it was a truly joyous occasion, brimming with laughter, applause, and community spirit across every generation.
And here they are…. Our Wonderful Community Winners!
The Beacham Awards for Sporting Achievement
- Individual Winner: Ella Tinkham – honoured for her incredible resilience and sporting success. At just 14, Ella became the fastest under-15 girl in Oxfordshire over 100m, representing Banbury Harriers and Chippy Swifts, all while overcoming major surgery with inspiring determination.
- Team Winner: Chipping Norton Swifts U11 Girls – recognised for winning the Oxfordshire County League Shield and inspiring the next generation of girls’ football in our town.
Organisation of the Year (Joint Winners)
- The Chippy Larder – for its work tackling food poverty and food waste, supporting over 160 families each week, and creating a welcoming space of dignity and connection.
- The Chipping Norton Shuttle Bus Team – for keeping the town moving and connected, with volunteer drivers providing a vital service to residents and embracing new challenges, including introducing an electric bus.
Young Person of the Year (Joint Winners)
- Bailea Harrison – for her inspirational work with the Air Cadets, uncovering and campaigning for a memorial to Flight Captain Eleanor Isabella ‘Susan’ Slade, an unsung WWII heroine. Her leadership and dedication ensure Susan Slade’s story is remembered.
- Lilly Jakeman – for her extraordinary commitment to supporting young people at Chipping Norton Theatre, mentoring children with additional needs or anxiety since she was 13, and inspiring confidence and creativity in countless families.
Mayor’s Civic Awards
- Independent Business: Old Mill Café & Bistro – recognised for 25 years at the heart of the town, providing a welcoming, affordable space and supporting the community in countless ways.
- Outstanding Individual: David Cuthbert – celebrated for over 22 years of service as an on-call firefighter and Watch Manager at Chipping Norton Fire Station, leading on community engagement and raising more than £40,000 for good causes.
Youth in the Spotlight
This year’s awards particularly highlighted the incredible contributions of young people in Chipping Norton. From Ella’s sporting determination and the Swifts’ historic win, to Bailea’s leadership in remembrance and Lilly’s kindness in mentoring others, their achievements prove that the future of our community is in inspiring hands.
Thanks & Acknowledgements
A huge thank you to our fantastic hosts Graham Lane and Jon Room, who kept the evening flowing with humour, warmth, and brilliant energy – engaging and entertaining everyone from start to finish.
We are also immensely grateful to our esteemed award givers:
- Graham Beacham, founder of the Chipping Norton Sports Awards
- Deputy Lieutenant Mr Phillip Sharman, on behalf of the Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, representing His Majesty the King, presenting the Organisation/Business Award
- Deputy Mayor Steve Akers, presenting the Young Person of the Year Award
- Mayor Sandra Coleman, presenting the Mayor’s Civic Awards for an Independent Business and an Outstanding Individual.
📸 All photos by Shot by Jude – more can be found by accessing the Album Uploaded on the Chipping Norton Town Council Facebook Page by clicking here: Chipping Norton Community Awards 2025 Photos
Together, we celebrated community. Together, we are Chippy.
Commonwealth War Graves Sign Returns to Town Cemetery
Chipping Norton Town Council is proud to announce the reinstallation of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) sign at the entrance to the town cemetery—a quiet yet powerful symbol of remembrance and respect.
The sign mark the presence of Commonwealth war graves within the cemetery grounds. These graves belong to service men and women who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars, and whose memory continues to be honoured by our local community.
The CWGC signage initiative, launched across the UK in recent years, aims to raise awareness of war graves in local cemeteries and churchyards. Many are surprised to learn that they don’t need to travel abroad to visit sites of Commonwealth commemoration—some are right here in Chipping Norton.
Keep Chippy Beautiful – A Big Thank You!
We’re so grateful to everyone who joined us for last Saturday’s Autumn Litter Pick! We were thrilled to welcome 15 enthusiastic volunteers, including some brilliant first-timers. Together, we tackled litter across the central areas of town and Pool Meadow, collecting over 25 bags of rubbish—a fantastic achievement!
A special shout-out to The Coop Chipping Norton for kindly providing refreshments at the end of the morning. Your generosity was greatly appreciated by our hardworking team.
We’re hoping to organise another litter pick before Christmas, so keep an eye out for updates. Let’s continue working together to keep our town looking its best.
FixMyStreet: Spot It, Report It, Fix It
FixMyStreet.com is a free website that helps you report street problems—like potholes, broken lights, or dog fouling—straight to your local council. No need to know who’s responsible: just drop a pin on the map, describe the issue, and FixMyStreet sends your report to the right place.
Launched in 2007 by UK charity mySociety, it covers the whole country. You can even upload a photo and track what’s been fixed in your area.
Next time you see a problem, report it on 👇
Rusty Riders – Join us for the final meet up of the season
Chipping Norton’s Rusty Riders Clinic wraps up its season with one last meet-up this month, 11th October, 10 am–12 pm. Hosted in collaboration with Transition Chipping Norton. The Rusty Riders Clinic offers a three-part workshop, combining essential elements to ensure a safe, enjoyable, and educational experience for participants:
- Bike safety checks
- Proficiency Assessment and Coaching
- Guided road guide
Meeting outside the Leisure Centre at 10 am, it’s perfect for beginners or those getting back in the saddle.
Our Community Venues
Chipping Norton’s Party Hotspots!
Our community venues have truly become the beating heart of local celebrations. In recent months, we’ve welcomed an incredible number of events at both Glyme Hall and the Town Hall – from children’s parties with bouncy castles to elegant afternoon teas, milestone birthdays, and cultural celebrations.
At the Town Hall, the historic space was transformed for a dazzling 50th birthday party and later came alive with colour and music for a beautiful Mehndi celebration. Both occasions showed just how versatile the hall can be – whether it’s a dance floor, banquet setting, or a vibrant cultural hub.
Meanwhile, Glyme Hall played host to a delightful 90th birthday afternoon tea, complete with laughter, cakes, and plenty of cups of tea. The very next day, the same space was bouncing with energy as a children’s party and inflatable castle took centre stage – a perfect reminder of how easily the hall can shift from a calm, cosy gathering to a lively family celebration.
From 50th, 60th, and 90th birthdays to memorials and children’s parties, our venues are proving themselves as the go-to spaces for every kind of event in Chipping Norton. Both halls offer flexible layouts and facilities, ready to adapt to whatever you imagine – whether that’s music and dancing, an afternoon tea, or a fun-filled family party.
📧 For more information, email events@chippingnorton-tc.gov.uk
🌐 Discover the spaces, sizes, costs, and availability on our website: Halls to Hire
What’s on in the Town Venues
You can see What’s On at the Online Calendars for Glyme Hall and Town Hall below – catch up on what’s happening and the groups you could be joining in and having fun with . Check them out below, or follow the Town Hall Facebook Page to see public events that have been listed:
Check out the activities from kid’s dance sessions and exercise for our more mature friends to support groups and more, all happening in Glyme Hall.
Choirs, singing groups, fairs, events, religious groups and so much more – it’s all happening in Town hall – as well as your Banking Hub for Town with Barclays and T.S.B. – take a look to see what you could be joining in with or getting support from.
For more details on any of the above, contact the event organisers directly, and if you need to connect with them, please do email events@chippingnorton-tc.gov.uk.
Flag-flying at the Millennium Garden
This month we will be flying the United Nations Flag:
You can contact staff and Councillors here:
Dates for your diary
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