Month: May 2022

SENDRA

Transport Plans for Oxford

County and City council officers held 3 virtual briefings and invited three people from each resident’s association to attend. They wanted to give residents associations the chance to ask questions about the proposals and comment on aspects of the scheme that they thought would be likely to affect those living in their area of the city ahead of a full public consultation starting in the summer. They were of the view that the feedback received would help them as they further develop the proposals and better prepare material about them for the summer consultation.

John Stobbs, Margaret Madden and Sally Cooper attended the first one of these sessions representing SENDRA and Ian Green attended a session as a representative of the Civic Society. Notes made at these meetings are available here:

SENDRA

Ravenna Talk

On Friday 6th May a small (but distinguished!) group of SENDRA members gathered for coffee and cake at 45, Trinity Street to hear Rosemary Fennell talk about her recent trip to Ravenna.

She gave us a fascinating, illustrated description of the vibrant mosaics and beautiful marble interiors within the many beautiful buildings in that ancient city. And she skilfully placed these priceless art treasures within a geographical, historical, political, and even a theological context! Her keen eye for detail, and her penetrating observations made the people and events depicted in these mosaics really come alive in surprising, and often humorous ways, notwithstanding that they mostly date from before the eighth century AD.

We so grateful to Rosemary for a most entertaining and informative morning. If other SENDRA members would like to share their holiday experiences we would be only too delighted to organise further little gatherings of this sort.

SENDRA

Liz Woolley Tour

On 8th May, Liz Woolley did a tour of the St Thomas’ Parish. Those of us who joined this tour had a real treat! Liz gave us a fascinating glimpse into how our neighbours in the Parish of St Thomas lived in the past. We learned of the interesting, and sometimes combatative, history of prominent local families (the Oxford equivalent of the Montagues and the Capulets!), what it would have smelt like living next to five breweries, and how Osney Abbey was at one time the third largest abbey in the land. If you get the chance to experience a tour another time, do take it. See photos of the event below:

SENDRA

Open Spaces Consultation

We are keen to preserve the parks and green spaces in our area and have submitted a response to the OCC Parks and Green Spaces Consultation. This document can be seen on the website. Click here to see this.