The Friends of Quarry

Oxfordshire Community Foundation is inviting donations of unwanted laptops, tablets and phones for refurbishment and reuse. If you are able to help, there is more information below.

The pandemic has highlighted that lack of online access is a serious issue that limits people’s life chances and wellbeing. We are now appealing for the public and local businesses to donate laptops for school children, isolated older people and others in need.

Without appropriate devices, adequate data and connectivity, or the digital skills needed to get online, it is estimated that up to 40,000 people in Oxfordshire could continue to be isolated, even as lockdown measures ease.

OCF initiative Getting Oxfordshire Online is now inviting donations of unwanted laptops, tablets and phones for refurbishment at newly created hubs in Oxford and Didcot. Community partners will then work to help give users access to the best deals on data, and deliver the skills training needed to make the best and safest use of the devices.

If you have old laptops you would be willing to donate, please have a look at our website to find out whether they meet the required specification, and get contact details for the donation hubs.

If you don’t have a spare laptop at the moment, you can still support our initiative by making a financial donation.

If you have a suitable laptop and are not able to travel to Aspire in Osney Lane, please contact Friends of Quarry by email before 14 July and we will arrange to deliver it.

Walk-in testing and vaccine centres in the city this week

Cases of covid have risen dramatically in the city in the last week, from around 300 to nearly 1000 cases, and is now in the top ten worst-hit places in England. 80% of the cases are in 18-29 year olds.

Due to the high case rates the NHS has provided three walk-in testing centres this week, so that people aged 18-30 can get an accurate PCR test and make sure they aren’t passing on the virus.

The NHS has also provided walk-in vaccination clinics this week for anyone over 18 to get a first dose of vaccine. No appointment or ID is needed, although ID is helpful if available. Vaccines are the best protection for you and your community against the virus.

Testing sites

Extra walk-in testing sites will be at three locations in the city from Tuesday 6 July  to Sunday 11 July, 10am – 8pm (no appointment is needed):

• South Park (St Clement’s end)
• The Blavatnik School of Government, Walton Street (on the right hand side of the front of the building)
• Manzil Way Gardens, Cowley Road.

The testing centres at Oxford Brookes University and Osney Lane are also open every day 8am – 8pm, including for those without symptoms, but people need to book an appointment on gov.uk.

Anyone who tests positive should self-isolate so that they don’t pass the virus on to others.

Vaccine sites

Pop-up vaccine sites are offering walk-in vaccines from Wednesday 7 July  to Saturday 10 July, for anyone aged 18 or over.

Wed 7 to Fri 9 July

• Iffley Road Sports Centre, OX4 1EQ – 9:30am – 7:30pm (Last entry at 7pm)
• Oxford University Club, OX1 3SZ – 9:00am – 8pm

Saturday 10 July

• East Oxford Health Centre, OX4 1GE –  9am – 5pm

You can still book a first and second dose of the vaccine at local vaccination sites across Oxfordshire, at pharmacies or the Kassam stadium. Go online to national booking service or call 119 to make an appointment. Appointments are being continuously updated to allow plenty of local choice and times of appointments, so please check regularly.

In our May newsletter, we announced that we were planning to organise a picnic in Quarry Hollow Park on 11 July. In light of the announcement that the current level of Covid restrictions has been extended, we have made the decision to delay the picnic until August.

We will communicate a new date and time closer to the event as we will not be able to hold it unless further easing takes place as currently planned. We hope that you will be able to join us.

We are pleased to publish our May newsletter, which will also be delivered to all households in the Quarry over the next week.

We will be organising another litter pick in the Quarry in support of OxClean, together with Holy Trinity Headington Quarry. This year’s clean will take place on Saturday 5 June.

Please join us at the sandpit in Quarry Hollow Park at 1400 for up to two hours.

All equipment and instructions will be provided – please bring along your children to help.

We hope to see you there.

Following representations from Friends of Quarry and our Councillors, the City Council has refused prior approval for the proposed 5G mast at a key entrance to the Quarry.

This decision means that the phone company will have to make a formal planning application for permission to erect the proposed mast at this site. This will be subject to the usual procedures for planning applications, so local residents will have the opportunity to make comments.

We will keep you informed if an application is received.

A message from the Headington Shared Knitting and Crochet group

As Covid-19 restrictions for community halls will soon be lifted WE WILL BE  MEETING ON WEDNESDAY 26 MAY, 1.30 TO 3pm at Church House (All Saints), New High Street, Headington.

The building is Covid-secure. The entrance is wheelchair accessible. We meet in the big ground floor hall, where socially distanced chairs will be set out. The ground floor toilet will be available.  We will not be serving tea on this occasion.

We provide yarn to members at £1 for 100gms.  We welcome gifts of yarn (any type, however small).

All through the pandemic, we have continued to send woolly goods to Syria, JR Neonatal Unit, Dementia Services at the JR, The Porch, Oxford Baby Bank, and Knit for Peace.

It will be so nice to be able to meet again. You will be very welcome if you decide to join us!

(There are cycle racks. There is limited parking, New High Street is in the HE zone.)

 sharedknitting@gmail.com

We have been asked what’s happening to the development at 1 Quarry High Street.

There is a clear discrepancy between what has being built and what was approved. We first reported the situation to Planning Enforcement in Sept 2019.

The Local Authority maintain that any planning infringements are minimal and do not warrant further enforcement.  They have asked the Developer to submit a retrospective planning application but he has refused.

They maintain that the block of flats is about 30cm (1ft) higher than it should be. We were so concerned by this that we paid for a professional survey to be carried out. This revealed that the mews block is about 90cm higher than it should be and instead of being 1.1m higher than the Shop it is 2.8m higher! This survey also revealed that the height of the shop shown on the plans is about 80cm higher than the survey determined, a result similar to that obtained by the Oxford Civic Society who have been working with us to get the Council to act. The Local Authority has chosen to ignore these results. In addition they maintain that the front boundary wall has been re-built along its original line, which it hasn’t.  (All measurements approximate)

Friends of Quarry have met with Planning Officers several times during the last 18 months and continue to pursue the case. We have escalated this within the Council and are due to have a meeting with senior officials shortly.

Headington Quarry and the Conservation Area have been badly let down by the Local Authority. It undermines public confidence in the planning system and planning enforcement. 

Residents might like to question our local Councilors and prospective Councilors about why this situation has been allowed to happen and drag on for so long.

If you would more information or want to discuss this, you are welcome to contact Lawrence Kelly on 07767 884642 or via our email.

Good news. The weekly market in Quarry Hollow Park will continue for a few more months at least, before moving back to Headington. But it relies on volunteer stewards. If you could help with 1.5 hours of your time occasionally,  please let Headington Market know.  It’s an enjoyable and social thing to do. And you get a free cup of coffee!