Community News

Organised by FOIV, Iffley Music Society, Friends of St Mary’s, Iffley History Society, the Church and many others.

The community concert in the Church Hall offered a wonderful range of music, welcomed by the enthusiastic audience. The Oxford Waits in period costume got us off to great start with bits of 17th century history with ribald humour and with music – hurdy-gurdy and other less familiar instruments – led with great gusto by Tim Healey. Then came a Handel Sonata, played beautifully by a local quartet (Evelyn Sanderson, Martin Reed, David and Katharine Patrick); this was followed by some magical Chopin from Paul Page. To end the first part, we enjoyed cello and piano playing by Alan Garriock and Anna Barnett, including pieces by Bach, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich.
After the interval, we delighted in the tinkling sound of the Iffley Handbell Ringers playing ‘The Bells of St Mary’s’ before the spirited guitar duo of Gerald Garcia and Alison Bendy gave us works by Peter Maxwell Davis, Granados, Manuel de Falla and Turlogh O’Carolan. To end, Brian Todd and Helena Newsom, with accompanist Emma Lowe on piano, sang songs by Roger Quilter, Ivor Novello, Liza Lehmann, Arthur Sullivan and Landon Ronald.
What a wonderful musical afternoon!

And then came the Tea – cakes in many different sizes and flavours; sandwiches too, and colourful fresh fruit – all provided by volunteers who helped make this a special occasion.
The Raffle went well, with gifts kindly given from Kate Griffin, Christopher and Julia Smith, and Gail and John McClintock.
All day, the Glebe Field was open and many took the opportunity of a reasonably sunny day to enjoy a picnic there or to walk around. Later, the national peal of bells could be heard from St Mary’s.

We are delighted that Concert donations raised around £450 for local charity Refugee Resource.
Thank you to all the players and performers, and to those who brought food, served teas, moved chairs/tables, put up bunting, cleared up and staffed the entrance, and to everyone who came along to enjoy the celebration.

Peggy was wonderful as ever and had everyone rocking – from 4 year olds to 84 year olds! What fun we all had. Thank you so much to Peggy, first of all, who again kindly donated her time, her beautiful voice and her irrepressible spirit. Also to sound techie Jon Fletcher; to everyone who came along; to the shop volunteers and Emily for handling the ticket sales; to Juliette and Caroline for organising the drinks and snacks, and to other FOIV committee members and friends for working hard to make this such a successful evening. It was heartening to see so many friendly faces and thank you all for your generosity with raffle prizes and with donations.

See below local organisations involved in many ways, both across Oxford and in OX4 FOIV and other groups also hope to support. Volunteers and/or donations are welcome! Oxford Food Hub (formerly Oxford Food Bank) https://oxfordfoodhub.org admin@oxfordfoodhub.org Oxford Food Hub – the centre of surplus food redistribution in Oxfordshire, rescuing surplus food from wholesalers, supermarkets, restaurants and more, and redistributing it to charities and community organisations across Oxfordshire. ‘We do not charge charities or suppliers and last year we redistributed over £1.5 million of food, supported entirely by your donations.’ OX4 Food Crew https://www.ox4foodcrew.co.uk ox4freefoodcrew@flosoxford.org.uk The OX4 Food Crew is an alliance of 9 local grassroots organisations, working towards a shared mission – that everyone in OX4 has enough food, is well nourished and can thrive. Activities include: Food Parcels (Delivered or Collected) These are available throughout the week via Oxford Mutual Aid and Oxford Community Action Free/donations based Community Meals These are currently planned to take place every Monday lunchtime at Flos the Place in the Park and Ark-T Plus occasionally at other times. Cooked Meal Deliveries/Collections Can be delivered to anyone living in OX4 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or they can collect. Drop in meals Available from Waste2Taste cafe at any time they are open (Tues, Weds, Thurs daytimes) Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre http://adviceoxford.org.uk/get-advice/rose-hill-and-donnington-advice-centre/ admin@rhdadvice.org Drop-in or appointment advice centre at the Rose Hill Community Centre offers help on debt, health, benefits and many other topics. Rose Hill Community Centre https://www.facebook.com/Rosehcc rhcc@oxford.gov.uk Many activities, free gym, cafe, food larder and local information And many other community service groups including Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon https://www.facebook.com/rosehillandiffleylowcarbon/ which also runs the Repair Cafe; Donnington Residents’ Association https://www.donnington-oxford.org.uk/tenants-residents-assoc and Donnington Oxford Community Hub https://www.donnington-oxford.org.uk/home

This went very well despite unsettled weather! THANK YOU to everyone who helped and to people who came along and supported the various events.