Community

Community Cohesion.

The community of Bloxham is gradually becoming split by incoming residents of all ages, unaware of the potential in the village.

Many villages in Oxfordshire have a festive day or celebration. It was concluded from an informal but social survey of approximately 30 people out and about in Bloxham, that people have asked why this village doesn't have one and what was stopping us having our own celebration of the village?

The reasons are fragmentation of community, inexperience or lack of skill knowledge for:promoting and locating events,creating awareness and fund-raising,lack of market research into type of event,general fear of having to fill in forms and go through the legal and licensing processes now in place for any event.

Schools provide a great basis for information to parents, but other new residents who fall outside the parent/guardian range miss out on the regular communications through the educational establishments in Bloxham.

Public Bars are not as popular as they used to be as the `hub' of information within the community, but are still as important. (Bloxham has three public bars with large gardens/car parks in a triangular shape, with `Old Bridge Road' running between them.) The Publicans are obviously very keen to help with the Festival.

St Mary's Church has a regular attendance and the vicar, Rev. Sarah Tillett has shown great interest in the Church being a part of the projects. There will be a Bell-ringing workshop held at the festival, using the bells of the Church. The church will also be used as a display area of schools artwork, local photographic competition winners work, and an Afghan Rug Exhibition.

The village has a monthly publication, the Bloxham Broadsheet, and goes out to a readership of 3500 residents. They have agreed to advertise and inform the village of events through the magazine.

The Parish Council has given us a member of their committee, Tracy Cuthbert (BMF Secretary) to enable us to liase with them and to help with administration. We see this as a contribution by `Time in Kind'. Tracy will give up approximately 6 hours a month, from July to May inclusive (11 months) and allowing for an extra 30 hours to cover all events. Total 96 hours.

The diversity of the series of projects will mean that a majority of interests will be covered by the events proposed. We are asking people to offer reasonable ideas for events as contributions to the festival.

Local Artists, Crafts-people and musicians are offering their skills to help create an awareness of the amount of talent and skills which can be passed on, during the run up to the festival and into 2011.