Latest news with #Didcot
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
'Brilliant' Didcot youth worker set up own club aged 17
A woman who set up her own youth club aged 17 has said she was inspired by her own youth workers. Yasmin Betteridge leads Wallingford TRAIN in Oxfordshire, an offshoot of Didcot charity TRAIN Youth which she attended as a teenager last year. She said her youth workers were some of her "biggest role models" and helped her "build up a lot of confidence". Yasmin won a "highly commended" title at the Oxfordshire Apprentice Awards last month. Yasmin grew up in Didcot and started going to TRAIN Youth aged 11, but said she later found herself drawn into trouble in the town as a teenager. "In secondary school I got into a different friendship group, and would say I was involved in anti-social behaviour," she said."In towns like Didcot and Wallingford there isn't really much to do or anywhere to go."We played to stereotypes of what [adults] and pretty much anybody thought of us." Aged 15, Yasmin was asked by TRAIN Youth to help with interviews for a new staff member. She said: "I turned around to one of our trustees and said 'that'll be me you're interviewing one day'."After doing her work experience with the charity she said she "begged" her manager to set up an apprenticeship, which she then successfully applied for. She then worked for the charity while studying for a youth work diploma and is now a youth worker alongside her university studies. . 'She calms me down' Michelle, a volunteer with the Wallingford group, said Yasmin was an "amazing" youth worker who the young people at the club identified with."I've known Yasmin for a long, long time. She's got a super relationship with all the young people that come through. She's a brilliant individual," she who attends the group, said Yasmin was a particularly good listener. "When I'm angry I talk to her and she just calms me down. I have a feeling she's gone through the same thing."Charlotte, who travels to the group from her home in Benson, agreed: "She's a very easy person to chat to and she's... very understanding."Yasmin said she wanted Train Youth in Wallingford to be somewhere that was both inclusive and safe. "I think the young people of Wallingford know if they need something that they can call my work phone [or] come to us if they need anything."That's pretty much what my idea has been," she added. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
How are Oxfordshire's theatres bouncing back from the pandemic?
In an upstairs rehearsal room at the Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot, a group of teenagers are practising for an upcoming is a sign of the booming activity the venue has been enjoying autumn, audience numbers were up 70% on the year before and a new strategy from local authorities is promising a hefty investment in its the scene across Oxfordshire is not always as rosy, with funding and access to affordable arts spaces sometimes proving a sticking point. The Covid pandemic was a tough time for arts had to deal with closures, adapting to virtual performances and keeping on top of places like Unicorn Theatre in Abingdon and the Kenton Theatre in Henley-on-Thames, this was made far harder by the high running costs of their old buildings."We had to pretty much shut down for over a year, and you've got to pay all the costs of running the building," said Greg Bensberg, chair of Abingdon Abbey Buildings Trust, which houses the Unicorn. "We staggered on through there but Covid was really bad."Lottie Pheasant, theatre manager at the Kenton, said the pandemic had nearly brought the venue to its knees."Two years ago, we were close to having to close," she said. "That year, we filed a nearly £190,000 loss."The Kenton was saved by a £100,000 loan from Henley Town Council."It gave us the breathing space to reset things," Miss Pheasant said. "We're in a much better position now. We've managed to reduce our losses down to £30,000 in a year, which is incredible. "We're really hoping by the end of August this year to be nearly at break-even point."But she said there should be more support for venues like the said: "The reality is that, for all these smaller theatres, ticket sales alone are never going to cover running costs. "Trying to look after buildings of this age, trying to look after running costs - I don't think people appreciate how much it costs just to open the theatre every day." At Cornerstone, however, the mood is venue has just been granted £405,000 from Community Infrastructure Levy funding to revamp its building."The building opened in 2008 and some parts are starting to show its age," community arts manager Daniel Harrison said."We're looking to completely revamp the cafe area, repurpose the box office and do some cosmetic improvements to the outside as well."It is all part of South Oxfordshire District Council's upcoming Culture, Heritage and Creative Industries Strategy, run alongside Vale of White Horse District in summer 2026 and lasting four years, the project will work with the Arts Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and others to give a boost to the creative the local economy and arts jobs are all in its Heritage, the authority's communities lead, said, "The strategy will enable us to have a four-year plan and set the vision for arts and culture, not just at Cornerstone but across the district."It would also emphasise the importance of the arts sector in south Oxfordshire "for businesses and the health and wellbeing of our residents," she added. But for some arts groups, it can be a struggle to find affordable arts spaces to Jerred is in two amateur performance groups - Buttercross in Witney, and Kidlington Amateur Operatic have struggled to find places to put on their shows."The cost of hiring places to rehearse is increasing and it is hard to find those cost effective locations," she a result, the groups have ended up rehearsing in sitting rooms and making sets in often means they do not get into the spaces they will be performing in until just before the Ms Jerred, arts and culture bring a whole host of benefits to society, beyond just entertainment. She said: "It's great for your mental health, the community, education and economic growth as well."And it brings joy for people. In the difficult times we had through Covid, people turned to theatre and music." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Duck feeders asked to stop over 'health hazard'
Residents have been told that feeding ducks and geese at a lake in Didcot is contributing to a "health hazard". Didcot Town Council asked people to stop feeding the birds at Ladygrove Lake. It said it encouraged more to come to the area, increasing droppings - and that the number of geese was becoming "unsustainable". One parent said he did not see the number of ducks and geese as an issue, adding that people should be able to keep feeding them. Resident Matt Booker said he took his son to feed the ducks at the lake, and was surprised by the request to stop. "It seems a bit strange to me... Apparently there are too many ducks," he said "I don't see it as an issue, to be honest. "Particularly for our little son - he likes feeding them and seeing them." Marta Rudnicka said she regularly brought the geese and ducks food, and does not intend to stop. "I don't think they will put a policeman here, guarding the ducks," she said. "The issue is that [the geese] don't have better places to nest. "I don't think geese would choose to nest in a residential area if they had better places. "It's just there is so little of the natural environment left and it's being eroded." Tony Worgan is the deputy leader of Didcot Town Council and said people tended to feed the birds bread, which made them ill. "Excess bread actually attracts rats and it means our water quality in the lakes is affected," he said. "There are lots of complaints about the bird mess. "People come home with ruined clothes, ruined trousers, kids fall over. "The mess and the number of geese is becoming unsustainable." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Case quacked: Flying duck caught by Swiss speed camera is repeat offender Vending machine for ducks to tackle bread feeding 'Our lake is barren because of too many ducks' Didcot Town Council
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Geese numbers "unsustainable" at Didcot lake, residents told
Residents have been told that feeding ducks and geese at a lake in Didcot is contributing to a "health hazard".Didcot Town Council asked people to stop feeding the birds at Ladygrove said it encouraged more to come to the area, increasing droppings - and that the number of geese was becoming "unsustainable".One parent said he did not see the number of ducks and geese as an issue, adding that people should be able to keep feeding them. Resident Matt Booker said he took his son to feed the ducks at the lake, and was surprised by the request to stop."It seems a bit strange to me... Apparently there are too many ducks," he said"I don't see it as an issue, to be honest. "Particularly for our little son - he likes feeding them and seeing them."Marta Rudnicka said she regularly brought the geese and ducks food, and does not intend to stop."I don't think they will put a policeman here, guarding the ducks," she said."The issue is that [the geese] don't have better places to nest. "I don't think geese would choose to nest in a residential area if they had better places. "It's just there is so little of the natural environment left and it's being eroded." Tony Worgan is the deputy leader of Didcot Town Council and said people tended to feed the birds bread, which made them ill."Excess bread actually attracts rats and it means our water quality in the lakes is affected," he said."There are lots of complaints about the bird mess. "People come home with ruined clothes, ruined trousers, kids fall over."The mess and the number of geese is becoming unsustainable." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Body of man found in search for missing Swindon resident
A body has been found in the search for a missing man last seen in Swindon on Tuesday, May 20. Swindon Police issued an appeal to locate Imran, a 58-year-old man from the town on the evening of Wednesday, May 21 after he had been missing since the evening before. The appeal was shared by Thames Valley Police on Friday, May 23, as Imran had links to the Didcot area. On the evening of Friday, May 23, Thames Valley Police officers said a body had been found in the search for the missing man. Police say that while formal identification has yet to take place, they believe the body to be Imran's. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: 'We have some extremely sad news to bring you this evening. 'Earlier today, we asked for the public's help to find missing man, Imran, who had links to Didcot. 'Tragically, we have found a body in relation to this missing person's investigation. 'Although formal identification has not yet taken place, we believe the body to be that of Imran. 'His family have been informed and are being supported by the force. 'Out of respect for his family, we would ask the media and public to remove our appeal and the photos of Imran.'
