Kirtlington

Kirtlington in the heart of Oxfordshire

Village Notice Board

VJ Day Commemoration Events 14, 15 and 17th August

Please join us if you can.

EVENT 1 – VJ Celebration & Remembrance (Thursday, 14 August 2025, 19:30, Oxford Arms):

  • The Kirtlington Royal British Legion will host an 80th anniversary event at the Oxford Arms to honour those from the village who served in the Far East during the Second World War. The evening will include stories about local individuals impacted by the conflict and musical pipe performances. Click for more details…

EVENT 2 – VJ Day Commemoration (Friday, 15 August 2025, 10:45, Village Memorial):

  • A short memorial service at the village memorial, including a moment of silence, to mark the end of the Second World War in the Far East and reflect on the legacy and sacrifice of VJ Day. Click for more details…

EVENT 3 – VJ Kirtlington Bring & Share Tea (Sunday, 17 August 2025, 16:30, Church):

  • A community tea event where guests are invited to bring a treat to share, enjoy songs from the wartime era, and hear famous speeches, all in the spirit of remembrance and togetherness. Click for more details…

1. VJ Celebration & Remembrance on the Eve of the 80th Anniversary – 14th August

Image from the Royal British Legion website www.britishlegion.org.uk

Commemorate the End of the Second World War.

Join us as we honour the courage and sacrifice of those who served in the Far East and remember the lasting impact of VJ Day.

  • Date: Thursday, 14th August 2025
  • Time: 19:30
  • Venue: Oxford Arms, Kirtlington
  • The event will run for an hour or so

You do not need to book, just turn up.

Food and drink are available at normal prices, and if you want food, please book a table by phoning the Oxford Arms on: Tel: 01869 350208

Act of Remembrance

Amidst the hope that blossomed with VE Day, the war in the Far East pressed on—soldiers endured harsh jungles, relentless rain, and unseen enemies. For many, peace finally arrived only when the conflict ended on VJ Day. Allied Prisoners of War, scattered across distant lands, were liberated at last. Their resilience and stories remind us: every conflict leaves its mark.

Let us gather as a community to remember those from our village and beyond who displayed such bravery. We will:

  • Share in their stories accompanied by the stirring notes of the pipes
  • Reflect on their sacrifices
  • Honour their memory, 80 years on

2. VJ Day Commemoration – 15th August

A Community Gathering of Remembrance and Gratitude

As summer draws to a close, we turn our thoughts to a pivotal moment in history—Victory over Japan Day, or VJ Day. On the 15th of August, we come together to remember the end of the Second World War in the Far East. This date not only marks the conclusion of a long and hard-fought conflict but also honours the courage, endurance, and sacrifices of all who served and suffered during those challenging years.

In the spirit of remembrance and gratitude, we invite all members of Kirtlington village available to join us in a short memorial service;

  • 10.45am 15th August
  • At the village War Memorial
  • It will last about 10 minutes

We will have a moment of silence to reflect on the enduring legacy of VJ Day.

We look forward to seeing you at the memorial and sharing in this moment of collective remembrance and gratitude.

3. Join Us for a Special Kirtlington Bring & Share Tea, Sunday 17 Aug — Marking VJ Day

You’re warmly invited to our Bring & Share Tea at the church on Sunday, 17th August at 4:30pm. As well as being a chance to gather as a community, this occasion is held in honour of VJ Day, when we remember the end of the Second World War in the Far East and reflect on the sacrifices and celebrations that accompanied it.

We’ll provide tea and squash—just bring along a treat to share! It’s not just about the food—we’ll be singing a selection of Vera Lynn’s beloved wartime songs, with stirring moments from Churchill’s most famous speeches (yes, in his iconic voice!).

Trevor will play “Jerusalem” and, to close, the hymn that means so much to so many of us: “O God our help in ages past.”

Let’s make this a heartwarming afternoon of song, memory, and community—honouring VJ Day together. Feel free to invite your neighbours and family—everyone’s welcome!

We Look forward to seeing you there

KIRTLINGTON ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

If you are interested in joining as a member of the Kirtlington Branch, please talk to one of the members on the day, or visit the Royal British Legion website members page https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get involved/membership/become-a-member and select Kirtlington as your branch. Please note there is no need to have served in the armed forces to become a member of the Royal British Legion.

OCC Part-Night Lighting Public Consultation

What this consultation is about

This framework is about how part-night lighting could be implemented in Oxfordshire. It is not about whether part-night lighting is right for specific areas. In September 2025, the council’s cabinet will decide whether or not to move forward with part-night lighting. If the decision is to proceed, we are proposing that towns, parishes or Oxford city wards apply for part-night lighting schemes in their areas and that a public consultation is carried out for each scheme.

About the framework

The draft part night lighting framework proposes to introduce part night lighting in Oxfordshire locations where:

  1. it is requested by the local town or parish council/meeting, or local governance authorities
  2. the part night lighting exemption criteria does not apply
  3. local residents have been consulted via a public consultation, as well as stakeholders like the police, night economy employers and community groups
  4. the part night lighting scheme is approved at Oxfordshire Council Council’s Delegated Decision by Cabinet Member for Transport Management

Part-night lighting and street lighting policy | Let’s Talk Oxfordshire.

The Consultation is running until midnight on Sunday 6th July.

Annual Parish Meeting

Kirtlington Parish Council’s Annual Parish Meeting 2025

22nd May 2025 at 7pm

The Church of St Mary the Virgin

This is your opportunity to hear about organisations and charities within the village and ask questions to the Parish Council.

All welcome

***SPRING CLEAN 2025 UPDATE***

As part of CDC’s Spring Clean 2025 campaign, KPC are running a village litter pick on Sunday 13th April between 10am and 12 midday, starting outside the Village Hall.

We would be delighted for any volunteers to join us and will provide all necessary equipment to you on the day. Once you have finished with your equipment please return it to the Village Hall by midday.

Thank you to those who have already volunteered to join in, we look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Botley West Solar Farm (received by KPC)

  Notice of Acceptance – Botley West Solar Farm

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for having registered your interest to keep up to date with the Botley West Solar Farm.

We are pleased to let you know that the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, has accepted the Development Consent Order (DCO) Application for Botley West Solar Farm. This is a significant milestone as it means that our proposals will now progress towards the Examination stage of the process.

Before reaching this stage, our team undertook two phases of consultation to inform the assessment and design of the Botley West Solar Farm. We are grateful to everyone who has taken an interest in our proposals and has spent time engaging with us as we have worked to reach this stage.

We have produced a Project Update Newsletter to highlight the design changes and considerations that have been made in our final DCO Application. It is available to view here and via the document library on the project website: www.botleywest.co.uk

The upcoming Examination is a key part of the process. We are looking forward to working with our colleagues, examiners and interested parties to ensure that the Botley West Solar Farm can be delivered in the best possible way.

Accessing our documents
The full DCO application documents can be viewed and downloaded free of charge online on the Botley West Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website under the Documents tab: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010147/documents

The document library on our project website (https://botleywest.co.uk/document_library.html) also provides a link to these documents.

Next Steps
Until 27 February 2025, the Botley West Solar Farm team is inviting members of the public and any interested stakeholders to consider whether they would like to submit a Relevant Representation to PINS. By submitting a Relevant Representation (a written summary of a person’s views on the Application), the person (or organisation) will then become an ‘Interested Party’ to the Examination.  Interested Parties will receive ongoing correspondence from PINS on how to get further involved and have the opportunity to submit detailed written representations and attend and participate in the Examination hearings.

Members of the public have until 11:59pm on 27 February 2025 to register as an Interested Party and submit their Relevant Representation to PINS, via this link: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010147/register/register-have-your-say

Our communications channels are still open for any questions or comments you may have. You can find them at the bottom of this email.

Kind regards,

Mark Owen-Lloyd
Project Director, Botley West Solar Farm
Email: info@botleywest.co.uk Freephone Information Line: 0808 175 3085 Freepost: BWSF Website: www.botleywest.co.uk