News

Charlbury Christmas Tree Festival - Last Chance to Sponsor a Tree!

The countdown is on for Charlbury’s much-loved 7th Annual Christmas Tree Festival (CTF), taking place from 12 December to 2 January 2026!

With only a few trees left to sponsor, this is the final opportunity for schools, charities, neighbourhood groups, families, and local organisations to secure their place in this year’s festival.

Booking forms are available at this link:

https://forms.gle/Ab3eS6GheoCMY49P6

Interested groups are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible.

Festival Launch: Turning on the Lights – 12th of December

The festival opens with the traditional Turning on the Lights celebration on Friday, 12 December, from 5:30–6:30 pm. Visitors can enjoy walking tacos, music from the children’s choir, and the beautiful trees decorated by our community.

Wychwood Chorale Performance – 13th of December

The festivities continue with a special performance by the Wychwood Chorale at St Mary’s on Saturday, 13 December at 7:30 pm. All are warmly invited to attend.

Supporting Local Families Through the Giving Tree

This year, the festival once again partners with Cornerstone to support families who may be struggling to afford Christmas gifts for their children. The Giving Tree initiative invites residents to pick up a gift tag from the Community Centre, Cornerstone, or St Mary’s and help make Christmas brighter for a local child.

Contact:

Anna Boardwell – charlburyctf@gmail.com

St Mary’s Church Office – parishoffice@charlburychurch.uk

Anna Boardwell · Thu 4 Dec, 12:10 · Link

CRAG CONCERT - a definite 'sellout' this SUNDAY

Tickets for CRAG's Christmas Choral Concert have now almost sold out-  so please hurry to the website if you would like to be there yourself to enjoy it!

https://www.charlburyrefugee.org.uk/events/somervillecollegechoir2025/

Nick Parker · Thu 4 Dec, 11:30 · Link

Giving Tree Initiative - support a local child with Christmas gifts

Cornerstone and the Christmas Tree Festival are running the Giving Tree Initiative and it is now open! Trees are up in Cornerstone, the Community Centre and St Mary's Church. 

To participate, you choose a child you would like to sponsor by taking an angel decoration. Please write the code from the angel e.g. GT01 and your details on the sign up form. Some angels are for items to go in a Christmas hamper rather than presents for children. Once you have purchased your items please bring them to Cornerstone before Wednesday 17th December so we can get them to families. 

If you would prefer to give a financial donation that we can use to buy Christmas items please make a donation in Cornerstone or make a donation online - here are the details of how to do that -  https://www.charlburychurch.co.uk/cornerstone/

Any queries, please pop into Cornerstone and speak to the volunteers or email cornerstone@charlburychurch.uk 

Thank you for helping us to support local families in need. 

The Cornerstone team 

St Marys and All Saints · Mon 1 Dec, 13:44 · Link

Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council

The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.

• 1 Graces Court The Slade Charlbury
  Field maple group x4 - Remove group and grind out the remaining stumps
  WODC reference: 25/02897/TCA - Wed 26 Nov 2025 - Under consideration
• 1 Thames Gardens Charlbury
  Erection of front porch, addition of dormer window to front first floor bedroom, and associated works
  WODC reference: 25/02851/HHD - Thu 27 Nov 2025 - Under consideration

Mon 1 Dec, 06:15 · Link

Christmas cards for Ukraine

There are Christmas cards for sale in St Mary’s Church!  £10 a pack of 6 to help our friends in Slatyne to buy a wood shredder to run their generators.  Also available to buy on line here or email maureensparling@gmail.com.

Maureen Sparling · Sat 29 Nov, 11:40 · Link

Home Library Service

Would you like to borrow library books but are unable to visit the library any reason? The Home Library Service is run from Oxfordshire County Council and serves 900 customers throughout the county.

How it works:-

Contact us to discuss the kind of Books, Large Print/Regular Print, DVDs, Audio Books on CD, Music CD or DVD’s, that you like to read or enjoy. We can then arrange for a library volunteer to deliver these to you in your home. Our volunteers are DBS checked, wear identification badges and provide a helpful and friendly service. Whenever possible, we try and arrange for the same volunteer to visit you each time. Your library materials will be delivered and collected every 3 weeks. The Home Library Service is free of charge, and there is no charge for requests or late returns.

To register for this service or for further information call your local library or telephone the Home Library Service on 01865 810259 or email homelibraryservice@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Charlbury Library · Sat 29 Nov, 10:58 · Link

Concert for Ukraine

On Saturday 29th November JARISEL presents a Concert for Ukraine. Our wonderful lead singer, Natalia Kakarkina, is a Ukrainian refugee and has been living in Oxford since war broke out. A fine musician, she has thrown herself into the Oxford music scene, helping, among other things, to promote 'Starlings' which is a group that encourages refugees from all countries to meet together and share their music. Our programme will include songs, carols and music from Ukraine and many other countries. St. Mary's Charlbury is twinned with Our Lady of Kazan, near Kharkiv, and has raised considerable funds to help a community that has suffered repeated bombardment. We hope that this fund raising concert will help the people of Slatyne to celebrate Christmas. We are delighted that the British Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine will attend the concert and make an appeal. 

Isabel Knowland · Wed 26 Nov, 18:12 · Link

Charlbury now has it's own Christmas tree Decoration...

This double sided Christmas tree decoration is now available from No.5 Market St 

It's a lovely gift to send to friends and relatives around the world to remind them of this great town and it is small and light enough it can be slipped into their Christmas card.

Tim Widdows · Tue 25 Nov, 14:07 · Link

Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council

The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.

• 6 Hill Close Charlbury
  T1 Whitebeam - on frontage Reduce the crown all around by 1.5 to 2m, leaving a rounded naturalistic form.
  WODC reference: 25/02829/TCA - Mon 17 Nov 2025 - Under consideration

Mon 24 Nov, 06:15 · Link

Christmas Trees lighting up Charlbury for Christmas

Many thanks to all the residents who have agreed to participate and support this scheme for another year and who have already returned their order forms. 

And a final reminder for those that have yet to order, the deadline for the order forms and payment  to be handed in to Tim at No 5, Market Street, is tomorrow, Monday 24th. He is open until 3pm tomorrow, and will be closed on Tuesday. 

If you have misplaced your form Tim can supply one. 

We will be delivering the trees next Saturday morning and then Charlbury can be lit up for Christmas. 

Many thanks to all participating in this scheme - residents who have bought trees to display and the volunteer team who will be braving the weather, whatever it is, next Saturday to help deliver the trees. 

Janet Burroughs, Charlbury Christmas Trees

Janet Burroughs · Sun 23 Nov, 09:51 · Link