Saturday July 31

Heading to the Oxfordshire County & Thame Show

As Phil and a clutch of BBC Oxford presenters head to the Thame Festival later today - we caught-up with another set of great guests to start your weekend off with.

Last night at the proms
After wowing audiences in Spain, the Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra return to Oxford to play its last concert of the summer.
Tony Mealings Head of Music Service at the County Council, joined us to explain all about the tour and how orchestra will be playing its last concert of the season at Oxford Town Hall tonight.

Super Gran

Having scaled the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square last year, 85-year-old Gwyneth Peddler decided to celebrate her latest birthday by again hitting new heights - this time climbing the rigging of a tall ship.

She told listeners all about her latest endeavours and about planning something out of reach for her next birthday.

Castle scoops green award

A local beauty spot, Wallingford Castle Meadows - and a partnership between South Oxfordshire District Council and local charity, the Northmoor Trust, has scooped the Green Flag Award for the third year running.

Alexis Pim, Director of Land, Learning and Engagement at Northmoor Trust, joined us in the studio to explain how protecting wildlife, excavating and volunteer support helped them continue their award winning success.

For more information visit: http://www.northmoortrust.org.uk/

On the trail

The Cherwell Food and Drink Trail, new guides for discovering artisan food producers, farm shops and farmers' markets, is being launched today at the Oxfordshire County & Thame Show today.
Emma Hamer, is the owner of Meadowsweet Farm in Horley near Banbury, which is on the trail,

joined us to explain all about it.

Sunday 25th July

Listen Again

You can listen to this show again via the BBC iPlayer.

Just follow this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p008xh4s

*available until 0600hrs 01/08/10

Get Active Walk Photos

We've started a Flickr group for photo's from our walks. If you come along and take some nice picks, or want to see what it's like, have a look:

Direct link to the Get Active Walk Flickr Group:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1488403@N23/

Saturday July 24

Get active, love parks
The breakfast show encourages listeners to enjoy the great outdoors today as we set-off on the Get Active walk in Henley from 10.45-11am at the car park between Hambledon and Mill End.

Love Parks Week
Hug a tree or stroke a flower as today kicks-off Love Parks Week.
Emma Williams from the Botanic Gardens, who explained how they are holding a Great Plant Picnic.
She said how the public can enjoy a trail around the Garden. Bring a picnic, relax and enjoy live music, family cooking and flower themed stories.
For more information and to find out about other places getting involved visit:www.loveparksWeek.org.uk/

Idle Motion
In a couple of weeks time the Edinburgh Fringe gets underway and it's always surprising who takes part. Returning again this year is our very own physical theatre company Idle Motion!
They have a new production called The Vanishing Horizon and to explain all, company manager Grace Chapman and Ellie Simpson came in to the studio.

They explained how the show is improvised and created from workshops.

For more information about the tour visit: http://www.idlemotion.co.uk/.

Samaritans Get Motoring
One organisation that you can count on to be there when times are tough is of course The Samaritans. They are a round-the-clock service and are running a campaign to remind us of that. It's called 24:7 and oddly, it involved driving a little green smart car.

Helen and Matthew from the organisation popped in to tell listeners all about the initiative.

For more information about the Samaritans visit: http://www.samaritans247.org/

Kidney Care Project

A pioneering new project designed to help young adults with long term kidney conditions, has been launched at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
Dan Lonsdale has first hand experience of how a centre could make a difference, as last year he gave his kidney to his brother Jamie.

He told listeners all about this and how his brother went on to win Gold at the Transplant Games in China.

Free London 2012

To mark the two year countdown to the London Olympics, Oxford leisure centres are opening their doors to all comers with a weekend of free activities and celebration challenges.

Paul Williams is a fitness instructor and is challenging people to get rowing and the Ferry Leisure centre.

He joined us in the studio to explain all about the initiative.

Get Active Walk - July 2010

The weather was very hot and sunny for the last walk. Fortunately it was shady in quite a few places. It was a lovely walk in a beautifully quiet part of Oxfordshire. The site of the Roman Villa near East End served as a very interesting place to have lunch. A couple of our walkers decided to take advantage of a particularly shady spot a little before the end and wait there to be picked up by their chauffeur. Thankfully everybody arrived back at the car park safe and sound.
Use the link below to look at the photos from the last walk and to see the friendly people who take part.

You can also use the link to view galleries from earlier walks.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/oxford/hi/things_to_do/newsid_8155000/8155566.stm

The next walk is on Saturday 24th July in the Henley-on-Thames area. We'll meet in the car park between Hambledon and Mill End at 10.45 am to start at 11.00am. You'll find Mill End on the river North of Henley. Use this link to get an OS map (ignore the red circle): http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=hambledon#map=51.55845,-0.86938154&dp=os&bd=useful_information&loc=%20:51.5562:-0.8693:11mill%20end,%20henleyMill%20End,%20Berkshire,%20England

The route goes over Hambledon Lock to Aston, up hill slightly for a short distance to cut across to Remenham Church Lane and down towards the river. We touch the outskirts of Henley, walk along the west bank of the river and back over Hambledon Lock to return to the car park. The walk is about 6 miles long and includes tracks, footpaths and quiet roads. There's a very short section of pavement walking as we approach the bridge at Henley before getting on to the riverside path. It shouldn't be muddy but boots or sturdy shoes are still recommended because the ground can be uneven in places. As usual well behaved dogs are welcome and the walk will be led at a pace to suit everybody.
As it is still summer we thought we'd stop for a picnic somewhere near the river. We were lucky last time no reason why we shouldn't be again! Make sure you remember to bring your picnic with you.
Everyone should sign the disclaimer and if new people wouldn't mind completing a monitoring form that would be great. Please make sure you sign the disclaimer every time you come on a walk.
So, whether you've joined us before or not, and feel that you can manage this walk put the date in your diary and come with us.
The weather of course is unpredictable and unknown at this stage. We'll walk in all but the worst conditions but if you're in any doubt about whether the walk is going ahead listen to Phil Mercer's show on the Saturday morning between 6am and 9am.
Many charities encourage walking as a way of raising money. So before the start of the walk we are asking for a donation of £1 for a chosen charity. So far we have raised nearly £1,300 for both local and national charities. Before the walk this month we'll make a collection for Oxfordshire Mind which provides help, support and information for people who are experiencing a mental health problem.
For more details about the walk contact BBC Oxford Action Desk 08459 311 222 or email katie.brown@bbc.co.uk before Wednesday 21st July.
We look forward to seeing you on the next walk.
Best wishes,
CSV Action Desk
Proposed dates for future walks: Sunday 22nd August, Saturdays 25th Sept and 23rd October.

Sunday 18th July

Listen Again

You can listen to this show again via the BBC iPlayer. Just follow this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p008svyh
*available until 0600hrs 25/07/10

Saturday July 17

Vuvuzelas in Bicester

Don't be alarmed if you hear the invasive drone of the vuvuzela across Bicester this morning.
It's not the return of the World Cup - but a rallying call from campaigners wanting a new community hospital in the town.
Some residents believe the wait has gone on too long and are voicing their concerns outside the NHS Oxfordshire offices this morning.
Leader of the Save Our Community Hospital Campaign is Cllr. Les Sibley joined us to explain all about it.

Songs for the wildwoods

A Witney choir is helping to raise £70,000 to buy woodland for the villlagers of Wychwood.
'Voice Box' are performing a concert at the New Beaconsfield Hall tonight - and all moneys raised will go to the Wychwood Wild Garden Appeal.

Their chairman Mike Watson told us all about the concert.

If you would like to donate to this great cause please visit: http://www.wychwoodworldgarden.org.uk/ or you can call 0845 8056804

Big lunch

If you missed breakfast don't worry, the big lunch takes place tomorrow and breakfast show regular Simon Kenton (from CAG) and Tim Nicholson (from lcon) came into the studios to explain all.

If you want to pop down to one of the lunches visit: http://www.thebiglunch.com/ for more details.

For more info about the Low Carbon North Oxford initiative visit: http://www.lcon.org.uk/

Tim and Simon

Sunday 11th July

Listen Again

You can listen to this show again via the BBC iPlayer. Just follow this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p008pcgx
*available until 0600hrs 18/07/10

The programme features a live twenty-minute interview with Oxford-based best-selling author Philip Pullman.

My first Tomato

Here is the first Tomato to appear on my plants. Fingers crossed there are more to come!

Saturday July 10

Listen again to this programme. Click here
The programme is available until 0900hrs 17/07/2010

Bumper weekend
After the action-packed weekend last Saturday, the fun continues as we countdown to this Sunday's British Grand Prix.

Wallingford dig
Archaeologists from across the country are descending on Wallingford for the next fortnight as they try to uncover what lies beneath the town's surface.
We spoke to Wallingford Museum curator Judy Dewey who explained all about the project (in its third year)and this year's main excavation site, which will be in Queen's Arbour,(part of Castle Meadows), where an interesting feature revealed by geophysical surveys will be investigated.

Mountain trek
From reviewing the papers for us last week, former rally driver Penny Mallory
is now attempting to scale Mount Elbrus in Russia - Europe's highest mountain.
She told listeners all about the trek, in aid of the charity www.righttoplay.org.uk, which is an international children's charity that uses sport and play programmes to improve health, develop life skills and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.

Alice's Day
It's Alice's Day today and to celebrate, there's a whole host of events, which bring all of Lewis Carroll's fantastical characters to life.
Esther Browning from The Story Museum joined us to explain what's going on.
For more details visit:www.storymuseum.org.uk/alice

World cup success?
After the football team's lacklustre display and Andy Murray falling at the semi-final at Wimbledon, sports fans finally have something to cheer about at the rowing world cup.
We spoke to Henley rower Anna Watkins, who has already won two golds and a silver medal, and is hoping to make it a hat-trick this weekend in Lucerne.

British Grand Prix
As Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton do battle at Silverstone this weekend, we spoke to one of the unsung heroes who help make the event run smoothly.
We spoke to Peter Greenhaulgh,Deputy Chief Incident Officer, who works in race control - in charge of all the marshals.
We also caught up with BBC Oxford's Ross Heaton who gave us a run down of how things are shaping up in qualifying.

Warborough Festival
Elvis tribute acts, exotic belly dancers, saucy satirical singers - oh and racing camels - might not be everyone's idea of a country show - but then the Warborough & Shillingford Festival isn't your average village affair.
In fact the ingenuity and diversity of the festival's acts has made it one of the most anticipated events on the Oxfordshire calendar.
We spoke to Wilf Eaton - Warborough Festival Co-ordinator and performer Dillie Keene about how the concept was bourne and what people can expect.

Sunday 4th July

Listen Again

You can listen to this show again via the BBC iPlayer. Just follow this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p008ksz6
*available until 0600hrs 11/07/10

Saturday July 3rd

Festival Fever
As Phil Mercer enjoys all the fun of Cornbury Festival, Joel Hammer took the reins of the Saturday Breakfast Show.
The first weekend of July sees a host of weird and wonderful festivals going on and we caught up with a few of the people involved.

Giddy up!
First up we spoke to Verner Wass who is organising the Banbury Hobby Horse Festival running over the weekend.
She told listeners all about the performers including:the Sailors Horse from Minehead in Devon, one of the great traditional groups, and bringing things more up to date will be the performance artist Matthew Cowan and his hilarious 'Four Hobby Horses of the Apocalypse'.
For more details visit: www.hobbyhorsefestival.co.uk

Rugfest
From Horses to rugby (not wigs!) as we spoke to husband and wife Kate and Andrew Stinchcombe-Gillies, about this year's Rugfest in Wallingford.
The event is organised by Wallingford Rugby Club as a club fundraiser and as a family centric community event. Largely promoting local bands and local breweries with local sponsors for local people; this year's event introduces a Friday night session to kick start proceedings.
The fabled Scotsman, Jackie Leven, will headline a mellow acoustic evening on Friday followed by a lively day of activities and performances on Saturday - jam packed with local bands such as Quadrophobe, Spring Offensive and Jessie Grace.
For more info visit: www.rugfest.co.uk

Cowley Road Carnival
Cowley Road Carnival is back.... for the whole weekend.
There's a Fiesta in the Park (open air concert not small car) today, followed by a carnival proper tomorrow.
Joining us in the studio was Stuart from Horns of Plenty, which are taking part in the parade, and the Chair of trustees Paul Wolf.

Oxford United Fun Day
Kelvin Thomas, Chairman of the newly promoted U's, joined us to tell us all about the great activities and events going on at the fun day at Kassam Stadium today.
Joining in on all the fun will be BBC Oxford's own Jerome Sale.