Welcome to Binfield Heath, a civil parish near Henley-on-Thames in South Oxfordshire. It encompasses Binfield Heath village and the hamlet of Crowsley.
PARISH NEWS
Binfield Heath Parish Council will meet on Monday April 28 at 7pm in the Scout Hut
All local people are invited. If you have any matters you would like to raise with the council you can do that in the public question time. Subjects that might need to be added to the agenda should be discussed first with the council clerk, Mandy Sermon. Contact her on clerk@binfieldheath.org.uk ahead of the meeting.
The agenda link is below:
DON’T MISS!
3-5 May: Henley Arts Trail comes to Binfield Heath
Twelve potters will be exhibiting their work at Blossom Cottage, Dunsden Way, from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 May.
Binfield Heath potter and venue host, Claire Martineau says: “A love of pottery and ceramics has brought our group together to produce beautiful and unique pieces. We are proud to be presenting together on the Henley Arts Trail and look forward to welcoming you at our venue”.
Leaflets for the trail, detailing all of the venues and their locations, will be available in the village shop. Full details about the event can also be found on www.henleyartstrail.com. The Arts Trail is a great opportunity to discover and support local artists and makers, so please drop by.
25 May: Open Gardens
Several Binfield Heath gardens will be open to the public, with all proceeds going to Thames Valley Air Ambulance on Sun, 25 May from 2 - 5pm. Tea and cake will be available – venue tbc.
If you could help with hosting teas, please contact janiepack@live.co.uk. Donations of cakes/biscuits for the teas will be gratefully received. Please leave them with Jane Packham at Oak Lodge, Kiln Lane the day before if possible. Any questions please call 07833 613406. If you would like to open your garden, no matter how large or small, to the public, and help raise funds for Thames Valley Air Ambulance, please contact Jane Packham. For more details see the recent newsletter.
Progress at The Forge
From the trustees
It’s been another couple of busy months for the Forge team, with progress in several major areas:
Detailed technical design is being finalised with assistance from consultants: five local builders have been assessed and four have agreed to tender. Each has an impressive track record of working on period buildings. Once the contract has been agreed, we will advise when work is likely to commence and how long it is expected to take.
An IT consultant has been selected to build and support the Forge website.
Work continues on preparing the many procedures and policies required to operate efficiently and within current legislation, using the wealth of information in published guides, based on experience of running community halls elsewhere.
How you can help
This project is the latest chapter in the long history of a building at the centre of village life. When it come to the interior, we are aiming to reflect that history - and this is where we hope you can help. By going through all those old boxes of photos and artifacts (old maps for example) you might find some relevant to the Forge or village life in the past, so that we could display them, either as the originals or copies if that would suit you better.
Please email binfieldheath-forge@gmail.com if you think you might have something of interest.
Finally, a reminder that the main planning drawings can be viewed on this website on the Forge page.
Go to The Forge page of this website to see some of the plans in detail. Double-click on this link to see the full application: https://data.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/support/Main.jsp?MODULE=ApplicationDetails&REF=P24/S2597/FUL#exactline
The Forge Team
Binfield Heath Flower Show to move
Binfield Heath's popular annual Flower and Dog Show is changing venue. After taking place opposite Holmwood in Shiplake Row for more than 75 years, the event is moving to the other side of the village, on Sonning Common Road.
The new site has three connecting fields with plenty of space for the show tents, stalls, activities and food and drink areas, as well as easy parking access. The horse paddocks belong to the Phillimore Estate.
Flower Show committee chair, Caroline Dowling said: "We have been so fortunate to use Holmwood’s field over the years and greatly appreciated the hospitality of Jerry Hall and her predecessors – the Marks family, the Talfourd Cooks and the Makowers, who have all welcomed us.
“Now we have new hosts, Tristan and Jemma Phillimore, who have offered us the chance to try out a different site for this much-loved village event and again we’re extremely grateful. We hope everyone gets behind this exciting opportunity and fully supports the Flower and Dog Show this year.
"Taking part in the Flower Show in one way or another is so much part of life in Binfield Heath."
The Flower Show celebrated 75 years in 2024, but its history goes back much further. Holmwood first hosted the show in 1882. At its heart lay the still enthusiastically contested competition of fruit, flowers, and vegetables, now affiliated to the RHS. It soon included home baking as well as arts and crafts sections. Local people from miles around and of all ages took part – and still do.
“The Flower Show has evolved, changed and grown,” Caroline said. "We now have a famous tea tent, food and drink from local hostelries and artisan stalls alongside traditional sideshows.
"But the most important thing is how much our community values the show and joins in – to set it up, enjoy the day, even if it pours with rain, then takes it down again and starts planning for next year. With big thanks to the Phillimore family, long may the Flower Show continue in its new home. We look forward to seeing everyone there."
This year's Flower Show is on Saturday, August 23, on Sonning Common Road, next to the allotments.
Full story on What’s On page of this website.
Mary Berry opens last year’s 75th anniversary show, with Sarah Fulton Urry and Neil George
Photos from the Sixties… the fancy dress contest and, below, art competition winners from Dunsden.
Stay up to date
From this website you can keep up with events in the village with links to more information if you need it. This the fastest way to find out what's going on in your parish and backs up the latest newsletter which you can find on its own page. Here are some links to your day-to-day questions.
Which bin is it this week?
Green or grey? How to get a brown bin… what goes in which? This year’s full calendar can be found on the Parish Council page of this website. More information can be found on SODC’s website on https://www.southoxon.gov.uk/south-oxfordshire-district-council/recycling-rubbish-and-waste/when-is-your-collection-day/waste-collections-calendar/
Potholes and broken signs
These are both an increasing problem. If you are aware of a pothole locally contact fixmystreet.com and give the area and if possible the address and postcode. It's the fastest way to get results. Similarly, if road names or speed signs are damaged, also report them to fixmystreet.com
Roadside rubbish
Fly-tipped rubbish continues to be a problem from time to time. It has to be collected by District Council contractors at considerable extra cost to the taxpayer. If you see fly-tipping - or the results of it - report it online to admin.southoxford@biffa.co.uk
Planning applications
Comment on planning applications direct with SODC at the click of a button, without having to know the application number. Go to the Planning page of this website.
News mail-outs
Receive occasional news mail-outs from the Parish Council on matters that affect you . If you change your email address just sign up again with the new one. If you no longer wish to hear news from us in this form please let us know and we will delete your email details. Visit the village Facebook page to connect with friends and neighbours and join in the chat. Go to the newsletter page for the latest edition of the parish news from Marina Hart.
Contact us
For all enquiries regarding Binfield Heath Parish Council or related subjects please contact clerk@binfieldheath.org.uk