Saturday the 18^th June will see the holding of the second “Uptonogood?” Mountain Bike Challenge. We’re hoping for an even bigger turn out this year and we’ve added a climbing wall, vintage bike display and an additional 12 mile route to help keep everyone entertained. We’ve also stocked a beer tent with the finest local ales, so come along and enjoy the BBQ with a pint or two!

The event will be principally supporting the Children’s Play Area project, which will result in a new facility for children on the recreation field.

You can support the event in many ways: participating in a ride; volunteering to marshal; bake a cake or two; get your family, friends and work colleagues to participate; or help run the kitchen/registration.

If you would like to contribute a cake, please call Jessie West on 851206 as Jessie will be coordinating cakes. Otherwise please contact Bob Lott (851222) or Mike Tibbetts (851474) should you want to help. Finally please see our website www.uptonogood.org.uk for full details of how to enter and everything else happening on the day.

Bob Lott

Several people in the village have asked what’s happening with our fibre broadband upgrade. Getting precise information out of BT is, at the best of times not easy, but a general letter stating broad principles and an overall timetable is available. These are some of the points raised:

• Due to the complexity of the engineering process it takes 12-15months from planning to installation of fibre in an area.

• Every exchange will have its own bespoke equipment when it is upgraded and most will require additional mains and back-up power facilities.

• Some of our underground ducts have been buried for as long as 80 years and surveys can unearth new challenges. In the case of our village that should prove interesting.

• The siting of new cabinets is subject to planning approval from the local council and this can cause delays.

Fibre will be rolled out in your area by early 2012 and as already mentioned they are focused on ensuring as much coverage as possible. In some instances they are also looking at complimenting the FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) technology with new FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) technology to help reach as high percentage of coverage as possible.

This last piece is interesting, getting FTTP anywhere in the village would be a massive improvement for anyone who gets that opportunity. The last time any re-cabling took place in this village was probably the late sixties or early seventies, but in the end it will all be down to cost (nothing new there then!)

Another BT source that we’ve accessed says that the installation work is planned to start in October 2011 with completion for March 2012. The start date may slip a little but the end date is committed. They did say at the start of this exercise that it would be early 2012, so to give them their due, they seem at the moment to be sticking to these dates but we’ll keep you posted if there is any improvement in the timeline. Otherwise we will update date you in October anyway.

Graham De Wilde

The Caravan Club visited our village once again this Easter and Upton has proved so popular, that they would like to come and see us again next year. The Caravan Rally has generally, been viewed by the Village as a positive event. However, some comments were received by the Parish Council, about the impact of the event on village amenities such as the Recreation Ground, which suggests that a review should be held again about extending an invitation for 2012. If you would like to offer your view please come to the next Parish Council meeting on 19^th July or contact one of your Councillors by phone or by email.

Ben Shaw

Upton P.C.

Despite £3m being made available for County Highways, it would seem that funds are not being made available for repairs and the pothole situation remains unchanged. As some villagers may be aware there are a number of potholes throughout the village that only ever seem to get as far as being marked with a white line! County Councillor Mr Stuart Lilly has requested, that if any member of the Parish has called the Highways Reporting Line (0845 310111) and has seen no action taken, within a reasonable time, then he will be pleased to take up the matter on our behalf.

So if you find a pothole that hasn’t been fixed or marked please call the Highways Reporting line (0845 310111) and ask for the reference number. If after a reasonable time no action is taken please give this information to one of your Parish Councillors.

Ben Shaw

Upton P.C.

We would like to hear from anyone who would be interested in joining a gentle keep fit class in the Village Hall, for 1 hour, on a Monday afternoon.  We need 10 people in order to get this off the ground. 

For more information please contact Clare Lightfoot, 01235 850486

The weather held fair for Upton’s Playground Drop-In on Sunday 8th May. It was super to see so many children from Upton and further afield respond to the invitation to bring their friends along for a play in the open air. The event also allowed the playground working group to observe how the children used the playground, building on ideas already submitted by the children to further consider the design of the intended replacement for this valued, but dated, village amenity.

More playground events are planned for the coming months, and details will follow.

Click on a photo to view an enlarged version.

Playground Drop-in photos

SHORT MAT BOWLS

The first partial winter season of short mat bowling concluded with the session on 27th April.  The first four months of SMB in Upton has brought together a group of new players who, together with some experienced players, could provide the nucleus of an Upton SMB Club for next winter season 2011/2012.  Following a full seasons bowling, entry into one of the Oxfordshire County SMB Association (OCSMBA) leagues should be sought for the 2012/2013 winter season.  

The next OCSMBA winter season will commence late September / early October and it is planned for bowling sessions at Upton to resume in September and will again be at 7.45pm on Wednesday evenings.  A schedule of evenings will be posted in the August issue of the Upton News.

Tony Durbin