Crime & Safety
Goring resident creates Goring Slot Racing Circuit
Ron Murray, 67, from Goring-on-Thames, created the Goring Slot Racing Circuit after his wife Gillian was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 14 years ago at the age of 48.
Mr Murray said: “From the time of Gill’s diagnosis, we wanted to do something to support Parkinson’s UK.
“We started with events at home like Pimms for Parkinsons, Great American Breakfast, Craft Cakes & Collectibles sales, but I wanted to find a way to involve more people and reach a wider community.”
Using his engineering background, Mr Murray collected and refurbished old Scalextric track to build a 27-metre digital circuit, complete with race simulation software and more than 400 handmade model trees.
Since opening in 2020, the circuit has hosted more than 120 race sessions and welcomed 600 visitors, raising £8,171 for Parkinson’s UK.
Mr Murray said: “It’s become really popular with local families, especially during holidays.
“People come to race each other, celebrate birthdays or just try something different, and they’re supporting a great cause at the same time.
“I feel very lucky that something I enjoyed building continues to bring people together and raise money for Parkinson’s research.”
Support has poured in from residents of Goring and neighbouring areas, with many families returning for repeat visits.
Sarah Jones, community fundraiser for Thames Valley at Parkinson’s UK, said: “We are so grateful to Ron for creating the Goring Slot Racing Circuit and for all his fundraising for Parkinson’s UK.
“Parkinson’s is a complex brain condition that gets worse over time.
“Affecting 166,000 people in the UK, it has more than 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety, and there is currently no cure.
“On behalf of everyone at Parkinson’s UK, thank you to Ron and the whole community for making such a meaningful difference.”
Mr Murray continues to expand the circuit with new features and interactive elements, including a Batmobile that emerges from a hidden Batcave.
He said: “In today’s world, it’s great to have somewhere people can come, have fun, forget things for a while and contribute to a good cause.”
To learn more about the project, visit ronmurray9.wixsite.com/mysite.
Someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the UK every 20 minutes and the number of people worldwide with the condition will double to 25million by 2050, according to Parkinson’s UK.
Parkinson’s UK is the leading European funder of Parkinson’s research and provides support throughout every stage of the Parkinson’s journey.
The charity’s free, confidential helpline is available at 0808 800 0303.
Cars were queueing along the Botley Road during rush hour on Monday morning (April 13) after a new set of traffic lights installed caused disruption.
The roadworks were installed by Thames Water on Thursday, April 9, and are set to last until midnight on Tuesday this week.
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Two-way traffic lights have been installed on the road by Alexandra Road, opposite Woodlands Pharmacy.
With queues back to Seacourt Park and Ride, one driver said they decided to ‘give up’ and turn around rather than wait in the line.
It comes as the closure of Botley Road after the railway bridge, a Network Rail project to improve Oxford Railway Station, continues to block access into the city from the west.
The project has now gone on for three years, since it closed on April 11, 2023, and cost £237million to date, according to rail company bosses.
The 68-year-old married Elliott Spencer, 38, in 2015 when they were 57 and 27 respectively.
Former QI host and Blackadder actor Sir Sephen has now addressed critics of the age gap during an appearance on the ITV series The Assembly.
On the programme, participants who are autistic, neurodivergent or have learning difficulties, question well-known personalities.
The actor, writer and presenter was responding to a question from the assembly which asked him: “What do you say to people who don’t like age-gap relationship?”
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Sir Stephen, a former visiting professor of creative media at the University of Oxford, said: “I feel a bit sorry for them. I don’t see why they should have such an opinion about thing.”
He explained that the only thing that should matter in any relationship is ‘genuine love so long as it is mutual and not exploitative’.
“It just works for us, extremely well”, he said, “If people don’t like it, well, sod them.”
The Oxford Tube will stop at White City once again on all journeys following feedback from passengers of the regular service from Monday, May 4
The decision follows a review of customer feedback after the stop was previously withdrawn, with many customers highlighting its importance for convenient access into London.
The reintroduced stop will operate as a request stop, meaning customers wishing to alight should ring the bell as the coach approaches.
Passengers will see updated journey information reflected on the Oxford Tube website and app ahead of the change.
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Chris Hanson, managing director Oxford Tube and Stagecoach West, said: “At Oxford Tube, our customers are at the heart of every decision we make.
“We’ve listened carefully to the feedback we’ve received regarding White City, and it was clear how important this stop is to many of our customers.
“We’re pleased to be reinstating it and continuing to adapt our service to better meet the needs of those who travel with us every day.
“We have improved connectivity throughout London and beyond with our new connection for the Elizabeth Line and this extra stop only adds even better connections to places that people want to get to.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused while the stop was out of service.”
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