The RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team kicked off their 2026 display season with a launch event at their home base, RAF Brize Norton.

The team performed a live parachute display from a C17 Globemaster in front of an audience that included children from local schools, invited guests, and members of the station’s whole force.

Officer commanding RAF Falcons said: “Launch Day is always a special moment for the team, but jumping into our season here on home turf at RAF Brize Norton makes it even more meaningful.

“This display marks the culmination of months of preparation and training, and it’s fantastic to share that moment with our local community, colleagues, and supporters as we step into the 2026 season.”

The event was the first public opportunity to see the team in action ahead of a busy 2026 display season across the UK and overseas.

Based and trained at Brize Norton, the Falcons are known for their precision, teamwork, and professionalism in delivering high-impact parachute displays.

They also serve as ambassadors for the RAF, inspiring young people and engaging with communities at public events.

Throughout 2026, the team will appear at airshows, public engagements, and community events, both in the UK and overseas.

The team’s displays are the result of months of intensive preparation and training.

Fans and supporters can follow the RAF Falcons’ journey throughout the 2026 season on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Gladwell Lodge, part of Churchill Living, earned the award during National Gardening Week, earning praise for its biodiversity and sustainable features.

The award is part of a scheme led by Sustainable Didcot in partnership with Wild Oxfordshire.

Jo Ridehalgh, divisional marketing lead for Churchill Living South West, said: “We’re delighted that the garden at Gladwell Lodge has been recognised with this award.

“It means a lot to the Owners, who have devoted so much of their passion and time to creating a space that can be enjoyed by both people and wildlife.

“It’s wonderful to know that we are playing a part in supporting biodiversity in the area.”

The gardens were commended for being wildlife-friendly and providing valuable habitats.

The garden was also praised for its rich variety of plants and sustainable features.

Gladwell Lodge is a Churchill Living development offering 33 self-contained one and two-bedroom apartments for independent living.

Amenities at the site include the owners’ lounge.

The development is within easy reach of the Orchard Centre, Didcot Leisure Centre and the Cornerstone arts venue.

Didcot’s parks and green spaces offer further opportunities for residents to connect with nature.

Churchill Living builds and manages more than 200 developments nationwide.

It has received numerous industry awards, including Gold for Best Retirement Home Developer in the WhatHouse? Awards for three consecutive years since 2023.

Gladwell Lodge’s win highlights the role of community gardens in promoting wellbeing and environmental awareness.

A Bedfordshire man and his wife booked a three-night stay at Warner Hotels’ Heythrop Park in between Enstone and Chipping Norton in the summer of 2025.

Housed in an 18th-century country house, the hotel is set in 440 acres of parkland and is a stone’s throw from Burford and Bourton-on-the-Water.

There is an spa and a championship 18-hole golf course at the hotel, which dates back to 1707, as well as three restaurants and two entertainment venues.

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The couple paid £708 for the holiday, with it being their 17th stay at a Warner hotel, as they prioritise the quiet and adults-only atmosphere.

Yet, as the pair told This Is Money, their trip was “ruined” after the first two nights featured a loud hen party.

“It started at dinner when the hen party moved all the tables to accommodate their large party of 28 people, disrupting other guests,” they told the publication.

“Later, they continued drinking, singing and shouting on the hotel’s terrace until midnight.

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“They then moved to the courtyard directly outside our room, not finishing until after 1am. We asked the reception staff to do something, but it didn’t stop.

“The next night, the same behaviour continued until after 2am. We got hardly any sleep and had to abandon some of our planned activities in the Cotswolds.”

The couple then made a formal complaint and wrote to Warner’s chief executive, but they have yet to receive a response at the time of writing.

This newspaper has approached Warner for comment on the matter.