Oxford News
Animal-loving Traitors star meets pets looking for home
Alex Gray, a contestant of the first series of The Traitors UK which aired in 2022 and got the nation hooked, has shared another ‘secret’ – her love of animals.
The 26-year-old owns to rescue cats of her own, called Binx and Boo, and a horse called Ruby, and on a recent visit to the Blue Cross in Burford, Oxfordshire, she met a whole range of animals.
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The actress visited the national pet charity’s headquarters and rehoming centre where she met a cat who is blind in one eye, a pair of rabbits and horses.
Research by Blue Cross has found millions of cats and dogs could be just one vet bill away from being surrendered or facing the need to find a new home.
In the last four years alone, the charity says it has seen a 122 per cent increase in dogs coming into its care and an 80 per cent rise in cats.
After her visit, The Traitors star Ms Gray said: “My horse Ruby, and my cats Binx and Boo, mean everything to me, and we’re lucky to have each other.
“But there are many pets out there who have yet to meet their perfect match. Sadly, some have been waiting longer than others.
“It was an absolute joy to spend time with some of the horses and ponies at Blue Cross’s rehoming centre in Burford, and incredibly inspiring – the team give them the care and compassion they need, building their confidence so they are ready to go into their new homes.
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“As well as the stables, I was also able to visit the cattery, where I met some beautiful felines, including Johnny who is such a character and completely stole my heart. And I even got to meet some gorgeous longer-eared residents too – rabbits Bella and Carrot.
“I would encourage anyone looking to get a horse, pony or small pet to consider Blue Cross – they have so many beautiful animals who have so much to give.”
Hannah Wiltshire, centre manager at Blue Cross Burford, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Alex to our centre and introduce her to some of the animals in our care.
“Sadly, we are seeing a growing number of animals needing our help, with a hidden pet welfare crisis unfolding behind closed doors across the UK.
“Many owners are facing heartbreaking decisions as rising living costs force them to choose between feeding themselves and their families or keeping their pets.
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“We also know that there can be a real sense of shame or stigma around having to give up a pet, but reaching out for help is a responsible and compassionate choice.
“At Blue Cross, we are here to support people through that difficult decision without judgement, and to find every animal a safe, loving new home.”
More information on how to support is available at bluecross.org.uk.
The daughter of former footballer David and ex Spice Girl Victoria lives with her family in Oxfordshire.
She had been working on a skincare line inspired by Korean beauty, initially branded HIKU by Harper and aimed at Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers.
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However, according to cosmetics industry reports and US filings, the US Patent and Trademark Office refused her first application in July “because of a likelihood of confusion” with existing trademarks already registered in the country.
Documents cited by cosmeticsbusiness.com show that “Hiku” is already protected for personal care products and fragrances, while “Harper” appears on the register for cleaning products such as brooms and scrubbing brushes – blocking the path for “HIKU by Harper” in those categories.
Coverage of the setback notes that Harper had six months to respond to the provisional refusal if she wants to challenge the decision or narrow the scope of the American filing.
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Yet, now, she is pursuing a new brand, this time focused around make-up and called Harlo by Harper.
According to The Sun, the teenager has lodged papers with the US Patent and Trademark Office asking to be granted sole rights to use the name and with the UK’s Intellectual Property Office to trademark the brand.
The aim is to launch the brand at some point next year, as the only daughter of the Beckhams seeks to build a beauty empire.
A source for the paper added that Victoria has been “guiding her every step of the way”.
Contemporary clothing label Vuori has launched a store at Bicester Village this week, its first store outside of London.
To mark the opening of the store, Bicester Village welcomed guests to an exclusive Pilates session before the shops even opened their doors.
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Headquartered in San Diego and founded more than a decade ago, the brand has built a reputation for premium, performance-led leisurewear.
The new Bicester Village store will offer a carefully curated selection of bestsellers, including its Halo pants, the Vuori All The Feels collection and pieces from its popular Tom Holland golf collaboration.
Alongside those ranges, prices will be exclusive to the outlet, making it Vuori’s first UK discount boutique location and offering shoppers in Oxfordshire a chance to snap up the brand’s signature styles at lower prices than in its standard stores.
The Deep Purple star was once the owner of The Springs Resort & Golf Club in North Stoke near Wallingford – now part of the Talacre-based Darwin Escapes portfolio
The rock singer’s guitar-shaped swimming pool is no more, but resort manager Ben Scholes said in 2024 renovations and new facilities – including the 1893 spa and Ridgeway Restaurant – have proved incredibly popular with visitors from across the UK and beyond.
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Ian Gillan has other strong Oxfordshire connections – one night early in 1983 a meeting at a different hotel in the county led to him joining heavy rock contemporaries Black Sabbath.
He told Mojo magazine’s Hello Goodbye column that he joined Black Sabbath after getting a call from Tony Iommi suggesting a drink somewhere between Birmingham and Reading.
Ian Gillan said: “We decided upon The Bear at Woodstock. I was driving an orange two-litre Fiat Mirafiori, which got rear-ended by a guy who was chasing me and didn’t see me stop at a junction.
“I pulled up outside The Bear with a wreck of a car.
“I can’t remember anything else until the next day when I had a call from my manager Phil Banfield.
“He said something along the lines of ‘Ian if you are going to be making major career decisions you should be talking to me first’.
“Apparently we had a few drinks and they (Black Sabbath) offered me the gig and I, who had nothing else on at the time, agreed.”
Ian Gillan told Mojo Black Sabbath then went straight to the Manor Studio in Shipton-on-Cherwell to record the Born Again album.
The singer added that during the recording sessions he was camping in the grounds in a small tent.
“I like camping and cooking my breakfast over an open fire. After breakfast I would go into the studio to hear what they had put down and then start work on the lyrics,” he told the magazine.
The singer left Black Sabbath after about a year, as it was agreed he should make one album and tour for a year.
He added: “I was incompatible, our backgrounds were chalk and cheese, musically and geographically.”
Ian Gillan rejoined Deep Purple in 1984 and remains a member of the band.
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