The activities are part of Oxfordshire County Council’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which is designed for young people in the county.

Open to children aged four to 16 who receive free school meals, the scheme provides up to 16 sessions throughout the summer holidays, each lasting at least four hours.

Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for public health and inequalities, said: “This programme provides free activities and meals for more than 18,000 children and young people in Oxfordshire who are eligible for free school meals.

“It helps support children’s health and wellbeing while reducing holiday hunger and social isolation and is just another example of how we are working to tackle health inequalities across the county.

“By taking part in activities such as these, children can build confidence, try new things, and stay engaged during the holidays, while they can also give families extra support and access to opportunities they might not otherwise have.

“Sign up now.”

Each session includes at least 60 minutes of physical activity, practical advice on eating well, and a healthy meal.

The programme has been introduced in response to the closure of the national Holiday Free School Meal voucher scheme.

Families can find and book activities through the HAF platform, where eligibility is checked automatically against existing records.

Further details about the programme can be obtained by emailing HAF@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

The electrical fire broke out at Helen and Douglas House on Magdalen Road on the morning of Friday, June 12.

In a post uploaded to the charity’s website, they stated: “The fire was quickly and safely extinguished, and no children, families or staff were injured.”

However, the incident left Helen House, the organisation’s main clinical building, without electrical power.

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Firefighters in Oxford (stock photo). (Image: Rewley Road Fire Station/Facebook)

What caused the fire is unknown at present, but a spokesperson for the charity said that “investigations are underway” to find out.

Damage was reportedly “localised” to “a small area of family accommodation”, but nonetheless caused a loss of power “throughout the building”, necessitating closure.

The charity provides one-to-one nursing care for terminally ill children up to the age of 18, as well as end-of-life support and post-death care.

“Thanks to the swift action of our staff and the emergency services, we were able to contain the fire quickly and evacuate the building safely.

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The entrance to Douglas House in Magdalen Road, East Oxford.

“So it has been temporarily disruptive rather than devastating to the service,” added the spokesperson.

“We are doing all we can to re-open Helen House as soon as possible, but we cannot re-open until power has been restored and we don’t have a date for that as yet.”

In the meantime, the hospice is running “a temporary and slightly reduced” inpatient care service for its children.

There is space in Douglas House, its second building, being allocated to families “on a case-by-case basis”.

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Douglas House, though mainly used as an office, also has “unoccupied areas suitable for care on a temporary basis”, according to the spokesperson.

They claimed that families and children due to come in for inpatient care “have been informed”.

The charity’s other services, such as “Physiotherapy and Play”, continue to run on-site as normal, and the hospice encourages anyone seeking its care to call 01865 796771, with the number being staffed 24/7.

The spokesperson added: “We are working closely with local hospitals and other hospices to respond to as many care needs as possible.

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“Our care in the community and in hospital settings, including outreach and bereavement support, continues as normal.”

The update posted on the charity’s website stated: “Thank you for your patience, support and understanding.

“We are immensely grateful to the emergency services and our staff for their calm, swift response, and we look forward to reopening Helen House as soon as possible.”

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has been approached for comment.

Recent and current projects include the swing bridge near Oxford railway station, a Victorian fountain and its own headquarters.

The swing bridge swung across the Sheepwash Channel to allow trains to pass into the former Rewley Road railway terminus and then swung back to allow boats to pass.

It was designed by engineer Robert Stephenson, son of George Stephenson, opened in 1851 and is thought to be the earliest surviving moving railway bridge in the world.

The railway line, which ended on the site of what is now the Said Business School, closed to passenger trains in 1951 and to freight trains in 1984.

After its closure, the bridge fell into disrepair and was added to the national Heritage at Risk Register in 2013.

The swing bridge in Oxford (Image: Contributed)

Ownership of the bridge transferred in 2019 to the Preservation Trust, which led a £900,000 restoration project funded by the Railway Heritage Trust, Historic England and Network Rail.

When work was completed in 2021, the bridge was removed from the At Risk Register. Trust volunteers continue to maintain it and manage the surrounding landscape.

The Trust organised a ‘drop-in’ in May for visitors to see the 175-year-old bridge, which links the Oxford Canal and the River Thames.

Another trust project is the restoration of the drinking fountain between Walton Well Road and Southmoor Road in Jericho.

The ancient Walton well was a spring in a natural dip in the rural landscape. The Portland stone fountain was built in 1885 when the area began to transform into a Victorian suburb. It provided water for the local community.

William Ward, a coal merchant, who was Mayor of Oxford twice, led the campaign for the fountain. It was designed by local architect Harry Moore but now, 140 years later, it no longer works and is in need of restoration.

The trust launched a fundraising campaign last year and now has enough money for work to start on the first phase.

Eventually, it will again provide water and a bench will be installed for walkers to rest.

The Trust is also researching the history of its own offices in Turn Again Lane, formerly Charles Street, and their connection with the wider St Ebbe’s community.

In a public appeal, it says: “Maybe you remember the Church Army hostel at 2 Charles Street or Mr Vokins, a Morrell’s beer retailer at Nos 6 and 7? Or perhaps you knew some of the families who lived in the street – the Corbetts, the Howes, the Birchills at No 8, or the Robinsons and the Ayres at Nos 9 and 10?

“Whether you lived or worked nearby or had family there, we would love to hear from you. Your recollections could be a valuable part of our research.”

Email a.clark@oxfordpreservation.org.uk or liz@lizwoolley.co.uk or call 01865 242918