Crime & Safety
Hawkstone Farmers Choir make major move after golden buzzer
Originally founded by Jeremy Clarkson in the Cotswolds to advertise his alcohol brand, the group is a collective of real British farmers.
The choir appeared on Britain’s Got Talent over the weekend (Saturday, March 21), and secured a golden buzzer from Amanda Holden during their audition.
This rare honour, which sends the 32-strong collective straight through to the live semi-finals, was given following a performance of the Elbow anthem “One Day Like This” at the Birmingham Hippodrome.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson revamps Cotswolds farm shop with major changes
Mr Clarkson was left visibly emotional by the performance as he took to the social media site Instagram to share a raw clip with his instant reaction.
“I watched Britain’s Got Talent tonight for the first time because the Hawkstone Choir were on and they were just fantastic,” he said, appearing to be close to tears.
“These guys are all farmers, and they work incredibly hard for really incredibly small rewards, and to see them all on that stage with all that love in the room made my heart sing. I actually welled up.
“It shows that people quite like farmers. They were very, very good, well done, all of you. I’m a very happy man tonight.”
Now, in a move to build powerful momentum ahead of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, the BGT fame is being channelled into direct action for the farming community.
READ MORE: Cosy Cotswolds pub visited by King Charles for sale at almost £1m
Hawkstone has today (Thursday, March 26) announced the release of a limited-edition vinyl record, with 100 per cent of profits being donated to the mental health charity, Shout.
This release is timed to rally support and amplify the conversation around mental well-being in farming communities across the UK, ensuring the topic is at the forefront of the national consciousness leading into May.
The limited-edition vinyl includes ‘F**k Me It’s Good’, ‘It’s The Dog’s Nuts’, ‘Apples’, and ‘The Stout National Anthem’.
Sarah Kendrick, Clinical Director of Shout, said: “The Hawkstone Farmers Choir has given an incredible voice to the mental health challenges faced by so many in the agricultural community.
“We are immensely grateful to be the charity partner for this project. The funds raised from this vinyl will be vital, enabling us to train more volunteers and be there for anyone in the farming community who is struggling to cope. It will save lives.”
READ MORE: Princess Anne heckled over Andrew during Oxford University visit
Recent statistics show that 95 per cent of farmers under 40 identify poor mental health as a significant issue in the industry.
Hawkstone’s partnership with Shout provides a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service.
By texting the word ‘HAWKSTONE’ to 85258, farmers in need can have a conversation with a trained volunteer at any time of day or night.
The limited-edition vinyl is available for pre-order now, exclusively from the Hawkstone website
The rural crime police found and recovered a red Ducati Monster in the Cane End area of south Oxfordshire, close to Reading.
According to officers, the bike was involved in an incident last month where it failed to stop for blue lights and made off in a “dangerous” manner having crashed into a police van.
It was found on Wednesday evening, May 13.
The Ducati Monster is a popular motorbike made by the Italian manufacturer since the early 1990s.
Some 350,000 Ducati Monsters have been produced since the model’s introduction in 1993, making it the best-selling and longest-running motorcycle in Ducati’s history.
Its often credited in the motorbike world as being the one that ‘saved Ducati’ due to its popularity and cheap development costs
The Rose & Crown in Ratley, a village new Banbury on the northern tip of the Cotswolds AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), shut down unexpectedly ahead of the festive period in December 2024, due to personal circumstances, according to the owners.
The village pub and restaurant, 10 miles north of Banbury, is now set to be reopened under new owners after more than a year on the market.
READ MORE: Oxford locals unimpressed by city ‘pod’ hotel plans
In a statement released to introduce themselves, new owners Dee and Norm Knight-Barrett said: “We wanted to reassure everyone that we intend to reopen The Rose & Crown as a traditional British ‘pie and pint’ pub.
“There is quite a bit of work to do internally in particular the cellar and kitchen.
“We want to offer the best beers and pies that we can so we need to carry out some upgrades. We will keep you posted with regard to progress so please bear with us.
“We are looking forward to meeting you all and making lots of new friends.”
READ MORE: TV legend’s daughter selling £3.95m Oxfordshire mansion
The new owners revealed the plans include theme nights, pizza, curry and barbecues, live music, a pool table and sports games, and has invited further suggestions from the village.
The property is a grade II listed, detached building which is believed to have operated as a pub for more than 250 years.
No opening date has yet been announced and works to renovate and refresh the venue are ongoing.
Green Templeton College’s long‑running Management in Medicine Programme has been shortlisted for the Empowering People Award.
The university‑wide awards celebrate outstanding contributions across Oxford’s collegiate community, with nearly 170 entries submitted across 13 categories this year and more than 1,000 individuals nominated.
Shortlisted as one of the five nominees in the Empowering People category, the Management in Medicine Programme is recognised for empowering medical students and healthcare professionals to develop their management and leadership potential.
The programme helps those working in and around healthcare build the skills and knowledge needed to navigate today’s complex health and care systems.
READ MORE: Plans for 750 homes near Bicester met with objections
Programme lead Dr Nicholas Hicks said: “This recognition reflects the commitment of everyone who contributes to the programme, including our speakers, participants and colleagues across Green Templeton and the wider university.”
The Management in Medicine Programme offers workshops, seminars and a shadowing scheme focused on healthcare leadership, service improvement and the practical challenges facing NHS and other health organisations.
The Management in Medicine team will present their work at the Vice‑Chancellor’s Awards Showcase at the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities on Tuesday, June 2.
The winners and highly commended nominees will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday, June 4.
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