Upon receiving the award she said: “I’m very honoured to be even thought of.”

Fourteen years ago the Sunningwell-based music teacher nearly died after suffering a brain aneurysm and now counts herself lucky not only to be alive, but not to have suffered any long-term effects.

The East Oxford Community Choir has since performed a wide range of music, from medieval pieces to modern commissions and regularly supports charities through its concerts.

Across Oxfordshire she has has founded two choirs, an orchestra and a youth theatre group, as well as becoming one of the driving forces behind the Oxford-Grenoble Twinning Association, which is nearly 40 years old.

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Mel Houldershaw in Germany for a choir event with East Oxford Community Choir and choir Interlude (from Grenoble) (Image: Mel Houldershaw)

Speaking to the Oxford Mail in 2014 she said: “The international language of music makes it so that you can go anywhere and you’re still singing the same music.”

In 1991, Mel formed the East Oxford Youth Choir with some of her pupils, and realised that many of the parents seemed keen to get involved.

This led to the formation of the East Oxford Community Choir, and this has been hugely successful, exploring a wide repertoire from medieval music to modern commissions and tackling major choral works such as Mendelssohn’s St Paul.

But the East Oxford Community Choir’s biggest success story has been the links it has established with Oxford’s twin towns of Bonn, Leiden and Grenoble, which has resulted in a number of exchange visits and joint concerts with the towns’ choirs and orchestras.

In 2006, she became chair of the Oxford-Grenoble Twinning Association, helping to revitalise the group and deepen its cultural ties.

Ms Houldershaw grew up immersed in music, taking piano, recorder, and violin lessons as a child before moving to Anglesey in her teens, where she played in the North Wales Youth Orchestra.

She later studied at Oxford Polytechnic and became involved with the choral society there.

After earning a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, she began teaching at Peers School (now Oxford Academy) in Littlemore, where her involvement in school productions set her on the path to forming the East Oxford Community Choir.

Anna Proudfoot, the chair of Oxford Padova Link and secretary of Oxford International Links, said: “I sing in a smaller group (Byrd Chorus) with her, we were both founder members.

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Mel Houldershaw in Germany for a choir event with East Oxford Community Choir and choir Interlude (from Grenoble) (Image: Mel Houldershaw)

“I’m Chair of the Oxford Padova Link (twinned since 2019) so when a choir from Padova asked if they could come and do a concert in Oxford (2023 along with Man Choir and Oxford Youth Choirs) the first person I turned to for help was Mel.

“I’d never organised a concert in my life. So I spent my time worrying about ticket sales, sound and light team, breaking even.

“Mel’s response was always ‘it will be fine’. We did another two Oxford-Padova concerts.. and it was fine.”

Anyone with the food and drink items has been urged not to eat them and instead return to store for a refund.

Honeycomb Blast Choc Bar made by Buttermilk Confections has been recalled by the Food Standards Agency because it contains milk which is not stated on the label.

This is dangerous for anyone with a milk allergy or intolerance.

The packs affected are the 45g sizes with batch code BM26105 and a best before date of June 15, 2027.

Dalston Soda Company are also recalling Dalston’s Pineapple Soda drink because there is a risk that the cans may unexpectedly break apart and leave sharp edges which may cause injury.

The single cans affected are the 330ml cans with a batch code of 037130 with a best before date of August 4, 2027.

The four can multipacks are also affected with customers who bought the packs with the batch code 037129 and the expiry date of August 4, 2027 urged to return the product.

Dalston’s Soda Company said: “To safely dispose of the product; handle the cans as little as possible, place them carefully, upright, in a sealed bag and dispose of them with your household waste.”

Waitrose is urging all customers who bought their pack of four richly fruited hot cross buns to return them to the store for a full refund.

Customers with an allergy to barley are at risk because the buns contain barley, but it is not declared on the item.

The pack of four richly fruited hot cross buns with a best before date of June 6, 2026 can be returned to store for a full refund without a receipt.

Fans of Gü Double Sea Salted Caramel Frozen Dessert are being told to look in their freezer because some packets were made without the labels declaring the product may contain hazelnuts and soya lecithin.

The products with the lot number 126135 with a best before date of June 30, 2027 are a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to nuts and/or soya.

The popular deserts can be returned to the store it was bought at for a full refund.

Meanwhile, Fox’s Burton’s Companies (FBC) are recalling their Arran Fine Foods Caramelised Red Onion Chutney because it may contain pieces of metal.

If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store from where it was purchased for a full refund.

The 195g onions with any of these best before dates are at risk:

• November 25, 2028
• January 7, 2029
• January 14, 2029
• January 15, 2029,
• January 26, 2029
• January 27, 2029
• February 2, 2029
• February 3, 2029

The recalled 1.35kg best before date:

• April 28, 2027
• April 29, 2027
• July 7, 2027
• July 28, 2027
• August 9, 2027
• August 16, 2027
• August 17, 2027

As reported, accounts for the county council have revealed County Hall has spent £1,406,282.80 on the congestion charge to private companies since it was introduced in October.

Businesses include Portsmouth-based Modaxo Traffic Management UK, which have been given over £330,000 for processing penalty charge notices.

Meanwhile, Exeter-based Unity Five Ltd have been given nearly £100,000 for its permit management software.

READ MORE: £1.4m given to private companies for Oxford congestion charge

And the Oxford Bus Company was handed nearly £1m in reimbursements to fund the free park and ride bus travel offer.

Driver Stu Hill said: “This is totally wrong. Private companies should net be benefiting. It should be helping to improve systems for the public.”

Meanwhile resident Richard Smith claimed the congestion charge is “more anti vehicle rules” by the council.

“This will kill shops and shopping centres and have an impact on jobs not just in the shops,” he added.

“Have Oxford put in a park and ride system? Does allow shopping trolleys?”

Resident Marcus Flynn said: “What’s interesting is always how councils pass our taxes into private hands.”

Most drivers argued the money could be well spent on other pressing issues across the county.

Liz Brookes said: “Well let’s have some spent on the roads around Oxford they are in a dreadful state… please can this be done before there is a fatal accident?”

While Denise Driver added: “What about spending this money on repairing the potholes in Oxford, the roads are terrible and dangerous.”

Although some drivers argued the millions in spending is worth it given the costs of operating the congestion charge.

Peter Bowyer said: “Nobody ‘gave’ private companies the money – they tendered and were awarded a contract, delivered a service and were paid for it.”

Oxfordshire County Council is expected to generate a £5.2m surplus from the controversial £5 daily charge to drive through six streets in the city.

Roads include Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, St Clement’s Street, Thames Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way.

It comes as 70 per cent of businesses in Oxford say the congestion charge has had no effect, or a positive effect on their business, and 30 per cent report a negative effect.

The results, found in a survey commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council, also found hospitality say it is the hardest hit by the daily £5 fee.

Suburban businesses, particularly those with a shopfront, were significantly less positive than city centre businesses.

Spend data shows year-on-year declines in consumer spending across the city, in line with national trends