Crime & Safety
Oxford’s green spaces face ‘similar threats’ 100 years on
The Oxford Fieldpaths Society this week celebrated 100 years since it was founded, in 1926, and it remains an important campaigner for access to nature and one of the UK’s oldest walking groups.
It was formed to protect the footpaths, bridlepaths and commons in the neighbourhood of Oxford to prevent them from being paved over or forgotten, and to make people aware of the paths they’re allowed to use.
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One hundred years ago, the threats facing walkers on public footpaths mainly came from private landlords putting up ‘private property’ notices to prevent access to paths which had always been walked.
After founding members of the Fieldpaths Society painstakingly mapped and charted the public rights of way across the area, the paths are firmly secured for everyone’s access.
Today, however, the main issue facing footpaths is their re-privatisation through major developments on great swathes of land – from new-build housing estates to quarries, solar farms and business or science parks.
“It’s a big task,” said Jennifer Byrne, chairman of the society’s executive committee. “We’re doing exactly the same thing they did 100 years ago.
“These days it’s an increasing volume of work which falls on fewer and fewer people.”
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The society works with Oxfordshire County Council‘s countryside access team and checks every planning application which goes through the system for footpaths which are frequently ‘ignored’ by developers.
Ms Byrne added: “Some private diversions are, of course, acceptable – we’re not against expansion.
“But when it’s a blatant obstruction of a footpath, that’s a bit more contested.”
Protecting the footpaths and public rights of way that earlier society members worked so hard to establish remains a key part of what Oxford Fieldpaths does, at a time when developments become ‘harder to constrain’.
The committee chair said: “Without protection, everything will get lost.
“People’s access to the countryside – which is good for wellbeing, fresh air, sharing in the beauty of the English countryside – is so important.
“And once it’s lost under concrete, it will never reappear. It’s important to take a stand at the start.”
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As well as a lobbying group, the society educates people on what footpaths are available and funds waymarking – which serves both walkers and landowners by stopping people from roaming onto private land.
Beyond that, Oxford Fieldpaths Society is well-known as a sociable walking group with a ‘faithful’ following of around 140 members, though not all of them regularly walk.
For its centenary year, the society hosted a celebratory AGM and plans to host 100 group walks across the year, continuing the legacy.
Henry Nowak died aged 18 in police custody last December after being stabbed to death by Vickrum Digwa, of Southampton, who was sentenced to life in jail for the murder on June 1.
Following the sentencing, violent unrest broke out in Southampton on Tuesday night (June 2), resulting in 11 police officers and one police dog being injured.
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The Oxfordshire and Thames Valley Civic, Community and Faith Leaders’ Group issued a statement ‘urging calm and restraint’ in the wake of the riots.
The group also commended the ‘dignity and courage’ shown by Henry’s father, Mark Nowak. who appealed for his son’s murder not to be used to sow division.
Bishop Gavin Collins, acting bishop of Oxford, and Imam Monawar Hussain, who co-chair the Oxfordshire and Thames Valley Civic, Community and Faith Leaders Groups, said: “Yesterday’s verdict in the murder of Henry Nowak brings no relief from the terrible pain of a young life taken so brutally.
“Our hearts go out to Henry’s family, and we hold them in our thoughts and prayers with the deepest sympathy.
“We also wish to honour the courage and dignity of Mark Nowak, whose words have reminded the country that this terrible crime must not be used to divide our communities.
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“That is a message of real moral clarity at a moment of grief, anger and tension. It deserves to be heard.
“We are deeply concerned by the violence and disorder seen in Southampton overnight.
“No family mourning such a devastating loss should see that grief turned into an excuse for further hatred, fear or unrest. We call for calm, responsibility and restraint on all sides.”
The group said space has to be given for the Independent Office for Police Conduct to investigate the police’s response to the situation, and likewise called for people to not place ‘collective blame’ on the Sikh community.
The faith leaders added: “This is a moment to stand with a grieving family, to reject those who would exploit tragedy for division, and to recommit ourselves to the values of decency, peace and shared responsibility.”
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Speaking outside the court after Digwa was sentenced, Mark Nowak, Henry’s father, condemned the police’s treatment of his son as ‘inhumane and degrading’ and said: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.
“We want his story to help make our streets safer for everyone .”
Following the riots in Southampton on Tuesday night, Hampshire Police Chief Constable Alexis Boon said some people “clearly arrived intent on causing disorder and trouble” and “while we are forced to deal with those determined to spark fear and division, our finite resources are taken away from those who need it most”.
Oxford Stand Up To Racism has accused Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, of inciting the ‘awful violent scenes’ in Southampton on Tuesday night (June 2).
The city where 18-year-old Henry Nowak died and where his killer, Vickrum Digwa, lived became a scene of destruction after hundreds descended to smash car windows, hurl bricks and cause eleven officers and a police dog to be injured.
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Following the disorder, the chief of Hampshire police said those involved were ‘determined to spark fear and division’.
Yaxley-Lennon, who has been jailed multiple times for a variety of offences including when he was imprisoned in October 2024 for contempt of caught, addressed the crowd at the riot.
He said: “I heard someone say this wasn’t about race, this is about race.
“A white boy who done nothing was handcuffed, a murderer in possession of a knife who stabbed someone five times isn’t.”
Oxford Stand Up to Racism is now renewing its call for the Oxford Union to withdraw its invitation for the ‘riot agitator’ to speak on June 17 on the subject of Islam.
He was originally due to speak at the historic debating society on Thursday, May 28 before his appearance was postponed over security concerns and after massive backlash.
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Ian McKendrick, a member of the anti-racism group, said: “Despite Henry Nowak’s family clearly requesting that his death should not be used to promote further hatred, Robinson was at the centre of protests in Southampton last night and clearly inciting violence.
“Giving him a televised platform at the Oxford Union legitimises hate and violence, and gives him the opportunity to incite violence to an audience of millions.
“It does not promote free speech – instead, it promotes fear and intimidation among minoritised communities.
“Already we have seen Oxford fascists alongside Robinson in Southampton and now mobilising to bring more hate onto Oxford’s streets.”
Members of Raise the Colours: Oxfordshire were called to attend the Southampton protest on Tuesday night, with the leader of the group posting on Facebook to ask followers to join the ‘justice for Henry Nowak’ protest.
Mr McKendrick added: “There is a concerted effort by far right leaders and fascist groups to incite outrage and bring people on to the streets to riot.
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“We risk an explosion of violence similar to what we saw around the Southport murders across the UK.
“We’re calling on Oxford to say a clear ‘no’ to this hate and division by protesting against Yaxley-Lennon’s appearance at the Oxford Union.”
Faith and civic leaders of Oxford already wrote to the Oxford Union asking it to rescind the controversial figure’s invitation, and hundreds have signed an open letter calling for the same.
A reported incident at a junction in Witney is causing traffic chaos in the town, with drivers coming off the A40 and elsewhere stuck in long queues.
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