Oxford News
Silverstone Museum launches Alberto Ascari VR experience
Black Cats & Chequered Flags is now open at the Silverstone Museum, marking its UK debut.
Produced by the Multiverse Institute for Arts and Technology (MIAT), the mixed reality and virtual reality installation tells the story of Italian F1 legend Alberto Ascari.
Phil Lawrie, CEO at Silverstone Museum, said: “Silverstone Museum is incredibly proud to be the very first to launch Black Cats & Chequered Flags in Britain.
“It is another first for the Museum and we expect that this exceptional experience, which is here for a limited time, will be extremely popular with our visitors.”
Visitors can step into a 1950s pit stop, race alongside Ascari at Monza, and experience the era using 360-degree cinematography and period audio.
The installation explores Ascari’s career and the superstitions – such as the ‘cursed’ number 26 and black cats – that followed him.
Ascari raced at Silverstone in 1948, finishing second in the first Grand Prix held at the circuit, and won the BRDC International Trophy with Ferrari the following year.
He went on to win the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in both 1952 and 1953.
MIAT boss Elisabetta Rotolo said: “This is a work of immersive art that brings history, emotion, and cutting-edge technology together in a uniquely shared experience, which places Museum visitors inside Alberto Ascari’s world.”
The experience debuted at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello in December 2025.
Children aged 15 and under will have free admission to Silverstone Museum from July 6 to September 1.
Oxford News
David Beckham rallies fans after World Cup ‘heartbreak’
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid footballer was at the semi final yesterday evening (July 16) and watched as England were agonisingly beaten 2-1 by Argentina.
After Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for the Three Lions in the 55th minute, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez scored in the 85th and Lautaro Martinez hit the winner in the 92nd.
READ MORE: Despair as flawless psychic dog makes England V Argentina prediction
Sir David was at the match at the Atlanta Stadium with his wife Victoria, and both could be seen celebrating England’s opening goal.
Sir David Beckham, right, looks on before the start of the World Cup semi-final (Image: Jacob Kupferman/AP)
The pair have lived in west Oxfordshire for several years, sharing a mansion in the Cotswolds where they keep animals such as chickens.
After the defeat, Becks took to social media to try and rally disheartened England fans after the defeat.
He said: “Heartbreak for us all but memories that inspire and last forever… Thank you to our team, our fans & our country for what you have given us in this World Cup.”
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson issues warning to public ahead of Cotswolds pub event
His wife shared heart emojis in response to his statement as did many other members of the public with the post racking up over 750,000 likes.
Following the defeat to Argentina, Lionel Messi’s men will play Spain in the World Cup final this Sunday.
England will face France in the 3rd/4th Place Play-Off on Saturday.
Oxford News
Despair as psychic dog makes England V Argentina prediction
Winston, a whippet from Oxford, has predicted all of England’s matches correctly so far and has now made its call for this evening’s semi-final.
Shaun, Winston’s owner, said: “This is, perhaps, Winston’s boldest statement to date.
“I’m 30 – I’ve never experienced England playing in a FIFA World Cup final before.
READ MORE: Sara Cox’s BBC salary revealed amid £430,000 UK charity collapse
“His predictions have been true to form throughout the entire tournament, but here’s hoping those psychic powers have now run out.”
Shaun is hoping Winston’s powers have vanished as the psychic pooch has predicted Argentina to win and progress through to the final against Spain, causing despair among the dog’s English fans.
Winston’s predictions have become a fixture of the tournament thanks to a light-hearted campaign by Oxford PR agency Fortitude Communications, in support of The Joey Beauchamp Foundation.
Winston, the psychic dog (Image: Fortitude)
The foundation was set up in memory of former Oxford United footballer Joey Beauchamp, who died by suicide in 2022.
The charity aims to support men’s mental health across Oxfordshire.
Each year, one in four adults and one in 10 children in the UK experience mental illness, with around 165,000 people in Oxfordshire impacted—enough to fill the Kassam Stadium more than 13 times.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson issues warning to public ahead of Cotswolds pub event
Shaun said: “Joey’s friends and family want to create a lasting legacy in his honour.
“Mental health challenges can affect any person and can be entirely unforeseen.
“It’s very possible we’ll never know which of our loved ones are handling a particular situation unless we proactively check in.
“So, it’s worthwhile to ignite a conversation not only during this World Cup but beyond the final too.”
Oxford News
Bottom 20 Oxfordshire GP surgeries revealed – check the list
The results of the 2026 GP Patient Survey for NHS England were released last week containing data including how easy patients find it to contact their GP as well as reception and administration ratings.
Almost 3 million surveys were distributed by market research agency Ipsos with around 650,000 responses received in England between January and April.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire GP bosses to ‘support improvements’ after NHS survey
The public also gave their views of the ‘overall experience’ of their local GP surgery, ranking them very good, fairly good, neither good nor poor, fairly poor and very poor.
Now, the Oxford Mail has compiled a list of the 20 surgeries that received the highest percentage of very poor votes, with the national average being 4 per cent.
Technically the worst performing GP surgery in Oxfordshire was Luther Street Medical Practice in Oxford with 14 per cent of respondents calling it very poor.
Temple Cowley Surgery (Image: Google Maps)
However only 4 per cent of its patients asked filled in the survey with 55 per cent of them in fact giving it the highest grade, above the national average.
Another Oxford-based surgery, Temple Cowley, wasn’t far behind with 13 per cent saying it is very poor.
Around a quarter of those asked filled in the NHS survey for Temple Cowley (more than the national average), with 3 per cent rating it fairly poor and 12 per cent saying it’s neither good nor poor.
Representatives for both Luther Street and Temple Cowley both said there were reasons for their poor performances.
Luther Street Medical Practice (Image: Google Maps)
The spokesperson for Luther Street said: “Our patients are a unique and often vulnerable population who, like everyone else, require access to regular GP services and ongoing healthcare support.
“Many also face additional challenges that can make accessing and engaging with healthcare more difficult.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Temple Cowley explained that it serves a community “with significant levels of deprivation”, with demand rising, workforce pressures and growing patient need all impacting its service.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire GP surgeries hit back after ‘disappointing’ low NHS ranking
Also performing badly were Nuffield Health Centre in Witney and Woodlands Medical Centre in Didcot, which both received 10 per cent very poor scores.
At Oak Tree Health Centre in Didcot, 8 per cent of patients thought it was very poor.
Multiple surgeries were on 3 per cent but Bampton, Long Furlong, St Clement’s and Cogges are included because the percentage of people who called them fairly poor was higher.
The full list is here:
LUTHER STREET MEDICAL PRACTICE (Luther Street, Oxford) – 14 per cent
TEMPLE COWLEY HEALTH CENTRE (Temple Rd, Oxford) – 13 per cent
WOODLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE (Woodlands Road, Didcot) – 10 per cent
NUFFIELD HEALTH CENTRE (Woodstock Road, Oxford) – 10 per cent
OAK TREE HEALTH CENTRE (Tyne Avenue, Didcot) – 8 per cent
DIDCOT HEALTH CENTRE PRACTICE (Britwell Road, Didcot) – 7 per cent
DONNINGTON MEDICAL PARTNERSHIP (Henley Avenue, Oxford) – 6 per cent
THE KEY MEDICAL PRACTICE (Exeter Close, Kidlington) – 6 per cent
MARCHAM RD FAMILY HEALTH CENTRE (Marcham Road, Abingdon) – 5 per cent
MONTGOMERY HOUSE SURGERY (Piggy Lane, Bicester) – 5 per cent
NEWBURY STREET PRACTICE (Mably Way, Wantage) – 5 per cent
THE CHARLBURY MEDICAL CENTRE (Enstone Road, Chipping Norton) – 5 per cent
EYNSHAM MEDICAL GROUP (Conduit Lane, Eynsham) – 4 per cent
BEAUMONT ELMS PRACTICE (Beaumont Street, Oxford) – 4 per cent
WINDRUSH MEDICAL PRACTICE (Welch Way, Witney) – 4 per cent
BARTLEMAS SURGERY (Manzil Way, Oxford) – 4 per cent
BAMPTON SURGERY (Landells, Bampton) – 3 per cent (20 per cent said it was fairly poor)
LONG FURLONG MEDICAL CENTRE (Loyd Close, Abingdon) – 3 per cent (11 per cent said it was fairly poor)
ST. CLEMENT’S SURGERY (Temple Street, Oxford) – 3 per cent (9 per cent said it was fairly poor)
COGGES SURGERY (Cogges Hill Road, Witney) – 3 per cent (8 per cent said it was fairly poor)
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