The Southern Oxfordshire Heritage, Culture, and Creative Industries Symposium returned to Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot on March 25, bringing together 30 representatives from museums, theatres, arts organisations, educational institutions, and heritage groups from South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

The three-hour event was designed to encourage conversation around improving the arts and culture scene in the region.

Georgina Heritage, cabinet member for communities at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “It was wonderful to see people coming together again from across the districts.

“The workshops sparked some really insightful discussions, and it’s great to see our creative and cultural community collaborating and supporting one another.”

Sessions focused on sharing best practices in audience development and inclusion.

Workshops and presentations also addressed funding opportunities and reaching new audiences, and collaboration and partnership working.

Helen Pighills, cabinet member for community health and wellbeing at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “It’s inspiring to see local organisations reconnect and share ideas on audience engagement and inclusive practice.

“Events like this help us strengthen partnerships, reach new audiences, and ensure creativity continues to thrive across the region.”

The symposium was funded through grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

Another event is scheduled for June this year.

For more details please email: cultureandheritage@southandvale.gov.uk.

The scheme is set to kick off at Kidlington FC on Thursday, April 16, with a pilot session initiated by The Joey Beauchamp Foundation.

Working in partnership with Oxford United in the Community, and supported by the Oxfordshire FA, the scheme also sees collaboration between three local grassroots clubs: Kidlington Youth, Kidlington FC, and Garden City.

The workshop is part of a broader programme aimed at helping grassroots coaches and volunteers understand mental health better.

It focuses on recognising early signs of distress and responding safely, using the FA’s established safeguarding frameworks.

The initiative highlights the crucial role grassroots football plays in local communities.

Coaches and club officials often serve as trusted figures in young people’s lives.

The pilot aims to equip them with the confidence and practical tools to recognise changes in behaviour, mood, or engagement, start supportive conversations, understand their safeguarding responsibilities, and direct young people and families to appropriate support.

The training is purely awareness and safeguarding-based.

It reinforces that coaches aren’t expected to diagnose or provide therapy but to recognise, respond, record, and refer concerns appropriately.

For more information about the Joey Beauchamp Foundation and how to get involved, please visit www.joeybeauchamp.org or contact info@joeybeauchamp.org and socials links to follow.

Armanto Tzourtzi, of Cowley Road, Oxford, was on trial at Oxford Crown Court.

The 24-year-old pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one count of assaulting a female by penetration.

The allegations related to an incident in the early hours of August 2, 2023.

Tzourtzi’s case was that the sexual activity was consensual.

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The court previously heard that on the night in question there had been a lock-in at The Cowley Retreat, in Cowley Road, as a leaving party for a member of staff.

The jury heard that the lock-in finished at around 3.30am and a group went back to the woman’s flat in Headington.

Everyone except the defendant left the flat at around 4.30am. Edward Lucas, prosecuting, told the jury that this was when the alleged rape took place.

On April 2, the jury found Tzourtzi not guilty by unanimous verdicts.

Clare Evans, defending, said in her closing speech: “You have no idea why she might lie because you don’t know anything about her.

“It’s your decision to decide if she is a reliable witness. He says nothing wrong happened.

“She accepts she was consenting. He does not accept she ever told him to stop.

“She said she assumed he heard it. You have to be sure of her account before you can convict.

“She didn’t want him to leave as she wanted to have sex with him. He is a calm and quiet young man.

“He is not a sexual predator.”

In his closing speech, Mr Lucas said: “I know it’s not an easy decision in the circumstances of this case.

“People come to this court to lie, that’s obvious. What possible motive has she (the complainant) got to lie about this?

“The answer is zero. If there had been, you would have heard about it. She is a bright and articulate young woman.

“It’s never easy when you’re faced with a situation when someone has withdrawn consent. But that is the reality.

“Anyone can withdraw consent at any time. She had told him (Tzourtzi) ‘no’.

“He was going to get his way if she liked it or not.”

In his legal directions to the jury, Judge Nigel Daly said: “You must decide the case of all of the evidence.

“He has no previous convictions, which supports his credibility. It may mean he is less likely to have committed the offences.

“But it can’t be a complete defence to a criminal charge.”