IN THE KNOW
Local Trades
Looking to renovate your home, enhance your garden, or find the best childcare that suits your family needs? Search through local trades to find exactly what you need.
Where Little Moments Matter: The Heart of Woodford Halse Play Group
Woodford Halse Play Group is a quietly cherished cornerstone of its community, a warm, welcoming space where connection, care, and childhood joy intertwine. Established in 1995 as a non-profit charity and lovingly run by local mothers, the group has grown into a gentle weekly ritual for families seeking both companionship and comfort.
Housed in the charming Dryden Hall, conveniently situated beside the village library, the playgroup offers a thoughtfully relaxed setting. Each Friday morning, the hall comes alive with laughter and soft chatter as children explore a wide variety of toys, crafts, and creative activities designed to spark imagination and encourage play.There is an easy, unpretentious rhythm to the sessions.
Little ones are happily occupied with hands-on fun, while parents and carers gather over tea, coffee, and homemade cake, moments of calm connection that feel increasingly rare and all the more valuable for it. Snacks are provided for children, ensuring the morning flows effortlessly for everyone involved.
Inclusivity sits at the heart of Woodford Halse Play Group. All parents and carers are warmly welcomed, including those expecting their first child, making it as much a support network as it is a play space.
Taking place every Friday from 9:00am to 11:00am, the group remains refreshingly accessible: £2 for the first child, 50p for each additional child, with babies under six months attending free. First visits are complimentary, and a small 50p contribution is invited from additional adults who wish to enjoy refreshments.
In its simplicity lies its charm, a place where community is nurtured, friendships are formed, and the smallest members of Woodford Halse are given space to play, grow, and belong.
.png)
.png)
The Sound of Heritage: Laidlaw Memorial Pipes and Drums
cross the quiet lanes and market towns of Oxfordshire, the unmistakable voice of the Highland pipes rises with dignity and resonance. At the centre of this enduring tradition stands Laidlaw Memorial Pipes and Drums, a band that brings together musicians from Banbury and beyond to celebrate the rich pageantry of Scottish heritage. Whether leading ceremonial parades, performing at public events, or competing on the national stage, the band continues a legacy that has echoed through generations.
The story began in 1961, when John “Jock” Laidlaw, a former piper of The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders and holder of the Burma Star, founded the band. Laidlaw holds a remarkable place in military history, believed to have been the last piper to play troops into action during the Second World War’s Burma campaign. His spirit of service and musical excellence set the tone for the ensemble that would follow.
Leadership passed in the early 1980s to Ian Allen, formerly of the Scots Guards, and Bob Shakespeare, before later stewardship by Richard Jasper and Steve Duffy, also an ex–Scots Guards piper. Under their guidance, the band flourished — performing at distinguished venues such as Blenheim Palace, Warwick Castle, and Highclere Castle, and representing British pipe band tradition internationally in Germany, France, Italy, and The Philippines.
After a period of quiet in the early 2000s, the band’s story found an unexpected new chapter. In 2022, a chance meeting at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo inspired former pipe major Richard Jasper and Dr. Ian Graham to revive Banbury’s pipe band. With a handful of returning members, the support of musician Mark McLaughlan, and instruments retrieved from storage, the band was reborn.
Today, proudly wearing the Royal Stewart tartan, Laidlaw Memorial Pipes and Drums honours both its founder and the legacy of Daniel Laidlaw, another famed military piper who wore the same tartan in service. The band now combines heritage with fresh ambition, welcoming new pipers and drummers while nurturing developing players through its training programme.
Each Remembrance Sunday, the band’s music carries a particular poignancy. Marching through the streets of Middleton Cheney and Brackley, the pipers and drummers perform with solemn pride, honouring the men and women who sacrificed their lives in service. The sound of the pipes, echoing through the towns, offers a moving tribute — one that binds past and present with every note.
With its heritage rooted in history and its sights set firmly on the future, Laidlaw Memorial Pipes and Drums continues to ensure that the stirring sound of the pipes remains a proud and living tradition.
Priors School: A Legacy of Learning at the Heart of the Village
Set amid the rolling Warwickshire countryside, Priors School possesses a quietly distinctive character. Its setting is remarkable, its children curious and engaged, and its community close-knit and deeply supportive. A small village primary school in Priors Marston, the school is steeped in history and purpose, having first opened its doors in 1847 before becoming one of the country’s earliest Free Schools in September 2011.
From its earliest beginnings, Priors School has understood the profound importance of education in a child’s formative years. These early experiences lay the foundations for intellectual curiosity, emotional resilience and physical wellbeing, shaping how children meet both opportunity and challenge later in life. Today, the Staff and Governors remain steadfast in their commitment to providing an environment that nurtures this development, guided by the founding principles upon which the school was built.
.png)
“It is our priority that the education your child receives here with us will enable them to achieve their academic potential and progress confidently into the next phase of their education. It is also part of our vision that all our children are filled with positive experiences, that they are aware of the endless possibilities that await them and that they are nurtured in order to develop within them a confidence to embrace whatever comes their way. We do this through our wide, varied and creative curriculum and strive to give the children as many experiences as possible out of the classroom.”
Built in 1847, and entrusted to the village by Earl Spencer just two years later, Priors Marston Church of England School was originally established to provide a secure and stimulating environment in which children could flourish — happy, motivated, and empowered to reach their full potential. This ethos has remained constant throughout the school’s evolution, from its early years, through local authority oversight, a period as an independent charitable school, and into its current status as a pioneering Free School.
As a small school, Priors offers an exceptional level of personal attention. Each child is known, valued and supported according to their individual strengths and needs. A strong culture of good behaviour, respect and kindness ensures the school remains a warm, welcoming and joyful place to learn.
The Free School works closely with the Nursery, sharing buildings, grounds and values. Alongside comprehensive wrap-around care, this partnership enables Priors to offer a seamless and nurturing educational journey throughout this vital stage of childhood.
At its heart, the school is inseparable from its village. Priors School actively draws upon its community and surroundings, enriching both the educational experience of its pupils and the life of Priors Marston itself.
Academically, the school delivers a broad and balanced curriculum tailored to the interests, abilities and individual needs of every child. Equal emphasis is placed on independent thinking, problem-solving and the development of confidence and self-esteem. These qualities are brought vividly to life through the school’s creative culture, particularly in its much-loved drama productions, where children are encouraged to express themselves, collaborate and shine.
Priors School is, quite simply, a place where history, community and forward-thinking education come together — offering children not only a strong start, but a lasting sense of possibility.
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
Advertise with us
Are you a business owner looking to connect with over 10,000 across 24 local villages? Advertise with us today and engage with your community