Christmas is the time for giving, whether that be handmade coasters or knitted scarfs, you could find everything at the Oxford Etsy Christmas Market.

With over 70 local makers and sellers, the market filled the Oxford University Examination Schools on the 17th November 2024.

Not only was there arts and crafts but also food and drink stands, offering hot chocolate and sweet treats or you could have indulged and tried snacks from the Indian cuisine stand. The market was open until 4pm with a choir singing Christmas carols as well. For many sellers, it was their first time attending this year's Etsy market. For Rangan Goldsmith she said:

“I’m a member of the Oxfordshire arts week, which means that we get first dibs on the stalls, so that’s how I came to know about it”

These markets are a really good opportunity for small businesses to grow and develop a network of customers. When asked about the success of these markets she said,

 “It depends on what you’re selling really, because I’ve done really badly in village halls and I’ve done really well in urban areas, so it depends on where your audience is.”

Rangan’s stall sold her handmade designs printed onto notebooks, coasters and decorations. 

There were also many environmentally friendly products as well. The Cece and Klem stall, which sold hand drawn prints, coasters and cushions made it one of their top priorities. When talking to the stall holder Lissie she said,

“So everything is sustainable, from using glass which can be recycled to using biodegradable wrapping products. Even the cushions which we use recycled plastic bottles for the cushion inners, so yeah it’s more eco-friendly.”

The Etsy Christmas Market will hopefully be back next year, with even more stalls and an even bigger audience.

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Their dark eyes look up towards me as I walk past trying not to make eye contact. I was always told all they want are drugs. Their pale skin clinging to their bones as they look at me, whilst huddled within a rough coat and a sleeping bag.

Christmas is the time for good food, back to back films, laughter and cheer. For the homeless people of Oxford however, their Christmas is spent sitting on the cold wet streets watching passers by, feeling dehumanised.

After coming to Oxford Brookes University from a relatively small town in Suffolk where homelessness is rare, I was appalled by just how many people were sitting on the streets. They sit on damp cardboard signs, holding paper cups with only a few pennies in them. Even though no one likes to be hassled on a busy morning or afternoon, seeing these people on the streets, especially around Christmas time, with no refuge or safety made me feel hopeless.

Oxford has many homeless shelters and soup kitchens that offer food, warmth and activities and advice on how to improve their life. The biggest factor contributing to the increasing number of rough sleepers is the affordability of housing within Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley. With Oxford being surrounded by a river and flood land, along with historic buildings with specific regulations surrounding what can or cannot be built around them, it’s very difficult to get planning permission. Along with the cost of living crisis, buying and renovating land has become increasingly expensive. It also means for some students and especially international students, that sustaining and developing a life in Oxford can be a real challenge.

Another factor contributing to the amount of homeless people on the streets of Oxford is due to many service jobs not paying enough for people to keep up with their rent, which forces people to struggle. The lack of support surrounding certain mental health illnesses is also a growing issue. When someone is struggling with their mental health, who lacks a strong support network it can be really difficult for them to hold down a tenancy.

Many stores offer a too good to go bag within Oxford. Pret a Manger in particular, has partnered with many charities to tackle homelessness. On their official website they state,

“Reducing waste and hunger

We’ve always tried to reduce the waste from our shops. Charities, shelters and community organisations come to collect our freshly made unsold food and give it to the people who need it most. For some, it’s their only meal of the day. We do it because it’s the right thing to do.” https://www.pret.co.uk/en-GB/the-pret-foundation

This is really helpful, around this time of year and it truly does make someone’s life on the streets that little bit better. Even though a sandwich here and there isn’t going to change their life in the long run, it can put a smile on their face, even if it lasts just a minute.

After walking the streets of Oxford, I spoke to one lady who had been on the streets for three years. She said,

“I didn’t get on with my mum and I always felt that she never loved me so I left.”

When asked how she gets through the Christmas period she said,

“It’s hard. Especially with everyone walking past with bags of presents and people looking at me like I’m a drug addict or I’m dangerous.”

I also spoke to another lady who has lived on the streets for three years also, with her dog- Bouncer. She said,

“Sometimes I just want to talk to someone. People think we are scammers and we’re not. We’re just unlucky”

What Are The Impacts?

There are social, mental and also physical impacts on being homeless and all of them are detrimental to those living on the streets. People who suffer from mental health problems are less likely to maintain relationships and be able to sustain a balanced life.

Many homeless people can also feel isolated and alone, when living on the streets, which makes it much easier for them to turn towards substance abuse and bad habits. However, not every homeless person is a drug addict.

The longer someone is out on the streets, the more difficult it is for charities and shelters to try and get them back onto their feet. There is such a large divide between those living on the streets to those living in a house, who have access to clean water, warmth and home cooked food. According to ‘Homeless Link’ it states on their website that,

“People with no home often have complex health needs. The mean age at death of homeless people was 46 years for men, 43 years for women. This compares to 76 years for men and 81 years for women in the general population”

Being homeless isn’t just about being on the streets, it’s also about not having access to the NHS or a GP, because to register, most practices need an address. Homeless people are more at risk of suffering from the winter flu, covid-19 and other viruses this Christmas. However even though they are living in the United Kingdom, where we pride ourselves on the NHS, many homeless people can’t access it. This puts up a real barrier, which needs to be broken. It’s truly sad to turn sick people away just because they have no address. However this is becoming the norm.

Although you may not know it, or want to know it, there are no magic fairies that visit every homeless person on the streets at night and offer them a place to stay or something warm to eat. No one goes around the streets and says ‘that’s a wrap for today, pack up and go home’. These aren’t actors and they’re not animals. They are human beings being forced to live in the cold and wet, begging for even just a bottle of water. Homelessness is as real as it gets when it comes to life and these people need our help.

What Can You do?

There are lots of ways in which you can help the homeless not only this Christmas but all throughout the year.

1. If you see someone sleeping rough, a small social interaction can go a long way especially for people who witness people walk past them everyday.

2. Buying a gift such as a sandwich and a bottle of water can also go very far at this time of year.

3. You could always buy the Big Issue. Especially in cities such as Oxford, it helps people without homes or on the verge of sleeping rough, earn a little bit of extra income.

4. Always be on the lookout for local initiatives that are helping raise money for the homeless and get involved!

Should I give cash?

Giving money is entirely a personal choice and one which you have no control over on what they spend it on. They might choose to spend it on themselves, friends or even their pets. However, not every homeless person is going to buy food or even possibly clothes and those with an addiction are more likely to spend your money on things that you personally wouldn’t like. Giving money in general may buy them a hot drink or a sandwich but it is very unlikely to help them in the long run. Therefore, donating money to charities or even putting them in contact with shelters and food banks, are going to make their lives a little bit better.

There are lots of homeless shelters and charities within Oxford,

• Oxford Gatehouse (Homeless shelter)

• Homeless Oxfordshire (charity)

• Crisis Skylight Oxford (Homeless service)

• Oxford Mind Housing (charity)

(Links below)

After speaking with the Oxford Gatehouse homeless shelter, Sasha (CEO) said,

“As a society we need to work collectively so that we have more affordable homes for people, this means things like better rules around how landlords let [to] tenants.”

At Christmas time in particular she said,

“At Christmas it can be really helpful to get involved with one of the local organisations that work with people experiencing homelessness.”

It’s not just The Gatehouse that are looking for volunteers but most homeless shelters in Oxford are in dire need of volunteers this Christmas.

To those out there who may not understand the harsh reality of spending Christmas on the streets, the Gatehouse homeless shelter says,

“You may not believe it but anyone of us could become homeless. We meet people at The Gatehouse from such a wide range of backgrounds. Life can throw unexpected things in our direction that we could never have predicted.”

She continued and said,

“There are also many more people without homes than those sleeping out on the streets, many people spend months on sofas of friends or in hostels or moving between places that can only offer a temporary solution”

The Gatehouse are always looking for volunteers but during the summer months in particular, as many of the volunteers are students and go home in the summer. This means that the shelter finds it really difficult to run its services.

When you are sitting round your table this Christmas eating your three course meal or opening your new MacBook, remember that there is someone out there on the streets, cold, tired and hungry, just trying to get through another year.

If you would like to help out this Christmas or in the summer, click the links below,

https://oxfordgatehouse.org/volunteer/

Homeless Oxfordshire

https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-help/oxford/

https://www.oxfordshiremind.org.uk/support-for-you/housing/

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From consent education to sex toy bingo, Oxford Brookes once again took on SHAG week for the third year running.

This year SHAG week kicked off with sex toy bingo, with sexual bingo calls and sexy prizes to be won. It was a relaxed and fun evening, with even a free soft drink at half term from the union bar.

Day two took on a sold out 0% sculpt and sip evening, which was incredibly popular. It saw everything from sculpted bodices to snowmen, everyone had the chance to sculpt anything and there was even the chance to have won a tote bag.

Although there were even more fun activities like bracelet making on day three and a tv chill night on day four, there was also free STI testing, as well as a ‘Let’s Talk Consent’ workshop. This is really important for University students to have access to these opportunities along with undoubted support.

SHAG week was all about having fun, but it was also an important week to educate and learn about safe sex, as having the opportunity to learn about your own sexual health and wellbeing.

Brookes Union will host a variety of activities, workshops and giveaways throughout the year. Keep a lookout!

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Before we dive into the cheapest places to get groceries in Oxford, let’s take stock of how we got here.

The cost of living in Oxford

The city’s cost of rent is only trailing London in many analyses, with average monthly rents for a single bedroom ranging from £1,450 to £2,500 (depending on which ranking you look at).

But aside from accommodation, Oxford’s high cost of living is propelled by daily expenses such as grocery prices. According to the Numbeo Groceries Index 2026, the UK belongs to the more expensive half of European countries when it comes to the cost of food.

Since the pandemic, prices have risen sharply. New research by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) shows that UK food prices are on track to be 50% higher this November than they were five years ago.

Projections aside, from November 2020 to November 2025, the cost of food increased by almost 40%, according to House of Commons Library calculations based on ONS data. Meanwhile, the overall inflation for the same period was only about 30%.

Reasons for the increase

“Trump’s war in the Middle East is set to drive shopping bills higher as oil and gas prices spike,” said ECIU food analyst Chris Jaccarini in a press release. He explained how climate change contributed to rising grocery prices. “Three of England’s worst harvests on record have been in the past five years.”

He said another key reason for the price hikes in recent years was, of course, Russia’s war against Ukraine, which is oftentimes called Europe’s breadbasket.

Other factors contributing to food inflation are high energy and fertiliser prices, supply chain shocks such as during the Covid-19 pandemic, or trade barriers.

But: Inflation of food prices is now slowing down, reports the ONS. From April 2025 to April 2026, they rose by 3%.

Still, consumers feel the shift in grocery cost. According to the ECIU, even when adjusting for average wages, food prices have risen by 11% compared to five years ago.

As a result, 37% of UK adults say they now spend less on essentials, found the House of Commons Library. Low-income households, including many student households, are even more affected by high food prices.

Oxford’s supermarkets compared

So what’s the most affordable place in Oxford to get your groceries in June 2026? Hybrid Magazine ranked major supermarkets closest to Brookes’ Headington Campus.

To estimate the prices, we noted the cost of an exemplary food basket. When the ONS does that to calculate consumer price inflation in the UK, they look at dozens of items.

For this article, however, we will look at a basket of 10 products (because our author lives vegetarian, they don’t include any meat products): buttery spread, bread, pasta, pizza, rice, six apples, potatoes, a bell pepper, broccoli, and a block of tofu.

Bear in mind that this test only represents a snapshot on one specific day, for one specific store location each, and of somewhat arbitrarily selected products. Their weights and sizes sometimes varied slightly. It should only be used as an indicator for how prices compare generally.

The list, from cheapest to most expensive:

1. Aldi (£8,76)

2. Lidl (£9,84)

3. Tesco (£11,39)

4. Waitrose (£12,47)

5. Sainsbury’s (£13,71)

6. Iceland (£14,02)

7. Co-op (£18,95)

(Iceland and Co-op didn’t carry any tofu when the experiment was conducted. The average price for tofu charged by the other supermarkets was added to their bills. Co-op also didn’t have any bell peppers and broccoli in store, so the prices were taken from their website. The Headington Tesco was closed due to a safety incident on the day of the experiment. The Cowley Road Tesco was used instead.)

While Aldi and Lidl are the clear winners of this spot check, they are further away from the Brookes campus than their competitors, an estimated 10 minutes by bike each, according to Google Maps.

To many, Waitrose’s position so high up the list might come as a surprise. Likewise, Iceland’s weak performance does not match their public image. Co-op’s high price for a pizza was one contributor to its placement at the bottom of the list.

One notable omission from this list is Nisa, located in the Clive Booth student village. However, they didn’t carry a large enough selection of grocery items to be included. The same goes for the M&S Simply Food on the premises of John Radcliffe Hospital.

As we are all aware, life in 2025 is expensive. Whether it be food, education or even a pint; budgets’ remain stretched for most. Towards the top of the list is housing. Whether you’re buying or renting, it definitely isn’t cheap.

There are four key factors that are definitely going to influence house prices in the future. The world we now live in post Covid, the Renters Right Act 2025, changes to Bank of England base rates and the availability of housing. Each of these factors will impact on the place you call home.

University choices are wide, there are many courses but finding accommodation remains competitive. For landlords and investors in Oxford, there feels like there is always a constant supply of students and if demand for their property exceeds supply rents, will only go up. Great business if you can afford it!

But it’s not just the students. Many full time workers are now straddled with the university debt and if the accommodation is shared with a partner who has also attended university the debt is combined. Trying to save for a deposit on either a flat (one months rent) or the house (10% of the purchase price) is difficult .

House prices vary regionally and by property type . Why? Employment and lifestyle seem to be two key influences when finding the perfect home. Post Covid employment and lifestyles have changed with hybrid working now the norm. To a certain degree lifestyle remains within our control but there are many other factors that aren’t.

Let’s have a look at Oxford:

This graph demonstrates the percentage increase in housing prices in Oxford from 2005 - 2025.

House prices in Oxford over the last 20 years have risen and fallen in cycles. Focussing on recent times, the average price of property in Oxford dropped below the UK average in 2018 to £244,000. House prices have a direct impact on the ability to buy or rent. If house prices are low, it could be a good time to buy, but you need the cash to do so and you also need to ensure the city is not facing an economic crisis.

Despite the price cycles in the earlier graph South East values (Oxford ) have risen significantly overall.

House prices which are higher than the national average normally reflect a desirable area . Oxford has good public transport and is only a short train journey away from London, making it an ideal city for many to live in. It also has some of the top schools with Magdalene College and an excellent hospital, John Radcliff. Oxford has curb appeal for every generation. .With more people working from home after the pandemic, it isn’t essential for people to live in London or the suburbs.

But with a desirable location and higher prices deposits will be higher and competition amongst buyers can be fierce. For landlords the higher prices may reflect higher rents which many tenants are forced to pay whilst saving for a deposit on their first purchase.Once the property is secured the dilemma does not stop. Interest rates can make mortgages less or more expensive if on a variable rate and we have recently seen base rate move from 0.5% during Covid to 4% now.

Up until recently Landlords issuing AST’s (assured shorthold tenancies) had the right to raise rents and tenants either swallowed it or moved out. This has now changed following the introduction of the Renters Right Act in 2025, designed to offer tenants more security. It empowers them to challenge bad practice without fear of retaliatory eviction. Tenants are allowed to negotiate with the landlords if their rents are raised and can appeal via a tribunal who will decide if the increase is fair. Until that decision is made rents will remain at the lower amount.

On this basis there is a high likelihood of a backlog of cases at tribunal Landlords should also benefit, with more straightforward regulation, and clearer and expanded possession grounds but this still needs to be determined.

Tenants renting property in Oxford were asked about their existing arrangements:

Luella Davis is a student at Oxford Brookes University, currently renting a room in an HMO (House of Multiple Occupation) student house stated “There has been a huge increase in rent prices to the point where we have stopped looking for a new house for next year. We’ve negotiated with our current landlord to let us keep our house after saying we needed to move as the rent was already too expensive. After looking around, we found out that the price we are paying, which is already high( £1350 a month), has become the normal rate for a house that isn’t damp. Even though we are having to stay in the property, we are experiencing higher rent rates.”

Maddie Whitton, another student renting a HMO stated her thoughts on renting in Oxford. “Oxford is the fourth most expensive city in the UK to rent - and I can sure tell you! We pay £600 a month each, not including bills - for a student house for 5 people; this is a bargain compared to the rest of Oxford. It is so hard to find a good deal as everywhere to rent in Oxford nowadays is expensive - it’s a national problem.”

In the first instance the rent uplift has been agreed which will safeguard Luella for at least 12 months . With Maddie it appears the landlord is in a position to review?

Turning to newly built homes for sale, the government has set a target of 1,500,000 new homes by the next election and it is already clear that target will be missed. In simple economics if demand remains greater than supply prices are more than likely to go up. This is reflected in the graph below (2025). The huge drop in values in 2009 can be linked to the global financial crisis and a number of borrowers unable to repay existing loans.

As the financial crisis drew to an end, opportunistic investors with cash bought into new homes at lower prices. This investment saw Oxford house prices increase by 15% compared to 6% in the UK.. In combination Oxford had an existing shortfall in properties “the Oxford housing crisis’ both of which were key to house price growth .

To build more homes we need a strong economy and changes to the planning process. The existing and previous governments recognise that the existing planning system is inefficient. More land needs to gain consent for building and more apprenticeships for skills in the building trade to undertake construction.

Since the pandemic both companies and employees have adopted hybrid working . With fewer people needing to be based in London, we may see an increase in house prices in cities such as Oxford. Other cities are also beginning to expand, such as Manchester therefore there may be an increase in demand for housing outside of the South East.

What will this mean though for the future of house buying? For younger generations entry into the housing market is likely to be much later if solely reliant on personal means. Land prices remain high, cost of materials remains high and the planning system remains inefficient. With a shortage of rental properties and the ability for tenants to be protected to a much greater degree, demand for rentals is likely to grow .

Property boom or bust? That depends on which side of the many fences you sit on.

The Ashmolean Museum was founded in 1683 as the world’s first university museum founded by Elias Ashmole, who gave his extensive collection of curiosities to Oxford University.

I recently visited the first floor of the museum and was astounded by the amount of history, information, and artistry contained within its walls. What impressed me most was not only that I would love to re-visit and take a look at the other floors, but how connected I was to my own humanity. Bringing centuries of human creativity and discovery together in one place can make the past feel vivid, personal, and remarkably alive.

The Ashmolean is far more than a gallery of ancient artefacts and fine art – it is a living archive of human curiosity. As the first public museum in Britain, today its significance is often referred to as ‘crossing cultures, crossing time,’ renowned for its vast collections of archaeological findings.

At the heart of the Ashmolean Museum lies a story that stretches across centuries, cultures, and civilisations. From Egyptian mummies and classical sculpture to Renaissance paintings and contemporary exhibitions, its collections reveal the ways people have sought to understand the world and their place within it, offering a unique journey through history under one roof.

The Arundel Marbles Collection

These remarkable sculptures once belonged to Thomas Howard, one of England’s greatest art collectors during the reigns of James I and Charles I. By the time of his death in 1646, Howard had assembled an extraordinary collection of over 700 paintings alongside sculptures, inscriptions, jewellery, drawings, and furniture, earning him a reputation as one of the most important patrons of art in seventeenth-century England.

Among the marbles on display was a striking statue of a woman posed with her arms held tightly across her body in the classical ‘Pudicitia’ stance, a style commonly used in Asia Minor, now modern-day western Turkey. Dating from the late Hellenistic period between 200 and 1 BC, the sculpture conveyed both elegance and restraint, reflecting the ideals of femininity admired in the ancient world.

Another memorable piece was a marble bust of a woman featuring the distinctive hairstyle of Antonia Minor, the daughter of Mark Antony and niece of Emperor Augustus. Interestingly, the museum notes revealed that the head and bust were created in entirely different periods – the head dating from 41–54 AD, while the bust itself was produced much later, between 1600 and 1750. This unusual combination highlights the long and complex history behind many classical artworks and the ways they have been restored, altered, and preserved over centuries.

Excavations in Rome

For Thomas Howard, collecting ancient art was not simply a hobby, but a statement. The ideals of ancient Rome, particularly gravitas, honour, virtue, and nobility deeply appealed to him, and he surrounded himself with objects from Greece and Rome that reflected these values.

During a visit to Rome between 1613 and 1614, Arundel was even granted permission by the papal authorities to carry out excavations, uncovering several ancient statues. Although, in a twist worthy of an archaeological reality show, later rumours suggested some of the objects may actually have been planted for him to ‘discover.’

One of the most striking statues linked to these excavations was a marble figure of a man wearing a toga, nicknamed ‘Cicero.’ The statue gained its famous identity because restorers in the 1700s added a wart to the right cheek.

Nearby stands a draped female marble statue inspired by representations of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation – blending Roman craftsmanship with earlier Greek artistic ideals.

Another portrait bust revealed just how complicated the survival of ancient sculpture can be: the head and body did not originally belong together, and the cut beneath the neck suggested the head had once been attached to an entirely different statue. Ancient art restoration often seemed less like careful conservation and more like an enormous historical jigsaw puzzle with several missing pieces.

The collection also includes a beautifully carved marble throne dedicated to the gods Isis, Osiris, and Anubis by a Greek priest named Archidamos. Originating from Delos during the Hellenistic period, the throne highlighted the mixture of Greek and Egyptian religious influences that shaped the ancient Mediterranean world.

Elsewhere, a colossal marble head of Apollo dominated the gallery. Its nose, mouth, chin, and even sections of the hair had undergone repeated restorations since the 1600s, making it difficult to know exactly where the ancient sculpture ended and later repair work began. Still, the sheer scale of the piece made it impossible to ignore.

Some of the most haunting objects in the museum came from Roman Egypt. The mummy of a young woman from Hawara in the Fayum region featured an encaustic portrait painted on limewood, her hairstyle and jewellery reflecting contemporary Roman fashions. Despite being nearly two thousand years old, the portrait felt surprisingly modern, almost like an ancient passport photo. Nearby were portraits of bearded men painted in the same style.

However, not every object in the collection celebrated power or beauty. A tombstone from Smyrna depicted a mourning woman accompanied by servants, while the names of the dead had been deliberately chiselled away over time.

Another marble sculpture showed Eros, the god of lust, asleep with his torch turned downward. This is a Roman symbol of death used in memorial art, representing a gentle, peaceful passing.

Finally, part of a marble sarcophagus showed two drunken revellers returning from celebrations in honour of the wine god Bacchus. Restored during the 1600s, the scene captured both the extravagance and absurdity of ancient life. It was oddly comforting to realise that even two thousand years ago, people still enjoyed parties a little too much.

Ancient Egypt meets Greece and Rome

The Egyptian galleries at the Ashmolean Museum offered one of the most absorbing parts of the entire museum, tracing three thousand years of history from the earliest Egyptian kingdoms to the arrival of the Roman Empire. Around 3100 BC, Egypt became unified under a single ruler, beginning a cultural tradition that would continue for millennia with remarkable consistency.

This section focused on the rule of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, which governed Egypt from 305 to 30 BC after the death of Alexander the Great. The dynasty was founded by Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander’s generals, and ended dramatically with the defeat of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony by Augustus in 30 BC. From that point onwards, Egypt became part of the Roman Empire. It was strange to realise that figures usually associated with dramatic films and Shakespeare plays were connected directly to the very artefacts in front of me.

The galleries dedicated to burial traditions were especially fascinating. Wealthy Egyptians carefully followed ancient burial rites in the belief that they would secure eternal life after death. Some mummies were wrapped in linen designed to imitate the net of Osiris, the god of the underworld, resurrection, and fertility. Painted portraits placed over mummies often showed individuals dressed according to Roman fashions, reflecting the merging of Egyptian and Roman identities during this period.

One particularly emotive piece was the mummy of a young boy from Hawara in the Fayum region who died before reaching the age of two. Unlike many others, the child had no painted portrait, but his wrappings were carefully arranged to resemble Osiris himself. Small gilded studs still decorated the linen, while nearby CT scan reconstructions attempted to reveal the child beneath the layers. It was difficult not to pause longer at this display because suddenly, history felt far less distant, and far more human.

The museum also highlighted Egypt’s close relationship with ancient Nubia, the region south of Egypt along the Nile in what is now Sudan. Egyptian rulers repeatedly invaded Nubia in pursuit of gold mines and trade routes, but over time the Nubian rulers of the Kingdom of Kush grew powerful enough to conquer Egypt themselves, ruling as the 25th Dynasty between roughly 715 and 657 BC.

One of the standout pieces connected to this history was a granodiorite statue of Taharqa. Depicted wearing an elaborate plumed headdress and holding the crook and flail symbols of kingship, the statue projected authority even after more than two and a half thousand years. Ancient rulers clearly understood the importance of political image.

Another memorable feature of the gallery was the collection of funerary stelae, which are carved stone memorials placed in tombs as focal points for offerings to the soul, or ‘ka,’ of the deceased. These inscriptions included names, titles, images, food offerings, and spells intended to sustain the dead in the afterlife. Reading them felt oddly familiar, almost like ancient versions of personalised memorial plaques, except with considerably more references to eternal spiritual nourishment.

What made the Egyptian galleries so compelling was not simply the age of the artefacts, but the continuity of belief they revealed. Across thousands of years, despite invasions, dynasties, and foreign empires, many Egyptian traditions remained remarkably consistent.

Standing among the statues, mummies, and carved inscriptions, it became clear that ancient Egyptians were just as concerned with identity, memory, family, and legacy as people are today.

Early scripture

The ‘Adoption Papyrus,’ written in hieratic script during the reign of Ramesses XI around 1104–1075 BC, revealed just how complex family life and inheritance could be in New Kingdom Egypt. Far from being a dry legal document, the papyrus read almost like an ancient family drama filled with adoption arrangements, inheritance negotiations, and carefully planned attempts to keep property within the household.

If modern inheritance law can already feel complicated, ancient Egypt clearly had its own equally bewildering system. The document records the actions of a childless couple, Nebnefer and his wife Rennefer. In an unusual legal move, Nebnefer formally adopts his own wife as his ‘daughter,’ so that she could inherit his estate after his death, rather than allowing it to pass to other relatives.

After Nebnefer’s death, Rennefer explains that she and her husband had previously purchased a slave woman who later gave birth to three children, likely fathered by Nebnefer himself. Rennefer raised the children and legally adopted them as her own. She then adopted the husband of the eldest daughter, Padiu, who was also, somewhat awkwardly, Rennefer’s brother, ensuring he too could inherit part of the estate. Finally, the document records that Rennefer emancipated the three adopted children and transferred the estate to them and Padiu.

Beyond its complicated web of family relationships, the papyrus revealed something genuinely fascinating about ancient Egyptian society: women in Egypt possessed legal rights. They could own property, inherit wealth, and pass estates on in their own name. In many ways, Rennefer emerges from the text as a determined and capable figure carefully managing her family’s future through legal means. It was strange, and oddly entertaining, to discover that more than three thousand years ago, people were already dealing with inheritance disputes, blended families, and complicated paperwork – proof that human society has always been slightly chaotic, no matter the century.

However, the world’s earliest known writing systems developed around 3300 BC. Bone and ivory tags in tomb U-j at Abydos were inscribed with groups of signs, perhaps representing geographic and personal names, commodities, and numerals. Continuous texts did not appear until several centuries after the invention of the hieroglyphic script.

Egypt’s Earliest Inhabitants

Humans first populated Egypt around one million years ago. The climate was less arid than it is today, enabling plants and animals to thrive in areas that have since become desert.

The fertile Nile Valley was used by hunter-gatherers who produced flint tools. Agriculture first developed around 5500 BC, as settlements moved closer to the River Nile. This was because the River Nile was so dependable that farming did not appear until after this time.

New types of blade technologies appeared around 50,000 years ago, including small flint elements (microliths) set into composite tools.

The city of Akhetaten and the Amarna ‘Revolution’

When Amenhotep IV ascended the throne during the 18th Dynasty, he rejected Egypt’s long-established religious traditions and introduced the worship of Aten, the sun disk, as the supreme divine power.

In honour of this new belief system, he renamed himself Akhenaten, establishing a new capital city under this name, known today as Tell el-Amarna. The city quickly became the centre of an artistic and religious movement that reshaped Egyptian culture.

Although Akhetaten was abandoned only two decades after its creation, archaeologists excavating the site in the 1890s uncovered a wealth of remarkably preserved material that revealed the vibrancy of life during the Amarna Period.

The city’s temples, palaces, and private homes contained elaborately painted pottery, colourful faience and glass ornaments, and architectural decorations that reflected the importance of Aten and the beauty of the natural world. Together, these discoveries provide valuable insight into a brief yet revolutionary era that transformed Egyptian art, religion, and political identity.

The Kingdom of Kush

The Kingdom of Kush emerged as a powerful civilisation in Nubia following the decline of Egypt’s New Kingdom around 1075 BC. Expanding their influence throughout the Nile Valley, the Kushite rulers eventually asserted control over Egypt itself under King Piye, founding Egypt’s 25th Dynasty and ruling from approximately 715 to 657 BC.

During the Napatan Period, the Kushite capital was centred at Napata, but it later shifted southward to Meroe under King Aspelta, marking the beginning of the Meroitic Period, which lasted from 270 BC to AD 350.

Although Kushite society was deeply influenced by ancient Egyptian culture, it gradually developed its own distinctive forms of art, religion, language, and technology. The Meroitic Period in particular became known for advances in metalworking and craftsmanship.

Bronze was the most commonly used metal, though the tin required for its production had to be imported, making bronze objects highly valuable. Iron, an even stronger and more prized material, was also imported into the region.

Archaeological discoveries from the Meroitic cemetery at Faras reveal the sophistication of Kushite artisans, including bronze boxes, bowls, bottles, tools, and decorative items, some featuring Greek inscriptions that reflect connections with the wider Mediterranean world. These objects demonstrate the Kingdom of Kush’s political strength, cultural independence, and technological achievement during one of the most influential periods in northeastern African history.

Faience and Stone Animals

The ‘Main Deposit’ at Hierakonpolis contained many models of animals in faience and stone. Some of the creatures depicted were hunted by the ancient Egyptians, while others feared for their power and destructive force. These models may therefore be associated with the performance of rituals at Hierakonpolis, including the presentation of food offerings and animal sacrifice.

The predynastic Egyptians were inspired by the landscape of the Nile Valley. Animals were popular within art, occurring on a wide range of pottery vessels, palettes and clay models. Their presence as grave goods suggest the belief that they would be recreated in the next life for the benefit of the deceased.

Bone and ivory combs and hairpins, usually decorated with animals, were also often depicted in graves. Below is a section of hair with three bone hairpins and a spoon from a grave containing a female body. Abadiya, grave B378 E.1035-38.

Ancient Cyprus

Ancient Cyprus reveals a rich and complex history through objects that reflect its language, warfare, and connections with the wider Greek world. A limestone block from a monument dating to about 500–300 BC, probably from Amathous, is inscribed in Eteocypriot, an undeciphered local language written in syllabic script. This inscription highlights the cultural diversity of Cyprus in antiquity and the survival of local traditions alongside Greek influence.

Another important artefact is a bronze spearhead from Marion, Agios Demetrios, tomb 2, dating from 400–350 BC. The spearhead reflects the armed conflicts and political instability that affected Cyprus during this period, when rival kingdoms and outside powers competed for control of the island.

The wider story of the ancient Mediterranean and Europe is represented by several remarkable objects and historical developments. The Parian Marble, compiled on the island of Paros in 264/3 BC, is the oldest surviving example of a Greek chronological table, recording significant events from as early as 1581/0 BC. One fragment came to Oxford in 1667, while another was lost during the English Civil War and a third was rediscovered on Paros in 1897.

Another wow-factor statue is the cast of a bronze statue of a man from about 470 BC, based on the original statue recovered by divers near a shipwreck off Cape Artemisium on the island of Euboea in the years 1926 and 1928.

European Prehistory to AD 100

The earliest inhabitants of Europe were not modern humans. Earlier homininis occupied Europe intermittently from around 1.8 million years ago, while Homo Sapiens, the direct ancestors of modern people, probably first arrived only about 40,000 years ago.

Below is a skull from 1.8 million years ago, of the earlier homininis.

Whether you visit the Ashmolean Museum for the art, the history, or simply the chance to pretend that you understand abstract pottery, what you see, read, and hear will leave you feeling inspired and connected to a world so visually different, but so meaningfully the same. If you can make the journey, I would highly recommend it.

For more information, visit: https://www.ashmolean.org/

But this historic site is one of Oxford’s oldest landmarks.

I recently visited, and learned much more than I had expected about Oxford’s rich history, which blends medieval might with later penal gloom, wrapped up in a surprisingly entertaining package.

General Knowledge (for your next pub quiz!)

Oxford Castle was built shortly after the Norman Conquest, by Norman Baron Robert D’Oyly, around 1071. Its purpose was to keep the locals in line and remind citizens who was in charge. Constructed as a classic motte-and-bailey castle, it features earth works, timber defences, and later, stone upgrades.

Naturally however, it didn’t take long for drama to unfold. The legendary feud during the Anarchy – a 12th century civil war, meant that the Empress Matilda, the granddaughter of William the Conqueror, besieged here in 1142. She was hiding from her cousin who had taken to the English throne – King Steven of Blois. At the time, Oxford wasn’t just another medieval town, it was briefly stated as the capital of England, making it a symbol of national power.

Once the King had found out about Matilda’s whereabouts, he and his men surrounded the castle, awaiting Matilda to run out of food and surrender. Rather, Matilda famously escaped, by sneaking out at night, wrapped in bed sheets that matched the December snow. She walked backwards, away from the castle, so that her footprints would look as though she were still inside it, escaping to her freedom.

St Georges Tower: Climb if you dare!

The surviving St. Georges tower is one of the oldest parts of the castle, predating the Norman takeover, linking back to Saxon Oxford. The winding stairs were purposely made. Each one of them is a different size and shape, so that attackers that entered the tower would trip and fall onto their own sword.

That being said, if you do visit the castle, do not overestimate the strength of your knees.

At the top of the tower, keep an eye out for a carved cross. Over time, many of them have crumbled, however the castle has rebuilt one to look like an exact replica from back in the day.

What’s interesting is that the crosses at each point of the tower serve for no religious purpose, but rather protection. They were designed for the shaping of a bow and arrow, whilst hiding the bowman behind it, therefore protecting them from any outside battle – a clever warfare advantage.

From fortress to prison: A career change

By the 18th century, the castle transitioned into a prison – because apparently, if your fortress isn’t terrifying enough, you can always add inmates.

Prison life was harsh, and inmates were subject to manual labour such as tread-wheels and stone-breaking. Below is the remains of one of the labour activities where inmates would walk around in a circle for hours on end, pushing the water wheel around.

The point? None, as once inmates stopped pushing, all of the water that they had travelled to the castle, would flow back down again. What remains is the footprints of the inmates that did this job, as shown by the dents in the floorboards.

Prison cells were cramped and very cold, with three to five inmates per room and no soft furnishings. Think less boutique hotel, and more stone boxes with regrets.

Prison deterrents included public executions and humiliation. Prisoners were beheaded on the nearby mound, conveniently acting as a viewing platform, because nothing says community like a good execution.

Public humiliation included the pillory or stocks. People’s heads and arms would be placed into these, and society could throw whatever they wanted over you as a punishment for misbehaving.

Later, this evolved, and the misbehaved ears would be nailed into these devices so that they could not avoid whatever was thrown at them. In regards to freedom, the misbehaved would be handed a knife to cut their own ears off or guards would do it for them. This showed people that you are, or once were, a criminal – a long form version of public shame.

Collapse, Rediscovery, and a Cryptic Surprise!

Over time, much of the castle’s original structure has fallen into disrepair. Large sections were demolished, and in the 18th century, workers stumbled upon a long-buried crypt that had been hidden for centuries.

The crypt was used for religious purposes. When people had passed away, their bodies were given to the monks inside of it. However, these bodies were not disposed of for a very long time.

Today, the crypt carries the reputation of being one of Oxford’s most haunted spots. Visitors have reported strange sounds, cold drafts, and the unsettling feeling that someone is watching.

This crypt used to lay under St Georges chapel, and at the time of rediscovery, had partially collapsed. The builder, working on a tight budget, reused the fallen materials such as stone and rubber to patch it up. The ‘builders’ also expanded the crypt, for its original state would have been very small. The result? A wonderfully uneven, chaotic structure that somehow still stands.

This job was prisoner labour, and so much of the design there was made by inmates themselves.

Prison life through the ages

As time went on, prison conditions evolved . . . but not always for the better. The Victorian period was particularly grim. Strict discipline, isolation, and relentless labour made it arguably the harshest period for inmates.

Oddly enough, if you had money, prison wasn’t so bad! Wealthier prisoners could afford better food, bedding, and significantly better degrees of comfort.

Prisoners were obligated to have three meals a day, their own cell, and also had access to healthcare, long before the NHS existed. There was even a hospital ward – and somewhat ominously, a padded cell for those deemed ‘unwell.’

These luxuries were in some cases preferable to the outside world, and so many people, including children, started committing petty crimes so that they could spend a few weeks having filling meals and a bed to sleep in.

So steal a loaf of bread, and suddenly you’re a part of Oxford’s long and stored penal history.

Pints behind bars: the female wing re-imagined!

One of the more unexpected twists in the site’s long history is the old female prison wing – which today, has traded shackles for ciders.

What was once a section of Oxford’s Castle and Prison, is now a Wetherspoons pub, specifically known as ‘The Swan and Castle.’ The same walls that echoed the clank of cell doors, now hosts the clink of pint glasses.

There is something oddly fitting about it though. The space has gone from confinement to conversation, from punishment to pub lunches. If nothing else, it proves that Oxford has a talent for reinventing its past, preferably with chips on the side.

Lights, camera, incarceration . . .

The castle closed its prison doors in 1996, and in more recent years, the castle has opened its eyes to the world. It has found a second life as a filming location as its atmospheric corridors and historic architecture have made it a natural choice for film and television.

Featuring films and programmes such as ‘102 Dalmatians,’ ‘Bad Girls,’ and ‘The Bill,’ big names including Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, and Gerard Depardieu have all stepped in front of the camera here, adding to Oxford’s reputation as a creative hub.

Final Thoughts and Information

Today the site is far more welcoming than its past. Guided tours bring its stories to life, often with a dose of humour which balances out the darker history.

Ticket prices range from £15–£20, and also include a student deal, though it is best to check latest prices on their website at: https://www.oxfordcastleandprison.co.uk/

Oxford Castle and Prison isn’t just a place where history sits quietly – it looms, creaks, and occasionally gives you goosebumps. From a Norman stronghold, to royal escapes, and a Victorian prison full of ghostly whispers, it offers a layered, slightly eerie glimpse into England’s past.

And if you do hear footsteps in the crypt . . . well it’s probably just another visitor

. . . probably.

In this corner of Oxford, a university education is the norm. Many residents hold not just one degree, but two or more. For the children who go to school here, the university has a constant presence, from the colleges of St Hugh’s and Wolfson, to the blue plaque marking the home of one of Oxford’s most famous fellows, J.R.R. Tolkien.

This is North Oxford Central, where 60% of residents aged 16 years or over have an undergraduate university degree or higher, according to the 2021 England and Wales Census.

It’s rare for an area to be so graduate dense. Outside of London, only seven other areas across England and Wales have such a high proportion of university graduates.

This is also an affluent residential area, and the streets become quieter and more leafy the farther north you wander. The neighbourhood has a high concentration of selective independent schools, and around 35% of residents aged 16 years and over in North Central Oxford are employed in the education sector, whether teaching at the university or at local schools, according to 2021 Census data.

It’s little surprise, then, that many parents choose to send their children to one of the area’s numerous schools, many with the hope that their children will go on to university, whether in Oxford or elsewhere.

Is university still worth the price tag?

University graduates are entering an increasingly tough job market. Figures released in February by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that unemployment among 16–24 year olds climbed to 16.1% in the final three months of 2025, the highest rate since 2014. In real terms, graduate salaries have dropped to an average £26,500 in 2024, down from £30,000 in 2007, according to the ONS’s Labour Force Survey.

Increasing numbers of graduates have recently voiced frustration with the student loan system, with many claiming that the long-term impact on take-home salaries was not fully made clear, and that monthly deductions add to financial pressures from a weak labour market and high living costs.

Plan 2 loans apply to students in England who started university between September 2012 and July 2023. Under the scheme, the interest rate is set by the current Retail Prices Index (RPI) plus 3%, depending on earnings. In practice, this has meant the interest accrued each month outweighs monthly repayments for many borrowers.

Many school-leavers in north Oxford might be expected to go to university. But when a degree no longer guarantees career stability or strong earning prospects, alternative pathways, such as apprenticeships, are attracting more attention.

Are apprenticeships a solution?

The government announced reforms to the apprenticeship system in December 2025, including 50,000 additional training places. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also dropped the target set by former Labour PM Tony Blair to send 50% of children to university. He instead set the aim for two-thirds of young people to gain higher-level skills, through university, further education, or a ‘gold standard’ apprenticeship, before turning 25.

Apprenticeships allow young people to earn a salary while gaining qualifications, avoiding the debt that comes with a university degree. In north Oxford, less than 1% of residents have completed an apprenticeship, lower than the national average of 4.4% in England and Wales, according to the 2021 Census.

Paul Jones, Apprenticeships Director at Oxford Professional Education, an apprenticeship provider based in north Oxford, welcomed the increased government investment.

‘It is absolutely right that both pathways [university and apprenticeships] are available to young people.’

But Mr Jones cautioned that a focus on younger people could disadvantage adults seeking to up-skill or retrain. Some common misconceptions still surround apprenticeships, with many people assuming that apprenticeships are intended only for 16–18 year olds.

‘This is not the case,’ he said. In fact, those aged 25 and over are the most common age group to take up apprenticeships.

He acknowledged that apprenticeships still carry a stigma, partly due to the assumption that they are limited to trades rather than professional qualifications, a belief which is inaccurate.

He added that the best choice of pathway for school-leavers depends on the skills, interests and career goals of each individual.

For students in Oxford, the choice between university and apprenticeships is theirs to make.

Hosted by local women, the programme will focus on not only the success that women have achieved, but also the obstacles that women have faced, including political, trade union, and employment rights. Exhibitions and workshops will feature topical talks and performances.

The programme typically runs for two weeks in March, and is the perfect chance to connect, share stories, and be inspired in a welcoming atmosphere. There will be something for everyone to get involved with!

Below is a list of some of the events taking place:

Saturday 1st March, 11am – 4pm: ‘All about her day:’ A day to celebrate women, with lots of music, dance, food, and creative workshops.

Tuesday 4th March, 5:30pm: ‘Dorothy Hodgkin memorial lecture.’ This lecture commemorates 80 years since Dorothy Hodgkin’s revolutionary determination of Penicillin’s structure.

Thursday 6th March, 6:30pm – 9pm: ‘Dancin’ Oxford.’ A safe and welcoming space to celebrate and party!

Saturday 8th March, 5:30pm: ‘Suffragette.’ The International Women’s screening of Sarah Gavron’s historical drama will feature a short introduction by Dr. Katherine Bradley, followed by a Q&A.

For more information, visit https://oiwf.org/

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Debutots Oxford and Surroundings are running inclusive, no-pressure activity sessions to join different generations together in care homes.

Each session aims to build valuable connections between children and their ‘grandfriends,’ a term coined by the group. Classes are centered around a new story each time, and include storytelling, dramatic play, music for reminiscence, gentle movement, and opportunities for interaction and play between the two generations.

Regular weekly, fortnightly, and monthly sessions are held in local care homes around Oxford, Kidlington ,and Abingdon, ran by Martine, the owner of Debutots Oxford and Surroundings.

The highly acclaimed and multi-award winning innovative project is part of a nationwide franchise network. Since its inception in 2018, 83 care homes have been involved, and an estimated 8000 residents have taken part.

Studies have found that for older adults, regularly interacting with children leads to enhanced wellbeing, an improved sense of purpose, confidence, self-worth and acceptance, and cognitive benefits like stimulated memory.

For children, these interactions help their emotional and social development and can lead to early literacy development and improved classroom behaviour.

One parent commented, “I have attended several Debutots intergenerational sessions run by Martine with my three year old at a local care home. These sessions have been so wonderful.’

“Martine structures them around storytelling and play, and it allows the little ones to make a really special connection with their ‘grandfriends,’ demonstrated by the fact that the room is always filled with smiles and laughter.

“Martine is an empathetic and engaging communicator and storyteller, and she runs the activities expertly to create a lovely inclusive environment for generations to enjoy each other’s company!”

Sessions are open to groups of children from nurseries, preschools, and primary schools as well as individual children bought by their parents, caregivers, child-minders or nannies.

Sessions are also free, but require booking ahead of time. News about these sessions can be found on Instagram @debutotsoxfordandsurroundings and on facebook under ‘Debutots Oxford and Surroundings.’

Care homes who would like to include this in their lifestyle/activities programme are invited to reach out to Martine on martine@debutots.co.uk.

The Netty, on St Giles’ Road in Oxford, is located in two suites, found underground in the middle of a busy road.

It keeps certain original features such as the tiled floor, yet brings a fresh, cosy, and modern touch of patterns and blush pinks topped with clean wooden finishes. A much different appearance to its historical look!

The site was bought by Oxford business owner Gwyn Harries-Jones back in 2011, but developmental plans never proceeded, leaving it a lone time capsule for 11 years before The Netty came to be.

Sitting uniquely in the middle of Oxford City Centre, visitors will be steps away from the University of Oxford and a 13 minute walk away from the Thames River, giving the hotel convenient access to attractions, shops, and bars.

Hotel manager Ana Pinheiro previously told the BBC, ‘I would say it is one of the strangest places in Oxford to stay…but it is a very nice experience if you are willing.’

Most students will move back home after graduation, and very few are lucky enough to call Oxford their permanent home. So make the most of this beautiful city whilst you can. Although cliché, go sightseeing, explore the city, and appreciate its beauty. Oxford is a city of history and culture, brimming with things to do and see. Go to a museum, try a new coffee shop, go on a canal walk, visit the botanical gardens; the list of things to do is endless.

Here are my 5 things you must see before departing Oxford:

1. Sandy’s Piano Bar: the ambience here is incredible, grab a drink and listen to some great music.

2. Nepa Coffee and Food; Nepa has the best homemade banana bread in Oxford. Grab this and your drink of choice, and go for a walk around the city, admiring the architecture, walking the canal front and the Christ Church gardens.

3. Go to a show or comedy night in Oxford. The city is brimming with arts and culture, with shows, movies, and standup on your doorstep; you can’t miss it!

4. Visit the Oxford Botanical Gardens. Students get free entry when they bring their student ID. This free activity is beautiful, although small; you could spend multiple hours just watching time go by and appreciating the wide variety of nature.

5. Wander around Jericho: this trendy neighbourhood is beautiful with many hidden gems; the residential streets are lined with international food spots, delis, bakeries, and tasty coffee shops. Grab a pastry and coffee and wander through its streets, appreciating its neighbourhood charm.

Make a semester bucket list of places you want to visit, eat at, walk to or explore. With a place like Oxford, that list will be long. I guarantee that this gives you something to look forward to each week, and a break from your strenuous studies. You won’t regret this, but you will regret not seeing more of Oxford once you leave.

2 - Lock in and take your studies seriously

For some students, this will be their last semester and holds the most weight academically. With exams approaching and dissertation and major project deadlines creeping up, you are at your academic climax. You still have time to turn this around if you’ve struggled before. You have time to push that grade from good to excellent. Don’t quit now when you’re so close to the finish line.

For some, this will just be their last semester for first and second year, but this does not mean it’s not important; your grades still matter, and the things you learn will impact your final years. Stay in routine, and your grades will reflect your effort.

Getting ahead of your assignments early in the semester will make the end of the semester easier. As the summer heat hits and days become longer, you will want to socialise more and fill your days with fun. By getting organised early on and starting the assignments when given to you (if possible), you can relieve panic and stress at the end of the semester. Whilst being guilt-free as you enjoy Oxford, nightlife, and your friends as the semester comes to an end.

You are paying for this degree, so every lecture you miss costs you. You will be missing the chance to speak to lecturers face to face, ask queries, and absorb the information they are providing you. The price you pay for your degree should be enough to convince you to try your best. With the added living fees of accommodation, food, social life, and other activities and living expenses, you should make the most of every part of your university experience. At the core of this experience is our studies, so make studying fun and finish your degree.

3 - Utilise what Brookes provides you

Oxford Brookes offers students a wide range of sources, societies, activities, events, and more. Although universities focus on your studies, there is so much more to offer with your time here. Brookes has a plethora of societies to join, from podcasting to marketing to baking and dance; there is a society for everyone. So take your pick. Learn some new skills and gain experience, find a new hobby, and make new friends along the way. The union societies are a great way to socialise and pad up your CV with extracurriculars, cultures, languages, arts, and more. You can get a taste of everything whilst at Brookes.

The union also hosts weekly events, whether it’s bingo, pottery painting, or a bake sale, there is always something fun going on. Keep up to date with Brookes’ social life by following @brookesunion on Instagram. These fun events offer a nice break from your studies and a stress-free environment to meet new people and have fun with friends.

Join a sport, whether professionally or for fun; there is a wide variety to choose from. With the opportunity to make new friends, learn and sharpen your athletic skills, and be part of a team, these social settings have lots to offer. Attend the weekly ‘Fishies’ club night and blow off some of the academic stress, enjoy the themed socials where you meet new people, go on fun adventures, and make endless unforgettable and possibly embarrassing memories.

Sit in on a guest lecture and learn a new perspective. You have all these academic sources in the palm of your hand; utilise these before your time runs out. Or simply appreciate the space the university has created for its students. Go to one of its many cafes, the Yard, or The Sports Bar. With one last semester on campus, before summer or graduation, utilise your time here and the available resources.

5 - Have fun

For lots of students, this will be their last semester at Brookes. As this chapter comes to a close and you enter a new stage of life, you will miss the freedom university has given you. For some, they will go home for the summer and miss their university friends. Some will go back to part-time jobs or summer internships and catching up with friends and families. Some will miss the lively city and the perks of university. Cherish this time whilst you can and fill it with joy; go out, meet up with friends, go clubbing, or out for drinks. Make the most of your time together; go for coffee or simply study together, because for some, this will be the last year living in the same city before moving on from Brookes.

Although this semester holds the most academic weight, don’t lose yourself in the process. Don’t sacrifice your friendships and social life. Balance is key – find those moments of fun to motivate your studies, reward your hard work, and enjoy this last semester. You don’t want to look back and think, ‘all I did was study, I grew apart from my friends, and had no fun.’ You can still excel and have fun, so look back on this semester with a smile, thinking of all the incredible memories you made as you had the best semester ever. And for some, the best last semester ever!

Bring on summer and graduation…

A band built on friendship

Frontman Jamie, who sings and plays guitar, describes bedd as “just friends who like getting together to make music.”

Some members have played together for years; others reconnected after childhood. All are based in Oxford, from East Oxford to nearby towns, meeting weekly in rehearsal rooms to drink coffee, improvise, and simply play.

“It’s one of the only times adults get to play,” Jamie says. “When we’re kids, we play freely, and music lets us do that again.”

How a song begins — and changes completely

Jamie’s writing process is loose and instinctive. Songs often begin as rough sketches on his phone—a guitar progression, a line hummed into the mic, chords filmed to remember finger patterns. But once the track enters the studio, it can transform completely.

“That’s the fun,” he says. “You start with a guitar song and end up removing the guitar entirely. One song on the album, Walkie No Talkie, started on guitar and became a fully synthesiser-driven track.”

These moments of accidental discovery, he adds, are the ones that feel like gifts.

Why ‘bedd’?

The band name has a surprising origin. At first, Jamie simply liked the word “bed.” But when the group decided to spell it with two ds, bedd, he learned it had a second meaning.

“In Welsh, bedd means ‘grave’,” he explains. “And I thought…wow. That fits. The grave is the final bed. And the mood of our songs, the introspection, the darkness and beauty—it all lined up.”

Do Not Be Afraid: A message to oneself

The band’s debut album carries a gentle but firm title: Do Not Be Afraid (Released on the 31st of October.)

“I’m not telling people what to do,” Jamie says. “It’s more of an instruction to myself—to stop being scared, to let go of fear, and live more. We all get caught up in anxiety. These songs try to turn away from fear and towards love.”

Across the album, he hopes listeners recognise their own emotions—the heaviness, the humour, the hope.

Favourite tracks, influences and the sound behind bedd

Jamie’s personal favourite is Walkie No Talkie, a track that “wrote itself” and came together with ease.

Among the band’s influences are The Cure, Dinosaur Jr., Slowdive, Ride, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and within the band, musical tastes collide: rock, shoegaze, electronic, DJ culture.

This mix creates tension in the sound—noisy, atmospheric, and layered—which is something Jamie treasures.

A Christmas single with a twist

Just weeks after the album release, bedd have already shared a new single: Count the Days, a self-described “traditional Christmas song about not believing in Christmas and feeling a bit depressed.”

Jamie jokes: “Obviously it’s going to be Christmas Number One.”

What Jamie wants people to take away

When asked what he wants to tell listeners, Jamie pauses, then says simply:

“Try to have fun. Love people. Let the people you love know that they’re loved. Ignore the hate as much as you can. Life is difficult, but it’s also beautiful. If music can help us enjoy it together, that’s everything.”

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At just 22, James Taylor has been appointed Oxford City Council’s new Champion for Events, Live Music and the Nighttime Economy. One of his key ambitions is to revive the Cowley Road Carnival — the decades-old parade that drew thousands of spectators annually but has taken place only once since 2019 due to the pandemic.

‘I feel comfortable saying it was a nationally acclaimed event,’ he says.

The former Oxford Brookes student and metal music fan says he was approached for the role by a senior councillor who recognised his passion and knowledge of the sector.

‘Why don’t we make you the guy on this?’ he recalls being told. ‘You clearly know what you’re talking about.’

The post, which is unpaid and undertaken alongside his councillor duties, has two key elements. The first involves meeting with anyone hoping to run events in Oxford or enter its live music or nighttime sectors, helping them navigate the ‘red tape’ that often slows progress.

The second is more strategic: working with the council to develop policies that encourage people to create what Taylor calls ‘lovely things’ that enrich the city’s cultural life.

Reflecting on his nearly five years in Oxford — he grew up in Bromley — Taylor says the city, which produced such bands as Radiohead, Foals, and Supergrass, once had a far larger nighttime economy.

‘We still have quite a lot of good stuff, but it’s certainly seen a decline since Covid.’

His view echoes an August report by the Night Time Industries Association, which found that 26 per cent of UK towns and cities that had late-night venues — such as bars and nightclubs — in 2020 now have none. In Oxford, several long-standing sites — including The Cellar, Atik, and The Purple Turtle — have closed in recent years due to redevelopment plans and rental disputes.

Taylor, who has held the Champion role only since 6 October, says progress is already being made. Meetings with venue operators are under way to hear their concerns and determine how the council can help.

‘I can’t promise anything,’ he says. ‘But I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think we could come out of this with, at the very least, more venues and things to do. I want people to be able to be someone somewhere.’

Despite it being “ruled” by students from its two universities, Oxford has stepped up its game, providing many community-building opportunities created by its engaged residents.

From local business concepts, student-led ideas to family-owned businesses, Hybrid discovers what Oxford has to offer in a series of new features!

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Do you have any event recommendations in Oxford? Leave them below!

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Thames Valley Police are appealing for help to trace a wanted man. Kevin Walls, 45, is wanted in connection to an assault, criminal damage and threats to kill.

He is known to frequently be in the Didcot area, particularly towards the town centre and visits betting shops. He is sometimes also around the Cowley area.

He went to the residence of a victim, who is in her forties, where he assaulted her which resulted in injuries consistent with actual bodily harm. Walls also stabbed the sofa with a kitchen knife, creating damage. The victim was not hospitalised but had injuries. This occurred on Tuesday 4 November at around 7.30pm.

A description can be found here.

In October the Government announced £120m of funding to re-open the Cowley Branch Line. The Cowley line will connect residents in southeast Oxford to the city centre in less than 10 minutes.

Two new stations at Cowley and Littlemore are expected to open by 2030, initially with two trains per hour, increasing to three by 2040.

OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail proposes a further three stations at Begbroke, Wantage & Grove, and Ardley.

Railfuture, which campaigns for better rail services across the UK, said they were supportive of the plans.

A council spokesperson said: “All new stations will be subject to consultation, discussion and approval by the relevant local planning authority”.

A new rail line for Witney?

Oxfordshire County Council has been investigating the feasibility of a new railway line between Carterton, Witney and Oxford. A study published in 2023 predicted that this could offer significantly reduced journey times:

• 23 minutes from Carterton to Oxford

• 16 minutes from Witney to Oxford

• 11 minutes from Eynsham to Oxford

However the construction costs to build the railway line were estimated at between £700 and £900 million. The council said that such funding would need to come from the Government.

As part of OxRail 2040, Oxfordshire County Council said it will identify deliverable plans for faster travel options in West Oxfordshire by 2030, which may or may not include rail.

David Richardson, Media Officer at Railfuture Thames Valley, said there was “a long way to go” on this project, and that a tramway may prove to be an alternative to a new railway line as it would be cheaper to build and operate.

Beyond the five new stations, the plans include the completion of the East West Rail project, which is expected to link Oxford and Cambridge by 2038, alongside upgrades to Oxfordshire’s 23 existing train stations.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “This is not simply a wish list. We have credible routes for the delivery of each of the proposals in OxRail 2040”.

Oxfordshire’s railways go electric

The plan envisions a zero-carbon rail network, through the building of new overhead line electrification, which is expected to be completed by 2037.

This “Electric Freight Spine” will enable rail freight to operate electrically, while providing charging infrastructure for battery-powered passenger trains.

The Oxfordshire Metro

The “Oxfordshire Metro” is the council’s vision for a fully integrated transport network. It is expected to bring together rail, bus, walking, and cycling, and aims to offer travellers more frequent and better coordinated public transport.

Oxford Station, which serves over 6.5 million passengers a year, will be transformed into a “landmark station” by 2037.

A major project is already underway at Oxford to increase capacity through the building of a new platform. Network Rail has been heavily criticised by residents and businesses for the disruption caused by the long-term closure of Botley Road. The road is set to reopen in August 2026.

Councillor Roberts said of OxRail 2040: “.... Success in delivering these aims will depend on the government, the rail industry and our local communities collaborating with us and playing their part.”

The museum will charge a £4 and a concession fee of £2, which would be applied for Blue Light card holders and students. Free entry would be granted to the schools from Oxfordshire, carers, children under five, volunteers for the museum and so on.

The Oxford City Council revealed one of the reasons they took the plunge is that the “pay as you can” system was no longer effective. However, the changing model could be a solution to gather multiple data, for instance, the characteristics of visitors, which helps to engage the wider community.

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the opening.

“We’re planning a year-long public programme of exhibitions and events to celebrate Oxford’s history and bring new voices into our collections.” said the Museum of Oxford.

It has not been reflected on the official website yet; however, those who wish to visit the Museum of Oxford should check if the site will be updated.

Alex Pawlak, 37, the creator of the app and a freelance product designer who works for multiple large companies, gave Hybrid the behind-the-scenes with his various endeavours: language, time, and technology issues.

He said: “I’m French and my parents were coming one time, and I thought they could use the app to learn about the city when I don’t have time for them.”

Alex’s partner is Japanese, and he wanted to reduce the anxiety of not only her family but also Japanese people who struggle in an unfamiliar city, and the difficulty of the language barrier.

The app is free and available in English, French, and Japanese with reading and audio. Users can check interesting buildings while walking around, but also see some tours, such as the Oxford colleges tour and the historic pubs tour.

The application users can also use an audio version, which enables them to walk around the city while listening to the highlights of the buildings with geo-location. He explained why he focuses on the audio-guide aspect.

Alex added: “The app was thought firstly to be an audio guide because I want to be able to look with my eyes at the architecture of the building while learning about its story. Using multiple of our senses at the same time.

“At this stage, we even forget about our phones, which is great since most of us are looking at our phones for hours during the day. I believe a good design uses technology but can make it disappear for the user.” He added the original point of view as a product designer.

The struggle for language

He said he struggled to translate other languages: “ I don’t speak Japanese, so I had to find people to help me to see if it was working, if it was good Japanese or not. I asked my wife, and she could tell me some words.”

“I think also it’s because Oxford has a specific English language, like the building, they say it in a way. When you translate it from written English, it’s not the same Katakana* they’re going to use it, because they should have a British accent, right? So, I think that was one of the struggles.”

Towards a world where everyone can build apps

He also continued that there is a difficulty on the technical side.

“ ⁠I always tried to learn coding* before, but I never could put together a full project. I would be stuck sometimes, either in the course or making a personal project. AI helped me overcome those barriers.”

“For example, for development, AI knows what I’m good at when creating an app and what I’m most likely not good at.”

He emphasised: “More and more people can develop thanks to new AI tools.”

“I didn’t do the development before, and thanks to AI, I can do it now.”

He added: “I think learning how to code can be intimidating, it makes me think of the first time someone learns how to cook and is afraid of burning the food. Now with AI, we can ask why we failed and understand by ourselves. This helps a lot with the impostor syndrome when we start learning a new subject.”

The challenges will continue

After he developed Oxford City Guide, he had other challenges to overcome.

“Sometimes I would have a bug, and the college wouldn’t show, or it would show in the wrong place, for example. So I had to check manually. Everything was right. It took some time at one point. “

“I need to have proper and deeper feedback, trying to ask people how they use the app, that’s something I should be doing to understand what works, what doesn’t, and what I need to change to make it better.”

This app will be updated with some functions, too, he said.

“I think a lot of people come from very different backgrounds in Oxford, and there could be a lot more languages that I could integrate into the app.”

He added: “When I built it, because I was here for like 3 years. Some people ask me, Do you have this on the app? And I sometimes would be like, No, I don’t, because so far, there are like 100 points for now. I want to increase it to about 700.”

If you’re interested in using Oxford City Guide application, we welcome some feedback in the comment section.

*Katakana…one of the two sets of syllabic Japanese script. Katakana is used to write scientific terms, official documents, and words borrowed from other languages.

She is amongst the hundreds who walked at the march on Sunday, November 16, on a day when temperatures dipped across the UK after battering rains of Storm Claudia. Nevertheless, the 2.6 miles march began at Templars Square in Cowley, and culminated at Bonn Square in Oxford’s city centre.

Participants in the march could be seen carrying posters and banners for multiple causes related to anti-racism, including migrants and refugees, Islamophobia, and antisemitism. They chanted slogans as a volunteer drummers group played at different intervals of the march.

The poster invite for the unity march included 16 organisations such as Women Against the Far Right, Stand up to Racism Oxford, Student Action for Refugees Oxford, Unite the Union, Fire Brigade Unions among others. Banners and flags of Oxford Green Party, Oxford Labour Party, North Oxfordshire Socialist Alliance were also seen in the march.

Jo Barber, 39, shared she is participating in the unity march “as a celebration of art and city of sanctuary. This is a march for everyone– we welcome refugees, support the trans and the LGBTQ community, disability rights– many of the good things that are happening in the world. It’s basically a response to all the fascist forms that’ve been going on recently. We know a lot of people are scared ... so we created this event.. the sample bands, drummers, all day, good people and organisations, they’re coming out, women, to march.”

Amarjit shares “I was a student here many years ago, and I think Oxford is a very special, unique place that should be at the forefront of multiculturalism and intelligence, and to counteract and show a presence alternative to the far right.

“I was a student of German language and Literature here in the 90s. The dangers of the rise of the Far Right rhetoric is real. The tech billionaires such as Elon Musk are adding to this through their rabble rousing platforms such as X.

“It’s very easy to divide people when there’s a cost of living crisis.. as you can see, on Cowley Road, a lot of shops have closed… people are obviously struggling.. and it’s prime pickings for the far right.

“We just wanted to show a peaceful display. The unity of what Oxford as a city of sanctuary represents.”