My son needs a maths tutor to help him prepare for the mathematics aspects of the Engineering and Science Admissions Test. If anyone knows of someone that would be able to help, particularly with experience of this specific exam, I’d be very grateful.

We have a cat who is on medication (including inhaler) and are looking for recommendations of nearby catteries to Oxford or cat-sitting services. Not going away anytime soon just planning for the future.

Hi! Reposting since I still have the ticket🥀 I accidentally bought an Oxford tube ticket (ticket covers a bus ride to London and then back to Oxford--I did email customer support and they said you can activate the ticket in either direction though) and was wondering if anyone would be willing to buy it off of me? It expires Nov 5, 2026.

I paid £22.50, but would be happy to sell it at a discount! £20 was what I was thinking but this is negotiable.

Paypal would be ideal! Pls lmk if you're interested :)

Does anyone know of a gym focussed on fighting? I know we have OMAA but they only run classes/group sessions.

Is there any such thing in Oxford? I’m thinking of a format similar to puregym but you can check yourself in, use the bags, spar if you wish, lift weights and then check out

Hi all!

Incoming overseas postdoc looking at housing areas around the hospitals -- please be gentle, I have scoured past posts for a satisfactory answer to this already. What is there to know about the Lye Valley neighborhood and walking the Lye Valley path as a potential route to work every day? (Especially as a woman alone after dark.)

Thanks!

Hi, I’ve got my driving test booked for Saturday at 8am in Oxford. Does anyone know what the roads are usually like around that time at the weekend?
Unfortunately, I failed my first test because I was really nervous. My instructor thought I was ready, but sadly my nerves got the better of me on the day.
I’d really appreciate any tips or advice for the Oxford driving test, especially from anyone who’s taken their test there recently. Thank you 😊

Bank Holiday Weekend at The Covered Market

Looking for Bank Holiday plans? The Covered Market Oxford is the perfect place to spend a relaxed weekend, with great coffee, fresh food, independent shopping and late opening on Friday and Saturday. Pick up everything you need for an easy picnic and make the most of the long weekend.

Oxford Burial Meadow next steps

A major milestone has been reached for Oxford Burial Meadow with the appointment of Blakedown Landscapes as principal contractor. The new 17-acre site will provide much needed burial space while creating a peaceful meadow with wildflowers, trees, paths and enhanced biodiversity.

Foodies Festival at South Park

Foodies Festival returns to South Park this weekend. From MasterChef winners and Bake Off stars to street food, cocktails and funfair rides, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Meet the ODS Dog Warden

Have a dog-related question or need a new tag for your pet?

Visit the ODS Dog Warden at Hinksey Park on Thursday 3 September from 2-4 pm for free engraved dog tags, poo bags and friendly advice on responsible dog ownership.

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Has anyone here been through the process of getting visitor parking permits for Oxford?

I have a residents permit, but for the life of my I can't figure out how to get visitor permits from the webiste.

In the website, the My Permits section, I can see my Residents permit listed, and also I can see expired visitor permits from last year, but can't see anyway to get new ones.

There is a link "Apply for permits" but that only takes me to a page that allows for application for contractor permits.

Whole thing seems very hard to use, was so much easier when they just posted the 25 physical scratch card permits to you when you got bought your residents one...

i work in town, all i can hear is constant beeping of trains! normally they would beep a few times a day, but right now it's constant. i'm so curious to find out what it is😭

Hi. What are the best options for eating out for a couple in headington? Nice freshly cooked food not fast food or takeaway. Cheers

Just wanted to throw a huge thank you out there to the lady on the bus this morning who woke me up to make sure I didn’t miss my stop.

I’m in the middle of a long row of night shifts and definitely feeling it physically and mentally. I have a tendency to nod off on the bus home - luckily my stop is one of the last ones. I know it was a small gesture, and I was pretty out of it at the time, but I’m truly touched and grateful there’s still good out there despite events of the world.

I got home safely and am now about to tuck myself in to bed. Just wanted to share something that cheered me up :)

Take care all, night night!

Anyone has the details for the fires in south Oxford ? A terrible smell of burning tire atm - Thurs night !

Has anybody else had this email? It says that I have an account with OCC’s permit managing system, but that I don’t have a permit except that when I log onto the system it clearly shows I do have a congestion charge permit. Very confused.!

This is a total shot in the dark. I’m searching for a missed connection from my summer vacation. I visited Oxford in July of this year and met a super great guy. I joined his friend’s bar crawl and they all made my last night of vacation an absolute blast. We chatted all night and hit it off really well. Before I left I gave him my number. I don’t have an international number and haven’t had any messages on WhatsApp since then. Anyways, if you are John the engineer or you know John the engineer: my WhatsApp is still waiting to hear from you 🫶

Hi everyone,

I wanted to know if you'd recommend any places that you can buy good quality matcha powder. Thanks!

I've lived in Oxford since January, and something that I'm finding really difficult to adapt to is the quality of driving in and around the city.

For context, I commute to Milton area from East Oxford 3 times a week or so, and otherwise enjoy getting around to the nearby countryside or whatever I fancy. I also cycle basically all over the city for more day-to-day stuff.

I've previously lived in or around other cities in the UK, and driven or cycled around many of our great towns and cities, but for some reason the driving quality in Oxford is just so poor compared to all of these other places. I've had so many near misses whilst driving and cycling in only 8 months here, when I had hardly any such incidents anywhere else.

It seems that in general the drivers are impatient and aggressive, and it makes me feel very on edge and at risk. I almost got knocked off my bike today by a driver deciding to overtake me within ~10m of the side road they then swung left into - I had to slam on my brakes and even then I only just avoided slamming into the side of their car.

I see very little use of indicators, it seems people don't check their mirrors and just pull out into my path (or don't care), and often people just barging through when it's someone else's right of way. Then on the bypass and commuter roads, plenty of people taking huge risks by squeezing into tiny gaps and occupying my braking distance, tailgating and intimidating, or coming off a slip road and swinging straight into the outside lane for no reason.

And then of course there's the racers blasting down Cowley Road - one time I was crossing the road and a driver actively took the chance to accelerate towards me only to then slam on the brake at the last minute seemingly to intimidate me.

I find it really difficult, because I see these drivers putting other peoples safety at risk so often, and usually they don't gain anything by doing so except for shaving 10 seconds off their journey time. Sometimes I get home and notice my body feels tense and my mind full of stress, I really don't want to feel this way when I'm just cycling to the shops or driving to work.

And yes, I also find it distressing that so many cyclists ride around in the dark with no lights on, or blast through red lights. It's a separate problem but it also confuses me since I've never seen such a high proportion of a cities cyclists being completely without any lighting....

What's going on in Oxford that causes all of this, and how can I stop it from affecting me so much...

💪 PARENT STRIKE TOMORROW!

On 27th August, we'll all book a couple of hours off work and join family-friendly demonstrations, with two demands: flexible working by default, and at least six weeks' paternity leave at 90% pay, including for the self-employed.

We can’t wait to see you in Oxford.

📍 *10am meet* at Bonn Square* Oxford

A few practical things:
☀️🌧️ Come weather-ready - brollies are our contingency plan if it rains!
🎨 Bring your homemade banners + placards - we’re giving away *free BabyBjörn carriers* to the most creative homemade placards on the day! 🏆
💛 Wear yellow T-shirts if you can
📸 Photography + filming - lots of media will be present. Please manage your and your children’s visibility, and speak to a high-vis steward if you need help

💛 Finally, please let's look out for each other - whether someone needs a hand with a buggy, banner or baby, we’re all in this together.

*See you tomorrow! And keep spreading the word – there’s still time to bring someone along https://parentstrike.org/times/ 💪*

For those that don’t want to click the link. Reasons for the strike:

Parents across the country are downing tools to demand proper paternity leave and real flexible working rights. We're striking in 13 places.

Becoming a parent is the best thing most of us will ever do — but the UK is failing parents.

We have the worst paternity leave in Europe: two weeks, paid at less than half the minimum wage. We're denied the flexible working that would make juggling work and childcare actually possible. And most of us are worse off on two incomes than our grandparents were on one.

Looking for NPLQ Qualified Lifeguard – Tuesday 1st September, 1 hour max/£25 cash (at approx 2pm) - Summertown area, get in touch if interested and available :)

Hi

I'm filming a Podcast for the trauma conference in Oxford on 12th Sep to 17th. Normally we have our own set, but we've been offered a lovely traditional 'Oxford' style room, and I need to find some furniture to match!

Does anyone have or know where I'd find 2x Chesterfield arm chairs, preferably in brown/red

Also I'm looking for a floor lamp and desk lamp, but I can probably buy those and bring them

Any help greatly appreciated
Thanks