HERE we continue our review of 2019, looking at April to June.

APRIL

Theresa May was confronted by a group of around 40 anti-Brexit protestors during a visit to Abingdon on April 6. The Prime Minister at the time was greeted by a vocal group at the Long Furlong community centre.

The next day, Oxford University lost the 165th Men’s Boat Race as Cambridge claimed back to back wins on the River Thames. The race was marred by allegations from students that police ‘aggression and intimidation’ stopped them holding a ‘peaceful, legal’ protest about climate change.

Witney Gazette:

Work got underway to expand the John Radcliffe Hospital’s Emergency Department in early April. A ceremony to mark the commencing of the work was held at the site in Headington.

Oxford gained another twin city after an agreement was signed by the Lord Mayor in Padua, Italy. Oxford City Council said it was keen to link up with more European cities ahead of Brexit.

MAY

May’s local elections saw the Conservatives lose control of Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire, yet Cherwell and West Oxfordshire remained Tory. Brexit was blamed as Conservatives lost seats across the country.

Following the birth of his son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor eight days previously, Prince Harry paid a visit to Oxford. The Duke of Sussex spent time across the city, including a visit to the Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Witney Gazette:

Author Sir Philip Pullman received his knighthood from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. The best-selling fantasy writer lives in Cumnor and released the second book of the popular ‘His Dark Materials’ series in October.

Nightclubs in Oxford were warned they would be punished unless they did more to reduce the number of incidents that take place within their premises. Figures revealed by this paper showed police had been called to 650 violent or sexual assaults in the past three years at clubs in or around the city.

JUNE

Dozens of lucky children got the first viewing of a new £13m science centre in Oxford. The Science Oxford Centre is targeted at children aged three-to-11.

The Waitrose branch in Botley Road became the first to offer a range of packaging-free products for its customers. The initiative was trialled in store until August.

Witney Gazette:

A bus driver in Oxford ran 50 marathons in the space of a year for Sobell House Hospice. Mark Temple raised thousands after Sobell had looked after his late father Patrick Temple, who died of cancer in 2012.

Actor Andy Serkis - or more famously known as the voice of Gollum in Lord of the Rings - unveiled a blue plaque at the house where a pioneering disabilities campaigner lived for decades. Robin Cavendish - who was struck down by polio and became completely paralysed from the neck down - inspired the film Breathe, which was directed by Mr Serkis.