As the year comes to a close, we are looking back on some of the biggest news stories of the year.
This is the second part of our four-part review of 2022 in Oxford, here we are looking at what happened in the second quarter of the year between April and June.
April
At the beginning of April, a pilot was left in hospital after a plane crashed into a block of flats.
The light aircraft crashed into the flats, which are unoccupied, in Upper Heyford on April 2.
READ MORE: Pilot injured after plane crashes into flats in Upper Heyford
The pilot has 'several injuries' but nobody else was injured.
Following the earlier controversy of Oxfordshire County Council only serving vegan food, a councillor boycotted the free vegan lunch served at a full council meeting - which he branded as "out of touch".
Conservative councillor Liam Walker said that he and around 15 colleagues "walked out" and went for a self-funded "pub lunch" instead.
A private school in Oxford became the centre of storm after it asked for help to pay Russian pupils tuition fees – just weeks after the country invaded Ukraine.
St Clare’s in Banbury Road sent out an email where principle Andy Rattue and chair Jens Tholstrup asked for cash to help Russian students pay their fees, which can be up to tens of thousands of pounds.
“Of course our sympathies lie with the people of Ukraine, but sadly there are many Russians too who are strongly opposed to the invasion but who are denied a voice,” the email read.
On April 13, it was reported the police were dealing with a mysterious death on the M40.
Police were called to reports of a man dead inside a vehicle on the central reseration of the motorway.
READ MORE: Mystery after man, 40s, found dead in car seven days after he crashed on M40
Investigators believed the crash happened around 4.20am on Tuesday, April 5 – seven days before the body of the man, who is in his 40s, was discovered.
During April the sad news came that The Nosebag, a restaurant which has been in Oxford for 50 years, was set to close down.
The restaurant closed its doors for the final time on April 27.
On April 16, the Oxford Mail published an investigation into how effective a domestic violence codeword scheme used by pharmacies in the county was.
The Ask for Ani scheme is run by the Home Office and 68 pharmacies around Thames Valley, including 22 in Oxfordshire, take part in it.
The idea is you walk into a pharmacy and ask for 'Ani' - an acronym for Action Needed Immediately.
The investigation found that many staff at pharmacies in Oxford did not understand the scheme, or know the codeword which could potentially protect someone from harm.
May
The Green Party was the biggest winner in Oxford’s city council elections on May 5.
With elections for all 24 wards in Oxford, and one councillor being elected for each ward, the Greens won three seats off other parties, and four on the night.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the night was Green candidate Lois Muddiman taking Colin Cook’s Osney and St Thomas ward seat.
A cheerful King Charles, then Prince, joked about being stuck in traffic as he turned up late to open the £30 million Levine Building at Oxford University on May 12.
He apologised for being 40 minutes late after being caught in heavy traffic following accidents on both the M4 and M40.
The royal joked: “I’ve now done a comprehensive tour of Reading and Pangbourne. I feel awful that you were left waiting outside for me to arrive.”
Another royal landed in Blackbird Leys to residents' shock on May 19.
The Countess of Wessex was picked up by a helicopter in Blackbird Leys Playing Field after visiting the Community Impact Zone collaboration in the area.
The Oxford-born royal, HRH Sophie, was spotted walking back to the helicopter in a hot pink dress at around 4pm, waving to Blackbird Leys residents who had stopped to see her off.
On May 20, the bollards set up as part of the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) scheme were ripped down on their first day standing.
The traffic filters were installed as part of a six-month trial taking place in the Divinity Road, St Clement’s, and St Mary’s areas to limit traffic on certain roads in the area.
This initial act of vandalism was the first in what would be months of anti-social behaviour related to the LTNs, resulting in the council spending more than £70,000 to repair and replace them.
On May 24, news broke that Tim’s Newsagent and Off Licence would close for the final time – after 80 years of serving people on High Street.
READ MORE: Oxford shop Tim’s Newsagent and Off Licence to close after decades of trade
Owner Tim Gresswell a ‘lack of support from his landlord’, Lincoln College, and slow business because of the pandemic.
June
June 1 was a day of great celebration for the county, with six people recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2022.
Five people were awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) and the sixth was given a British Empire Medal (BEM).
People across the county came together during the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend (June 2 to 5) to celebrate the Queen's 70 year's of service.
People held street parties, discos and picnics, beacons were lit and church services celebrated Queen Elizabeth's service to the country.
On June 7, yellow-vested volunteers pledged to act as ‘human bollards’ during the morning rush hour – standing-in for an LTN bollard that had already been replaced an estimated half-dozen times.
The group, made up of east Oxford cyclists and members of the Oxford Pedestrians Association, were stood in Howard Street on the morning of June 6.
The LTN bollard had been damaged multiple times since it was installed as part of the trial scheme the previous month.
-
Read more from this author
This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.
You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter itssophieperry
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here