• WE all love a good night out, but it’s all the sweeter when the fun – and subsequent hangover – is all for a good cause. Last weekend Oxfordshire music lovers helped swell the coffers of the hugely worthy local charity Oxfam by supporting two very different, though equally excellent, nights.

Saturday’s Oxjam Takeover saw gig-goers treated to sets by more than 40 acts, including Secret Rivals, Dubwiser, Black Hats, Fixers and Richard Walters, at various city centre venues. And it was a nice earner too. Organiser Katie Herring tells us the whole shebang raised £8,000 – £2,000 over their ambitious target.

  • On Saturday, a straighter-laced crowd helped raise £43,000 at Eight Stories High. The high point came courtesy of Southern belle Kristin Davis, better known as the gorgeous Charlotte from Sex and the City, who came across as a great hands-on supporter of the charity and nothing like the prissy NY princess she plays on screen. Heck, she even agreed to raffle her shoes for the cause – though only after being challenged to do so by BBC arts editor Will Gompertz.

The winner, a 16 year-old girl from Newbury, was understandably delighted, as was Oxfam, which made £4,150 out of the draw.

Event organiser Anna Thorne said: “Kristin was caught off-guard by Will’s suggestion that she donate her gorgeous Louboutins – but we are very grateful. . “The young winner was over the moon, and I am sure the shoes will be treasured for many years to come.”

Mr Gompertz, it is worth noting, did however fail to volunteer to raffle off his own shoes. Thankfully.

  • TAKE That for a fine New Year’s Eve! Pop icon Gary Barlow has chosen to celebrate the last day of the year with a show in Oxford. The singer and X Factor judge will bring his solo show outside the capital for the first time in 13 years, with a show at the New Theatre.

Tickets go on sale at 10am tomorrow from gigsandtours.com (0844 811 0051) and atgtickets.com/ oxford. There will be no over-the-counter sales at the venue. Expect a Glastonbury-style scramble for seats which are expected to sell out in minutes. Our advice is to get online early, and to remember Gary’s 2006 chart-topper: Patience!

  • We all know it’s fabulous, but now it’s official. Oxfordshire’s loveliest music gathering, Wilderness, has been named one of the best in the land.

The weekender, which takes place at Cornbury Park, Charlbury, has scooped the prize for Best Festival (under 15,000 capacity) at the Live UK Music Business Awards. With hot tubs, skinny dipping, great music, open air cinema, roller skating, fly fishing and camel rides, we can’t imagine what the judges found to like.

Unsurprisingly, early bird tickets for next year have sold out already, but regular tickets are still available. Go to wildernessfestival.comhttp://www.wildernessfestival.com