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Iffley Fields Residents Association
IFRA
Iffley Fields Residents Association
Iffley Fields is a great place to live. We welcome people from diverse backgrounds and cultures and aim to encourage a community spirit. IFRA was set up in 1997 and covers Argyle Street, Bedford Street, Chester Street, Daubeny Road, Eyot Place, Fairacres Road, Greyfriars Court, Jackdaw Lane, Parker Street, Stratford Street and Warwick Street.
The IFRA Committee meets every 2 months and all are welcome. Click here for the dates for 2024..
Sign up for regular email updates iffleyfields@gmail.com
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Together we can make a difference
News
The Next IFRA Meeting
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 12 November 8 pm , venue to be confirmed.
The September newsletter is available here
All welcome
Defibrillator
Defibrillators can be used by anyone without training and can double the chance of survival from a cardiac arrest, as long as they can be accessed within minutes. Though there is one at the Falcon and in the School, these are locked out of hours, so the only 24/7 public access defibrillator is on the Riverside Centre by Donnington Bridge.
We need one towards Chester Street and near the Recreation Ground, where most people congregate. We have received most of the funding (£1500) we need from the Councillors’ funds. We hope it can be placed on the wall outside the Chester Arms if we can get the landlords permission.
Meadow Lane Car Park
The public car park in Meadow Lane has been closed and is now managed as a private car park for the Falcon Club. The impact on Lane IFRA residents has been serious. River users and others now park on both sides of Meadow Lane, blocking access and a danger to pedestrians. The picnic area by Donnington Bridge is now a carpark, preventing enjoyment of the river.
IFRA had objected to an arrangement in which Falcon had obtained exclusive use of the parking spaces following a refurbishment at public expense in 2018, leaving the car park locked and empty at times, while excluding residents from using an amenity they had accessed for many decades. This deal had hampered mobility impaired access to the riverside for the last 5 years.
After years of lobbying, IFRA was delighted to learn on 10 August in a call with Oxford City Council and other stakeholders that the Council is considering two options for the Meadow Lane Car Park both of which bring it back into use as a public car park. In one option the car park will return to 100% public use, and in another option, it will be split between public use and for use by the Falcon Boat Club. The first hour of the day will be free so that it can be once again used by parents dropping off children at the school
IFRA had objected to an arrangement in which Falcon had obtained exclusive use of the parking spaces following a refurbishment at public expense in 2018, leaving the car park locked and empty at times, while excluding residents from using an amenity they had accessed for many decades. This deal had hampered mobility impaired access to the riverside for the last 5 years.
See IFRA's feedback on this to the Council here
IFRA Funding Appeal
This year IFRA celebrates its first quarter century! In the last two years we became more active in raising funds and developing Iffley Fields as a great place to live. Through successful grant applications and crowdfunding we secured four park benches, three litter bins, and wildflower, bulb and tree planting in Meadow Lane Rec. We contributed to the guerrilla garden planting and raised funds for a table tennis to be installed in Spring 2023. We secured a grant to improve Long Bridges as a safer, better swimming area. We have brought residents together with a new book group, a walking group, a history group and a gardening group. We launched a new IFRA website and produce two Fields newsletters a year. We have advocated for residents’ access rights and planning to the Council and landowners.
However, grants don’t pay overheads and now we need your help to raise about £700 core funding each year for printing, newsletter, website costs so we can maintain our momentum. We are asking residents who can afford to do so to make an annual contribution towards these overheads.
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Set up a standing order from your online account, see bank details here
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Complete the form to make an annual or a monthly Standing Order and send this to your bank.
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Pay a cheque made out to IFRA and deliver to IFRA c/o 53, Stratford Street.
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Please donate as little or as much as you like, whether than be £1/year or £10/month.
Account details: Nat West, Cornmarket Street, Account No. 24751634, Sort Code 54-21-23
You can find a Standing order Mandate here.
The Ferry Path and River Access
The area from the old Corporation Ferry Path to Donnington Bridge is important for providing access to the river. However, it has become very run down and neglected. We would like to see discussions with local stakeholders on how it can be best used as a public space by rowers, canoeists, fishermen, swimmers and local people.
IFRA would like to work with the Council and stakeholders and would be willing to raise funding for some improvements.