Benson Parish Council

08/06/2026

HAD (Humane Animal Dispatch) Volunteers
We are looking for new volunteers to join our Humane Animal Dispatch (HAD) team across the Thames Valley area.
We are seeking people who can provide a calm and compassionate response when animals are seriously injured on the roads.
HAD volunteers assist officers at incidents requiring the humane and safe handling of animals.
Full training is provided.
If you are experienced with animals, confident in a variety of environments, able to volunteer on an on-call basis, and interested in supporting your local policing team, please email: [email protected]
Thank you for your support.



Message Sent By
Alyson Moore
(Police, Volunteers coordinator, Citizens in Policing)

03/06/2026

🏆 Community Awards Winners Announced 🏆
We are delighted to announce that this year’s Community Awards have been presented to Benson residents Marie Finch and Oscar Cowlard.
Marie Finch received the Don Fletcher Community Award, which recognises an individual or group who has made an outstanding contribution to the Benson community.
For the past couple of years, Marie has led the decoration of the village centre at Christmas, giving up her own time to assemble garlands, organise the lights, and coordinate the team putting everything up - and taking it all down again in January! Without her hard work and dedication, the village would be a much less festive place at Christmas time, and we are grateful for her efforts. 🎄✨
Oscar Cowlard received the Bob Griffiths Shield, awarded to a young person or youth organisation for a notable achievement during the year.
Oscar was nominated for his dedication, enthusiasm, and positive approach to both sport and life. He captained the Under-13s football team, leading them to victory, and was recognised as the Supporters’ Player of the Year. ⚽
Alongside this, Oscar has volunteered his time helping maintain the grounds of St Helen’s Church through grass cutting and tidying the churchyard. He also raised an incredible £1,750 for Myeloma UK by cycling, running, or walking 30 miles in a week.
Congratulations to both Marie and Oscar on their well-deserved recognition! 🎉

28/05/2026

⚠️ Polite Reminder Regarding Play Equipment ⚠️

We would kindly like to remind everyone that the play equipment in our village parks is designed and built for children ONLY.

Unfortunately, we have recently experienced a number of costly repairs as a result of adults using the equipment. We understand that it can be tempting to join in the fun, but we respectfully ask adults to help us look after these facilities, so they remain safe, enjoyable, and available for local children. 👧🛝👦
Thank you for your support in helping us care for our community spaces.🙏

19/05/2026

Thank you to everyone involved in the Benson Community Celebration, and to all who came along to support it on Saturday – it was a fantastic event 🎉👏
If you didn’t get the chance to visit the Parish Council stand, the display boards will be available to view in the Parish Hall lobby from tomorrow 📍 There is still an opportunity to share your ideas for the Cuckoo Pen🌿 the Rivermead revamp🚣‍♀️ , and to help choose inscriptions for the armillary sphere as part of the public art.

19/05/2026

🚧Temporary Road Closures – Passey Crescent and further closure dates on A4130 Nettlebed to Crowmarsh 🚧 Details on the website.

Note it is not known whether they are closing the whole Nettlebed to Crowmarsh road (A4130) or managing the work in sections.

PASSEY CRESCENT Location Benson, 44 Passey Crescent, OX10 6LD Dates Start: 01 June 2026 End: 05 June 2026 (inclusive) Working Hours 24-hour road closure Reason for Works Installation of a new electricity supply. Access & Parking Limited access maintained for emergency services Frontage access where....

16/05/2026

⭐ It's TODAY ⭐
Benson Community Celebration
10am–2pm at the Parish Hall
Come along and celebrate our village, find out what’s happening locally, and see what the Parish Council has been working on.
✨ Activities, taster sessions & refreshments
🚶 Please try to walk if you can but if you need to drive, please park considerately around the Parish Hall (if car parks are full). See you there!

14/05/2026

🚧 Road Closure Notice – A4130 Nettlebed to Crowmarsh 🚧starting Friday 22nd May.
Details on the website

Temporary Road Closure and “No Waiting” Restriction Location: A4130, Nettlebed to Crowmarsh (A4074 to B481) Dates: Friday 22 May 2026 – Tuesday 26 May 2026 Working Hours: 04:00 – 18:00 daily Reason: Surface dressing works Access: Limited access for residents and emergency services; buses, cy...

14/05/2026

Good morning, Benson! ☀️
We’re looking for a few volunteers for the Community Celebration at the Parish Hall this Saturday. If you can spare 30 minutes to help with refreshments - Please get in touch at [email protected]. Thank you. 🙌

13/05/2026

🌟 Benson Community Celebration 🌟
📅 Saturday 16th May | 🕙 10am–2pm
📍 Benson Parish Hall
Come along and discover the many the activities happening in Benson.

💬 The Parish Council APM will be held in the form of a display with a chance to chat to Councillors and find out what’s going on.

Visit the website for the full timetable of taster sessions and all the groups attending: https://bensonpc.org.uk/community-events/

☕🍪 Huge thanks to David Wilson Homes for sponsoring the refreshments — enjoy complimentary tea, coffee & biscuits throughout the day.

🙌 We’d love to see you there!

12/05/2026

🎉 Benson Community Celebration – This Weekend! 🎉
📍 Parish Hall 🕙 10am – 2pm
Come along and enjoy a fantastic day celebrating our local community – there’s something for everyone!
✨ What’s happening:
Taster sessions in the Committee Room from Chi Chi Fit, Discovery Den & Baby Massage, Stageworks, MumFit, Let’s Act, Slimming World & Martial Arts (Matt Fiddes)
🌿 Nature Walk at 10:30am (leaves from the hall)
🎾 On the Tennis Courts:
Junior coaching at 10am (all youngsters welcome!)
Social tennis at 11am (relaxed adult session)
Mixed Team Match at 12:30pm – come and watch!
🏡 Clubs & Societies in the Main Hall:
Meet a wide range of local groups including BANG, BenSoc & History Group, Benson Bulletin, Veteran Cycles, Vol Helpline, Carers Group, St Helen's Church (Bells, Eco and Choir), Community Gardens, BenShed, Community Walkers, Evergreens, Library, Garden Club, Military Wives Choir, Millstream Centre, PP Group, Roke and Benson Band, Scouts, RBL, Short Mat bowls, SOHA, Table Tennis club, Tennis Club, Trefoil Guild, WI and Guides.
🍰 Cakes for sale in the Lounge (thanks to the Guides)
☕ Plus complimentary tea, coffee & biscuits available all day
💬 Come along, have a go, meet new people, and discover what’s going on in your community!