Oxfordshire weekly round-up: 18 December - 23 December 2023

A story about a Christmas tractor convoy was among our most read this week in Oxfordshire.

A variety of local issues featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Oxford and South Today.

We have picked five stories to keep you up to date.

A convoy of illuminated agricultural vehicles weaved its way through the countryside to raise money for a hospice.

The annual RC Baker Tractor Run saw 100 decorated tractors take part as crowds turned out to watch them drive through local villages.

The event, which has been running annually since 2016, raises money for the Katharine House Hospice in Adderbury. Organisers said at least £17,000 had been raised this year.

Sam Ryder played surprise gigs at shopping centres in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to push his Christmas single to number one in the charts.

The Eurovision star treated excited shoppers to live shows at the Westgate in Oxford and outside The Oracle in Reading.

His team handed out leaflets with QR codes with which to download his festive song You're Christmas To Me, which was released only on Amazon Music.

Campaigners have called for a new public inquiry into plans for a large reservoir.

Thames Water wants to build the 4.5sqmile (7sqkm) site near Abingdon.

But the Group Against Reservoir Development (GARD) and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Oxfordshire want Secretary of State Steve Barclay to step in.

Thames Water said the project would help meet water demands.

It is "incredible" that a third of Oxfordshire's children are not meeting basic standards of education despite the success of the county's universities, the chief executive of a charity has said.

Oxfordshire Community Foundation released a report compiling data on a number of social issues in the county.

It found one in nine children were living in poverty, something its chief executive, Zoe Sprigings, said was closely linked to education outcomes.

Junior doctors from Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) have been on strike because of a pay dispute.

The action started on Wednesday for three days, with senior doctors drafted in to provide cover.

Andrew Molodynski, chair of the British Medical Association regional consultants committee, said junior doctors had seen "massive pay erosion over the last 15 years".

OUH said it had rescheduled some appointments.

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