The Clock House is used as a young people’s clinic by the OBMH (The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust).

Such services are there for when things begin to fall apart, something that happens to about one in three of us at some stage in our lives, and one in five children.

The mental health trust had its AGM (Annual General Meeting) today at Littlemore Hospital. The trust are hoping to become a Foundation Trust, and need interested people to become members. Membership is a good thing as it helps give a stronger voice to service users.

The meeting took place at a large gym at Littlemore. At the back of the hall it was difficult to hear the key note speakers even with a microphone. The hall echoed so much. But then one service user, at the back, stood up to ask a question and came through very clearly saying that for her things had not got better in the last year. The financial management and drive to become a Foundation Trust were all good news, but for her things had got worse when she needed help in an acute ward. Wards had been closed. In reply, the people at the front said that it was very difficult to hear her as the hall echoed so much but they’d be glad to talk with her afterwards.

A road surface should not be too perfect. Sooner or later it will get dug up, and patched a different colour. Here, on Ock Street, the road colours are like an art form.

This dead tree is to be found next to the where the Renault Crossroads Garage has been demolished and Cranbourne Homes are about to build 62 residences. The ivy up the trunk is till thriving but the spreading limbs are leafless.

I’m not blaming the ivy. I’m not blaming the demolition work. I’m not even blaming Drayton Road air pollution. I expect the tree died of old age… Unless you know different.

Trinity Church has always operated a no-smoking policy, but now in order to comply with the new law, appropriate signs are displayed at various points, like this one on the door of the choir vestry.

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A man came into church and lit up a cigarette. There were mutterings, then a steward approached him and said “You cannot smoke here. Didn’t you see the sign?”

The man flicked ash across the carpet. “Ah ha,” he said, “Today is national smoking day and I can smoke wherever I want.”

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Just a dream.