Charitable Organisations



Name :
Cancer Research (Bampton Branch)
Phone :
01993 850682
Email :
This has been a busy end of year for the local branch with events including a Quiz Night a Christmas Bingo a Christmas Raffle and finally the annual Country & Western Dance which as always was held at 'The Carterton Social Centre'. All of these events proved to be most successful and a combined total in excess of £3400.00 was raised. The total raised by the branch for the year ending December 31st totalled £22,740.00, this sum obviously comes from many sources and Chairman Doris Cleaver would like to offer a sincere vote of thanks to all of those concerned in helping to achieve this total.

This year proves to be just as busy so to check out our events see the What's On section of this website or call Doris
Name :
Friends of Bampton School (FOBS)
Phone :
01993 850371
Email :
Address :
Bampton, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Contact Hanna Scott

FOBS aims to raise funds to provide the children of the school with extra equipment or facilities which would not otherwise be available
Name :
Friends of St. Mary's
Phone :
01993 200995/ 07722 732832
Email :
Address :
St Mary's Church, Bampton
Contact Mike Connor

St Mary's Bampton is a very impressive minster parish church dating back to the 10th century, or even earlier, and is a Grade 1 listed building. To this day it remains a busy parish church open every day for a variety of services and events.

The Friends of St Mary's (FOSM) is an independent body and is a registered charity inaugurated in 1994 as a non-denominational trust. Its purpose is to build up a substantial long-term endowment fund (a fighting fund) to assist with major restoration projects including the restoration and repair of monuments, ornaments, furnishings, the organ, windows and other embellishments. In recent years, FOSM has assisted with the bell and roof appeals. Most recently, in 2017, FOSM, has made significant donations to help with the organ restoration and in the funding of the replacement of the lead roofing that had been stolen, and in the installation of alarms.

The Trustees are eternally grateful to those who give regularly by standing order and by generous one-off gifts. However, the endowment fund needs to be maintained in order to continue to be able to help with the upkeep of this impressive ancient building. Despite the skilful management of the endowment fund, it is necessary to reach out and ask more Bampton residents to consider contributing to the upkeep of this important church at the heart of Bampton. For further information about ‘giving’, please contact the Secretary on 01993 851142.
Name :
Royal British Legion
Website :
Phone :
07452 830698/01993 210160
Email :
Address :
Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion (RBL) is the UK's leading Armed Forces charity and one of its largest membership organisations. Members get together through the network of branches and clubs all over the country and overseas to participate in social, fundraising and welfare activities. The Bampton Branch meets at 7.30pm on the 1st Monday of every month. They also try and have a formal social meeting every 3 months at the Horseshoe public house in Bampton. The branch has a website which can be found at http://branches.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/bampton. Membership is open to everyone. If you have an interest in the objectives of the Legion and want to help and support for those who have served and their families, come and join us. We welcome men and women of all ages, whether they have served in the Armed Forces or not. History The Bampton Branch was first established in Nov 1928 and later amalgamated with the Bampton Ladies Branch. Our records date back as far as 1963 when we had a membership of 60+ members. Today we have around 45 members. The branch used to arrange a children's Christmas Party which was held in Clanfield each year. Last year we as branch resurrected this event and it was a huge success. We will hold this event again in the Village Hall in Bampton. The branch has a fully active committee who are available to contact through the details on this page. If you know of any serving or Ex service member who may require assistance then please get in touch to see what help we can offer you.
Name :
S.P.A.J.E.R.S
Phone :
07452 830698/01993 210160
Address :
Bampton, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
During 1953 two residents of the Village John Quick and Paul Bovington organised a 'Shirt Race' as a one-off event to celebrate the Coronation. The rules of the 'Shirt Race' were very simple. A team of two individuals each of whom were to be dressed in a night-shirt and with some sort of un-powered transport such as an old pram were to take it in turns to push each other from hostelry to hostelry pausing at each to down a half-pint of ale. For the race nurses from the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford were invited to attend and collect money for the hospital. Such was the success of the event however that John and Paul decided to hold it annually with the money collected going to the pensioners of the Village. The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Junketing (SPAJERS) was born!

In those early days there were some 11 pubs in the Village - at one time the Village had 13 pubs! - but at the present time, the competitors have it a bit easier, as the numbers are now down to four, although many of the residents of the houses which are ex-public houses, still get a table out and offer the drinks! There are three races at present for juniors, intermediate, and seniors, the latter two normally being combined into a single event, with prizes for the winners and runners-up, and the races are held at the Spring Bank Holiday each year. While the rules remain basically the same, various types of dress attire are now accepted, since night-shirts are rare items these days, and a shortage of them some years back nearly led to the race's demise! In fact, the fancy dress has now become a major part of the occasion; see the website's photo album for the sort of attire used!

It is ingeniously said that the origin of the 'Shirt Race' can be attributed either to the occasion, in 784 AD, when Ethelred the Shirtless, chased the burgers of Bampton through the streets in order to clothe his nakedness, or to a certain action of William the Conqueror's soldiers stationed at Shifford during the beer drought of 1067!

The SPAJERS are still going strong after 60 years - the present committee numbers 14 members - and are still raising money for the pensioners of the Village. In 2008, the Spajers finally became a Registered Charity, which allows us to claim Gift Aid on ALL donations made; anyone who regularly contributes (i.e. around half of Bampton!) can fill in a Gift Aid form and allow us to claim an 25% of each donation from HMRC!! Contact the Treasurer for the appropriate form.

The other major events run by the SPAJERS are the Village Quiz, in April each year, the Donkey Derby and Fete held on the Monday of the August Bank Holiday at Sandfords Field and in recent years, the Fireworks display which is run in partnership with the Bampton Firefighters. Not officially part of the Spajers, the Mummers, who perform their play at various locations in the village on Christmas Eve also raise money for this worthy cause; see elsewhere in the Website for the Mummers. All the money raised each year by the Spajers go entirely to the pensioners of the village; this allows them to give each pensioner a cash gift at Christmas , often a party, and an always annual outing.

If you are of pensionable age and have lived in Bampton for at least 6 months, you are eligible to "join the Spajers".

For further details, details on joining or for a gift aid form, contact:-



Treasurer & Membership: Jeff Dando 01993 850643
Name :
The Bampton Exhibition Foundation
Phone :
01993 850167
The Foundation exists to maintain the Old Grammar School building (now the Library), and to provide financial support to young people residing in the Ancient Parish of Bampton, Aston, Lew and Weald. The financial help is for young people who would like to participate in any academic or sporting course or activity of educational value which would otherwise be beyond their means. Anyone who feels they qualify (or knows of someone who may do so) should contact the Bursary Administrator, Marion Dowding, Bay Tree Cottage, Rosemary Lane, Bampton, OX18 2NF
Name :
The Bampton Welfare Trust
Phone :
01993 852196
Email :
Address :
Bampton, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
The Trustees may make gifts to the needy in Bampton Aston and Lew - as far as their funds allow - to relieve sudden distress or sickness help with travelling expenses to hospitals provide fuel and food for the sick. The Trustees also assist the local primary schools playgroups and clubs for the elderly in that area. Clerk to the Trustees: Peter Alcock: Tel: 01993 852196.