Carterton, in West Oxfordshire,
is a town with some 15,000 residents. It lies in the Thames Valley
and is surrounded by scenic countryside including the Cotswold Area
of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Carterton is a thriving and rapidly
expanding town with new housing and industrial and business areas
being developed in its north eastern quadrant. New leisure facilities
have been added to the many already well-established sports and
leisure clubs.
Established in 1900 by William Carter, Carterton was originally
known for its horticultural produce but is now better known as the
home town of RAF Brize Norton, which is the largest RAF Station
in Great Britain. The presence of the Royal Air Force is extremely
important to the local economy, being the largest employer in the
area. Other local employment is found on the Southern Industrial
Estate where there is a wide range of firms of all sizes. Two other
industrial and retail parks are under development. For employment
further afield, Carterton is conveniently located for Oxford, Swindon,
Cheltenham and Witney.
Carterton has the usual range of social and commercial facilities
of a growing town. There are many active clubs and organisations
operating within the area. These are listed on the Town Council
website (www.carterton-tc.gov.uk) and also in the Carterton Community
Magazine.
There is a good range of shops to provide for everyday needs and
the Town and District Councils are working together to expand the
retail outlets in the town centre. A new foodstore is due to open
in 2009.
The Town Mayor hosts a number of civic events throughout the year.
The chief of these are the ‘switch on’ of the Christmas
lights, the Mayor’s charity walk on New Year’s Day and
the annual St George’s Day Charity Dinner. The Town Council
and Save the Children jointly organise an Open Gardens Day each
summer, and a 10K Road Race is held in March in association with
RAF Brize Norton. Further information on all of these events is
available from the Town Hall.
|
