The procession including the May Queen, Tina Sarahs and her attendants turning into Church View in 1965

'Jack and The Beanstalk' was a pantomime put on by the Bampton WI Drama group and produced by Hilda Pickard in January 1965.

'One Hour To Dusk' was a thriller performed before the interval and the light-hearted 'Poor Mr Shakespeare' afterwards, by the Bampton WI Drama Group produced by Hilda Pickard.

The activities were organised by the local drama student Peter Phillips from the Italia Conti School and two of his friends from the London College.

Left to right are Luella Keeble and Candy Westman with Peter. 1973
Two professional theatre workers helped Peter, they were Adam Wright and Nicola Standerwick to help the children with stage make-up and costumes as well as acting, movement and singing.

The catalogue listing the exhibitions to take place in August, September and October 1973.John Birkhead - ChairmanAnn Manly - SecretaryMargaret Birkhead - PublicityN.J.B. Robson - Hon. TreasurerI.O. Welch - Hon. Solicitor

WOAA got underway with its first exhibitions in the spring of 1973.
Music, drama and dance, film and photography, literature and art were all represented by different panels with its centre in the Gallery of the Town Hall. The panels would meet in various villages and organise exhibitions, lectures, films and live performances involving both amateur and professional talent.

Work by Michael Brockway, a skilled watercolourist were on show along with
Claerwen Holland, using a fusion of drawing with water colour
Ann Hinds, landscapes
John Birkhead, landscapes and chairman of WOAA
Margaret Ralston, (John's wife) exotically decorative panels of Eastern subjects
G.K. Horner, architectural studies
Anthony Bayes, richly coloured work

The first exhibition of WOAA contained work by 14 invited artists and over 100 people came to the private viewing, not just from Bampton but from neighbouring villages like Holwell, Westwell, Swinbrook, Standlake and Harwick

This is the catalogue of the Spring Exhibition of 1973. There was work by:-Charles MussettClaerwen HollandAngela MullinerD. W. BunceGary WoodleyLaurence FlemingMargaret RalstonAnthony BaynesRichard Dobbs

The WOAA literary pane organised several workshop in June and July 1973. They included:-

A drama workshop June 6th at Weald Manor for adults and older children under the guidance of David Thomas with a performance in the evening.

A Children's newspaper and television workshop week commencing July 26th organised by Brian Winston. Aimed in particular at children from ages 8 to 15.

WEA literature course - 10 lectures by Roy Kennedy on C18th literature. This took place in the autumn.

Susan Phillips was the secretary of the literary panel.

This page gives an outline of when and how the West Oxfordshire Arts Association was formed and how it was to be run initially at least.
Saturday May 26th 1973 was the first day of the first exhibition in the Gallery, the upstairs room in the Town Hall