Dance / Hope 08

There was an International Dance Festival on the Market Place today. The O'Gara School of Irish Dancing are seen here with Marianne - who organised this event for the town council.

People can be seen here watching a display by the Abingdon Dance Studios.

The Mayor even had a little twirl with a young lady called Holly, with Ceroc dancers on the stage behind.

Despite all the dancing, there was still room for a Save Radley Lakes stall. They have a sponsored dog walk next Saturday starting at 1:30.

Elsewhere, all around Abingdon, upwards of 140 volunteers from the Church in Abingdon were taking part in something called Hope 08 - Hours of Kindness. These volunteers were helping remake part of the Ock Valley walk washed away by last years floods.

Others were involved in litter clearing.

New Bridge + Artwork

The new footbridge connecting the Riverside development and the Abbey Meadows has been mostly assembled, but not opened.

There are some steel strands, and lots of green painted girders and handrails + artwork.

Mayday! Call the RSPCA?

A female mallard leads her team of eleven ducklings past the end of Saxton Road

... past the end of Preston Road.

They paddle madly to change sides near Abingdon Sailing Club, as a narrow boat approaches.

and skitter away again when they see a white swan with the leg tucked onto its back. The ducklings call out "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" Should they call the RSPCA? Follow this link to find out.

Co-op Building - April Progress

As can be seen from the picture, some of the windows are in, and the traditional roof on the central part of the building has taken shape. There is also a sign saying: Business as normal during construction: Paul Viney photography, Frugal Foods, Exclusive Hair Design. Perhaps the sign was there before but I only noticed it this month.

(By the way, for anybody wanting to try to shape the Vale's future there is a forum tonight in the Guildhall from 7pm - 9pm.)

Nuffield Way and Centrum

Near the Marcham Interchange off the A34 runs Nuffield Way, and the Nuffield Centrum.

If you want to know what 3663 means try your mobile phone. They are a major deliverer of FOOD products.

Dairy Crest - Abingdon Depot. Website: www.milkdeliveries.co.uk

These flags flutter and spell out Mie, Mele, Mie, Mel...

Centrum is latin, and thats the Abbey Press behind the sign.

The 2008 Shortlist

The 2008 shortlist for the best new bookshop award has 4 contenders:

Bookstor, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Mostly Books, Abingdon
Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights, Bath
Seven Stories Bookshop, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

My vote would have to go to Mostly Books, in Abingdon.

A new bus stop

On Bridge Street most of the preparatory work for the traffic lights seems to have been done. Cables have been laid. The old bus stop has a red poster to say that it has been relocated.

A new bus stop is in place lower down.


The workers have moved on to modify the disabled bays on Stert Street to add dropped kerbs for wheelchairs.

MGs and St George Parade

More MGs came to visit the museum today. For the cars it is a trip back to the town where they were fashioned.

The old route of the St George parade used to be away from traffic down Abbey Close, but this year the event included a short church service at St Helen's Church. More people can see the parade using this new route: but it does cause a traffic hold-up.

The man who runs Local Roots (our new 'local food' shop) can be seen here talking to a local police officer - with the traffic hold-up behind.

30+ different youth organisations marched past the Mayor, and other dignitaries, on the way back from church.