May Fair

There was a May Fair at St Nicolas School today.

The May King and Queen opened the Fair. There followed Maypole Dancing... the school choir performed... the Dance Club danced.

There was a lot else going on...

A Plague of Caterpillars

These caterpillars have laid waste a Spindle Tree in Abingdon. I am told they also had a go at it last year.

If it carries on like this there will be no Spindle alongside the Crown and Thistle, and the Spindle Ermine Moths will have nowhere to leave their eggs.

Thanks to Michael for the Pictures.

Also from another source...

On Friday 22nd May Peachcroft Christian Centre will be showing THE AGE OF STUPID in their community cinema. In the film a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looks back at ‘archive’ footage from 2007 and asks: why didn’t we stop this we had the chance? Doors open 7.00pm. Entry £2.50.

Christian Aid Week - 10th - 16th May

Its that time of year again, when volunteers go round begging on the doorstep on behalf of the world's poorest.

Thanks to John for this one.

Mayor Making

The new Mayor - starting today - is Patricia Hobby. Her escort for the day was her Grandson.

The new Deputy Mayor is Duncan Brown.

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers revealed a new dance before the Mayor Making. ( Well! Not that new really, more long lost and newly re-discovered. ) It is called the Abingdon Broom Dance.

Reinforcing the Bank

Work has begun this week on removing several trees, and reinforcing the bank on the stretch of the River Ock between St Helen's Mill, and the Iron Bridge.

People from an eventful weekend

Many good causes were being publicised at the Euro Rock Event and The Dragon Boats. Here are but a few, and some people you may or may not know,...

The Studio Theatre Club are performing The Recruiting Officer at the Unicorn Theatre from Wednesday 13th May to Saturday 16th May. Thanks to Alan for this picture. Seen here visiting the Euro Stall, and sporting a Euro bag, is a very dapper recruiting Officer. He was out recruiting people along to the show.

Abingdon and District Twin Towns Society had a display at both events. You can see their pictures of the weekend on the ADTTS Site.

And 2121 (Abingdon) Squadron, Air Training Corps, who meet near the Harley Davidson showroom in Whitecross, had a stall. Here is an opportunity for young people to join up and find their wings.

Cancer Research UK were making people aware of their Relay for Life in Abingdon. "..a tribute to those who have been affected by cancer. Over 24 hours on the 29-30th of August, 2009, teams of friends, family, neighbours and colleagues will gather at Radley College, Abingdon to take turns walking laps around the track and join in the party atmosphere.... and before then to raise money for life saving research"

On show at the Dragon Boats were wood carvings of Oxfordshire to be permanently displayed in the Guildhall. This lady carved the Old Gaol in Abingdon - bottom right.

Dragon Boat Racing 2009

This year there was good weather, unlike two years ago, and both the amusements and the racing were at the same location, unlike last year.

Conditions were ideal, and more people than ever got to see the Dragon Boat Racing. It was more packed than the finishing strait at Henley Regatta.

The dragon boat crews included The Smurf crew - identifiable by their sky blue faces and white hats.

The crews race down the course to the sound of a large drum at the front of the boat. The crew chant together One-Two-One-Two, and the the Hawaii-Five-O theme drives them to ever better times.

The event is organised and run by the Rotary Club of Abingdon Vesper, and all done for charity.

Worth Doing Twice

While the Euro concert was happening in the park, there were lots of dancers around town, to celebrate Tom Hemming's birthday. Tom Hemmings was a well known Abingdon Morris Dancer in the 1950s. The group above are from near Reading.
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The Vale Islanders were also there to dance in 1700s traditional dress.

There was a group from Kirtlington.

and two or three other group, like the Rock Hoppers behind Les, pictured here, who helps organise this event - which has grown over the last couple of years.

Les is one of Mr Hemmings Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers. They are different from the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers. But as one Morris web site says, 'if something is worth doing it is worth doing twice. There is always more than one way of thinking about Morris...'

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers have their big day with the election of The Mayor of Ock Street on June 13th.