Swan Upping 2009

Two swans and three cygnets got caught this year by the swan uppers down near the Margaret Brown Gardens.

The swans were weighed and health checked, and the cygnets ringed before being released.

Their work done, for another year, the swan uppers rowed the last stretch by St Helen's Church...

then they performed the Royal Toast by Abingdon Bridge.

For the first time Her Majesty the Queeen was there to watch the start of the Swan Upping near Windsor.

Like every year the citizens of Abingdon were there at the end.

Fun Fair

Until Sunday there is a Fun Fair in Ladygrove Meadow - thats the land next to the River Ock off the Drayton Road and next to Hartwells.

Its runs until Sunday. This fair happens in years when the ground is not flooded.

Corner Pharmacy

At the corner of Spring Road and Edward Street a new pharmacy is preparing to open. They describe themselve as 'a new extended hours pharmacy close to the Community Hospital, with strong links to local health carers.'

The shop use to be creative corner - now moved down to near the double roundabout at the bottom of Spring Road, where the model shop used to be. The model shop also originally came from Edward Street but I don't know where it went.

I did mention the new pharmacy to two Ock Street residents, who don't have a car, and they said they'd rather have somewhere they could buy bread and a pint of milk - lots of takeaways and pubs down that way but no convenience store. Even the Off-Licence has stopped doing milk because not enough people used it.

Room With A View

Thanks to Carl for these pictures of Abingdon. He, and his wife, come over for the summer months every year or so and then live is Florida for the rest of the time.

As you can see from this picture he has a ring side seat looking onto the centre of Abingdon.

I hope there will be more from Carl before he goes back.

Rain at the start of the Holidays

The school holidays have begun.

Through the rain you can just about make out the digger, and cones already to start work. Trinity is getting some drainage work done, involving a trench across the road. It has been planned for the school holidays when it should cause least disruption.

At the top of Coopers Lane it looks like there is a lot of surface water as the rain comes down which reminds me, it is two years since the floods. It began on Saturday 21st July 2007, and people woke up early on Sunday 22nd July to flooded houses.

Bill Wivell

The Town Clerk writes on abingdon.gov.uk :

'It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death of William (Bill) Wivell, former Mayor of Abingdon 1992 to 1993. Bill passed away on Monday 13th evening. His funeral is to be held at Oxford Crematorium at 12.45 pm on Monday 20th July. This will be followed at a later date by a service of thanksgiving...

As a former Mayor of the Town, the Town flag is now being flown at half-mast as a mark of respect and will do so until and including the day of the funeral, as well as on the day of the thanksgiving service.'

The Abingdon herald have a full report.

Abingdons Got Talent 2009 - Final

Paul Mayhew-Archer, co-author of the Vicar of Dibley, was the Compere for the day.

The crowds were as big as last year's event.

These were the judges:
Geraldine Peers - News Presenter, BBC South
Eileen Bagshawe - Abingdon Drama Club
Patricia Hobby - Mayor of Abingdon
Giselle Ruskin - Heart FM Breakfast presenter

These are the winners:
Adam Matthews - 18 & over
Nicholas Schneider - 12-17
Miles Burton - 11 & under

There is a fuller report in the Oxford Mail thanks to Andrew Ffrench - seen here interviewing the parents of Miles, the 11 & under winner.