Monthly Archives: January 2014

Oxfordshire Apprenticeships in the Community Shop

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This week (Jan 27 – Feb 1 2014) there is a chance to find out about Apprenticeships in the Community Shop. It is both for young people, from 16-60, who are thinking of doing an apprenticeship, and for employers thinking of taking on an apprentice. (For employers there is also an event at the Miele Centre on Thursday called Make Sense of Apprenticeships.)

The event is run by Oxfordshire Apprenticeships who had apprentice shop fitters to set up the shop. (Thanks to them for the pictures.)

Apprenticeships seem to cover a much wider range of skills than traditional trade apprenticeships. They can be anything from Accounting to Youth Work.

Abingdon Roadworks starting this month

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John said “There is a lot of activity at the Boundary House Traffic Junction. Perhaps one of your knowledgeable followers can tell is what is going on. It seems curious that money is being spent on this junction – where as a user I have never noticed a problem – when there are potholes galore waiting for attention!

Better publicised is the work to begin this week at the Wootton Road / Dunmore Road roundabout. There will a new toucan crossing on the Dunmore Road, and the pavement from the roundabout to beyond Abingdon College will be widened to include a cycle lane.

This £300K scheme is funded by the Department for Transport and Oxfordshire County Council to improve cycle safety. The Abingdon northern ring road has had more than its share of cycle accidents and fatalities.

“Think Bicycle!”

Bird Watch Weekend

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The RSBP are inviting people to spend an hour watching and counting birds in the garden, or a green space nearby – as part of a national survey. There are very few birds in our garden – the neighborhood cats make sure of that.

In search of a green space, I met a dozen or so members of the Green Gym who were litter picking along the Ock Valley walk. The walk is still shut but they had arranged access with the Town Council.

The most frequent birds were tits.

Then there were blackbirds.

And robins. These pictured birds have probably got used to being fed near the bench where I sat – they came so close. Other birds stayed further away: crows, magpies, ducks, pigeons, and probably more unusual species I didn’t spot.

Tiny Tigers Foundation Courses and Taster Sessions

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Thanks to Theresa for sending me information about Tiny Tigers Education programmes (for 2-6 years) based at The Abingdon Dojo (The Martial Arts Centre off Audlett Drive).

It starts with a Foundation programme with 30 minute sessions that involve fitness games, mat work, and basic martial arts skills. Each month they look at a different theme from Balance and Coordination, Fitness and Mental Focus and a monthly value such as listening skills. After that Tiny Tigers can go on to the 45 minute programme where they learn even more.

Recently Tiny Tigers raised £647.48 during Superhero Week for their chosen charity: OASIS Autism .

The Abingdon Dojo has an Open Day on Saturday February 1st 2014 where there will be 3 Tiny Tiger taster sessions, 9.00, 11.00 and 12.00. Tiny Tigers Education has more information.