In St Helen’s Church centre the Friend’s of Abingdon Community Hospital held their AGM and raffle draw. The big prize was a Miele Vacuum cleaner. There were lots of other prizes. Wyn, seated nearest the camera, was delighted to be taking back a prize to a neighbour to whom she sold the ticket.

In St Ethelwold’s House the Abbey Artists have an exhibition this weekend. I got talking to Dougie Simpson who does those lovely pictures of Abingdon that are sketched painting with outlines in pen and ink.

On the Market Place the Kennington Memory Club had a stall. The Alzheimer’s Club in Abingdon closed down, and Kennington have taken over running a day centre with activities.

Ian, of the Oxford Waits, was busking in Bury Street. The Oxford Waits had a successful sell-out concert at the Unicorn Theatre last night. I am told there was a great atmosphere. I got there with ten minutes to spare. The man at the door said to the couple ahead of me ‘You are lucky. Two tickets left.‘ Then told me, ‘Sorry! Sold out.‘

During the last week the car park attendant at Coxeter House, Abingdon, has been raising funds for BBC Children in Need .

Christmas Lights were also being put up in Abingdon.

The lights will be turned on at the  Christmas Extravaganza on Saturday 30th November.

Joanna Page, who played Stacey in the TV Series Gavin & Stacey, will turn the lights on.

At the Roysse Room this evening there was a reception given by the Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames for some of the people who have helped Abingdon on the way to becoming a Plastic Free town. This included businesses who can display the Plastic Free Champions Logo.

The council had also done their part as had the Abingdon Cuts Plastic group.

There were are also schools. Young people have taken a lead in trying to save the planet.

Displays at the reception included the winning entries in the Schools Anti-Litter Poster Competition.

Anne Smart did a presentation about what had been done so far and what still needs to happen, and The Mayor of Abingdon – Cllr Charlie Birks gave a speech thanking everybody who had made their own effort to cut down on single use plastic so we don’t produce the waste in the first place.

Army personnel from Dalton Barracks, near Abingdon, and lots of other uniformed organisations paraded from St Helen’s Church to The War Memorial this morning for the Act of Remembrance.

The Royal British Legion – Abingdon Branch – followed the serving soldiers in leading the act of remembrance. They represent the Armed Forces community that fought in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

Cadet groups stood shoulder to shoulder with the veterans and serving soldiers.

This year the parade arrived with time to spare on a bright sunny Sunday, and so there were three or four minutes of silence before the 11 am act of remembrance. Revd. Charles Miller led the commendation and prayers. The exhortation was read, the last post sounded and then there were two minutes of silence followed by the laying of the wreaths round the war memorial.

Afterwards all the uniformed groups followed Abingdon Town Band in marching past the dignitaries at Abingdon County Hall.

Again the Royal British Legion followed the regular army,

followed by cadets

Then came all the uniformed groups. Here the brownies, and their leaders, salute the four people on the platform: The Queen’s representative in Abingdon, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Felicity Dick; The Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Charlie Birks; the town’s Poppy Appeal organiser, Clare; and a senior officer from Dalton Barracks.

Crowds of people, who had been watching, followed on behind the parade. There were a lot of people and lots of young people. Back at the War Memorial people laid their own poppies and crosses at the foot of the war memorial, including young children carrying on a family tradition.

A member of the gurkhas who had served at Dalton Barracks had come to pay his respects at Abingdon.

I asked the Royal British Legion standard bearer to stand for this picture. During the act of remembrance the standards were lowered as the two-minute silence took place to remember those who have died in the violence of war.