The 5th Annual South Abingdon Play & Activity Day will take place on Saturday 13th July 2019 from 11am until 3pm at Southern Town Park. Entrance and Activities are FREE to ensure an Inclusion for ALL. It is organised by the Oxfordshire Play Association, and they hold similar days at different locations in Oxfordshire, including one at Dalton Barracks on July 27th.

Abingdon Town Council has organised a meeting with the Environment Agency (EA) at which the EA will update residents on their work in relation to Abingdon Flood Defences and their latest proposals for a temporary flood barrier. The meeting will take place in the Roysse Room at 7pm on Thursday 18th July 2019. The picture was taken in July 2007 at the bottom of Caldecott Road looking towards the Iron Bridge.

On Sunday at St Ethelwold’s House in Abingdon people came together for the Great Get Together.

It included a big bring and share lunch. Drinks were served from one table, salads and savouries from under a gazebo, and the puddings and cakes from St Ethelwold’s Hearth.

We all got a label to say who we are.

There was music throughout the afternoon.

The children were enjoying the clay modelling table. But as a few of them came from overseas and are being helped by Host Abingdon, here are two adults enjoying the clay modelling table.

The Great Get Together is a celebration of the fact that we have more in common than … , inspired by the murdered MP Jo Cox.

On the other bank of the River Thames, at Rye Farm Meadow, on Saturday, big crowds were attracted to the Abingdon Food Festival.

It featured a lot of caterers with flavours from all round the world.

The Greek Souvlaki stall looked the most popular. I did not ask why people were queuing there when most stalls had much smaller queues.

The cookery displays also looked popular.

The event is organised by the Rotary Club of Abingdon Vesper. These Rotary members are from Oxford Rotary but told me that Abingdon Vesper are high flying stars in the world of Rotary for the big events they organise and the amount they raise for charity. In 2019 the Food Festival profit goes to good causes, 50% to the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Music was provided by bands at a central stage. This is the Ock Street Band, a group of Abingdon based musicians named after an ancient Abingdon road.

Like any rotary event there were also a lot of community stalls. The Stonehill Community Gardens in Abingdon have land off Oday Hill where people can learn about gardening. It is open every Wednesday, 10 am – 4 pm.They say Drop-in or stay all day​. Volunteer and get involved … be closer to nature, learn and share skills and make friends.

I had a go with a Virtual Reality headset that gave an idea what it is like with dementia at the Bellevie care stall. They are a commercial group looking to expand in the Abingdon area. They aim to create care teams that give personalised care for the elderly.