The Abingdon Community Hospital League of Friends had a stall this morning on the Market Place with a tombola, and craft objects for sale.  They purchase equipment for the local hospital which may not be budgeted for under the NHS. Visit http://achlof.weebly.com/ to find out more and become a member yourself for just £5 a year.

There have also been lots of scooters in town today. Later on, passing Southern Town Park I realised why…

The annual Oddballs Rally, a three day charity fund raising festival, was happening at Abingdon Rugby Club, and on the roads round Abingdon. There was live music in a big marquee (useful this evening with the rain), and people camping out with their scooters nearby.

From Friday to Sunday there was the first ever  ‘Prosecco in the Park’ at Rye Farm Meadow near Abingdon.

People brought their camping chairs, or rugs, and watched films on a large screen. The event caught the one bit of rain we have had in weeks on Friday evening, but the sunshine returned on Saturday and Sunday.

There was a good crowd on Sunday. After paying £5 for a wristband people could come and go during the day, and so it was also good for Abingdon town centre bringing in lots of visitors.

On Friday 20th July 2018 the Royal Swan Upping will be coming to Abingdon.

Their approximate schedule is
Moulsford 09.00 – Departure point
Benson Lock 10.15
Clifton Hampden Bridge 13.00
Culham Lock 16.15
Abingdon Bridge 17.00

You could arrive at Abingdon Bridge at 17:00 and find that they have come and gone an hour before, or that there is another ninety minutes to wait. It all depends on conditions and how many swans they find. We really need somebody using social media at Culham Lock to warn us they are coming.

The Abbey Mill Stream area swans have 2 cygnets and are beyond the bridge and so will probably not get ringed.

The Abingdon Marina area swans have seven cygnets and so could well be caught by the swan uppers and get ringed.

“Swan Upping plays an important role in the conservation of the mute swan and involves The Queen’s Swan Warden collecting data, assessing the health of young cygnets and examining them for any injuries. “