Monthly Archives: November 2014

Christmas Extravaganza +

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Christmas Extravaganza
The Christmas Extravaganza road signs are there for the parade at 11:45am on Saturday, 29th November 2014.

Once the parade is over there will be entertainment in the Market Place and Bath Street, and traffic can flow normally. Entertainment will include a mix of Bands, Choirs, Dancers, Street Entertainers, and Punch and Judy. The Christmas lights will be switched on at 5:30pm followed by Fireworks.
Christmas Extravaganza
To coincide with the Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza Day there will be free parking all day in all Abingdon’s car parks.
Christmas Extravaganza
There are also other events that coincide with the Christmas Extravaganza Day:

  • Fair Trade Christmas at St Ethelwolds House 10 am to 6 pm
  • Ruby’s Vintage & Retro Fair at The Guildhall 10 am to 4 pm
  • St Helen’s Church Christmas Market  10 am to 12.30 pm
  • Our Lady’s Abingdon Christmas Fayre 10 am to 1 pm

Views from the River Bank of Cygnets, Missing Boats, and Steel Girders

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Views from the River Bank
Four cygnets, in their grey and white feathering, are still with mum and dad on the River Thames in Abingdon. They will probably stay together until mum and dad start thinking about next year’s brood.
Views from the River Bank
On Nags Head Island the hire boats of the Abingdon Boat Centre – normally to be found stood up on oil drums during the off season – are nowhere to be seen.

The Abingdon Boat Centre say on their web site “Please note that our boat hire season has ended earlier than normal this year as we are planning to renew our efforts to have the site redeveloped.

Our vision for the site based on our own original scheme for redevelopment includes a new chandlery, workshop, improved boating facilities and a restaurant at first floor level.”
Views from the River Bank
Just across the river, work on the last phase of the Old Gaol is well underway, and the new structure for one of the new ground floor restaurants is outlined by steel girders.

Five Years of Trinity Learning

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This evening at Trinity Church there was a look back at Trinity Learning – a project with the aim of finding ways in which the church can use its time, talents and space to enhance the quality of life those working in local schools – both students and staff.
Five Years of Trinity Learning
One of the more visible results of this has been the ‘Hello Abingdon’ community magazines produced by children from local schools for the last 5 years. The Oxford Health NHS trust magazine ‘Insight’ recently featured some of the reporters from Thameside School who came to report on Abingdon Community Hospital.

Trinity Learning recognises the pressure schools are under and seeks to provide a place of calm and reflection for students and teachers with projects such as Experience Easter and Prayer Spaces.

They also give work experience to students, help boost students’ confidence in planning and producing assemblies, help with the R.E curriculum, and have produced a lot of resources that can be used in and beyond Abingdon.

To find out more visit Trinity Learning.

Abingdon Abbey Grounds – The 3 Scenarios – progress to date

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The Abingdon Area Committee of the VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council) meet on Mon 24th Nov 2014 to consider the results of the consultation into the Abbey Grounds.
Abingdon Abbey Grounds
The consultation considered previous studies that had some bearing on the Abbey Grounds, but really involved 30 Abingdon Community groups at a meeting on 4th November, and 60 pupils from Larkmead and Fitzharris Schools at another date. These consultees ranked how Abbey Meadow facilities are valued by the community:
Abingdon Abbey Grounds
The consultees also considered what could be added to improve the area with ideas such as: circular walks with better surfaces, adventure playground, picnic area, outdoor gym, bandstand …

3 scenarios have now been put together to improve the area using £500K set aside for that purpose by the VWHDC. The 3 scenarios will be first discussed at the Abingdon area committee, and then the VWHDC cabinet. Then the three scenarios will be put forward for people to vote upon during Jan – Feb 2015.
Abingdon Abbey Grounds
In one of the scenarios (focus on structured sport and recreation) the open air pool is opened out to the splash area and has a cafe added; in another scenario (focus on tourism and leisure) the open air pool is removed and replaced with a cafe; and in the third scenario (focus on informal use of green space) the pool is not mentioned but there are better walks.

Peter Harbour from Friends of the Outdoor Pool would love to hear from people about what the pool means to you. There is a comments area on the friends website so that would be a good place to write. He would like the pool to continue whatever else is done.
Abingdon Abbey Grounds
Other facilties are even more in danger because of their low usage and lack of investment. They include the tennis courts …
Abingdon Abbey Grounds
crazy golf, and pitch and put, especially as the VWHDC have to pay somebody to operate a second kiosk to keep them going.