May Morning in Abingdon

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May Morning in Abingdon
I went for a walk this May Morning in Abingdon after watching the Virtual May Day Morning from Oxford. It contained a fascinating history of May Day celebrations put together by one of the Oxford Waites.
May Morning in Abingdon
Fabulous Flowers’ flower containers shone in the early morning sun. For any in the florist trade it must be a nightmare trying to guess what will happen in the weeks and months ahead.
May Morning in Abingdon
On the far side of The River Thames some adult geese were shepherding their young.
May Morning in Abingdon
They were a little wary but not aggressive. The fabulous views of Abingdon can be seen beyond them.
May Morning in Abingdon
There are many good viewing points for seeing St Helen’s Church around Abingdon and beyond.
May Morning in Abingdon
The main parish church seems to have been placed to help direct people from afar.

After April, when May follows

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After April
Waitrose were handing out umbrellas for people in the queue. At the very end of April, the month is trying to make up for all the missing April Showers with one downpour .
After April
With the shopping I got an Abingdon Herald. On page 22 is a message from the editor.The Herald has been hit hard by the lockdown in sales and advertising revenue. During the next six weeks they offer free delivery.
After April
For May Morning (Friday, 1st May), Rotary Abingdon planned to have a choir singing on top of the Abingdon County Hall and a May Pole in the Market Place. This is postponed until 2021.
After April
The large event in Oxford, that attracts thousand of people, has also been cancelled. However Oxford are having a virtual May Morning. People can join in by tagging their own social media posts with #MayMorning .

From 6am on May Morning you can see a Virtual May Morning live stream featuring: The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford Horns of Plenty,  Oxford University Morris Dancers, John Otway, and many more. The Choir of Magdalen College have recorded their parts individually, and through modern technology will be singing together. I don’t know how the Morris Dancers will dance together while apart.

Abbey Fishponds and back

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Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
In Abingdon, there are two nature reserves looked after by the Earth Trust: Radley Lakes, and Abbey Fishponds.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
For our daily walk we went along the Radley Road, then through the Abbey Fishponds.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
Volunteers have laid wood chip over the path at one end.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
They have also cut back the reeds. From the wetland fresh reeds grow.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
At the cross paths, near the centre, we saw a gentleman coming the other way, and using the choreography learned during the lockdown, we walked up the earthwork, while he took the low path, and said hello as we passed.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
We crossed Audlett Drive and then went round the Leisure Centre. It was closed but the side area was open. Some dog walkers were on the green, and one young person was using the skate park.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
There is a narrow path to Barton Lane. My wife took this picture of me taking a picture through the tunnel of leaves. She liked the colours.

We then walked by Sophos and Penlon. I had a word with somebody at a distance at Penlon about their activities, and I am hoping they will send me something for a future blog post. But they do have more important things to do.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
Outside the businesses on Barton Mill corner, on Audlett Drive, there was a rainbow.
Abbey Fish Ponds and Back
Back through the Abbey Grounds my wife got this picture. The thrush had been hopping about tapping the ground, and this is the moment the thrush got the worm.

Minute Silence for NHS staff who sadly lost their lives to Covid-19

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Minute Silence
There was a minute silence at 11.00am on 28th April 2020 in recognition of the NHS staff and key workers who have sadly lost their lives to Covid-19.
Minute Silence
Panorama last night found that people in healthcare jobs were forced to put their lives at risk because of insufficient PPE. Our country has not built up, or procured, sufficient stock of the right type of equipment, and healthcare and social care workers are being asked to make do with what is available There have been 100 lives lost so far. The Panorama Reporter asked how many lives have been lost because of the shortage of PPE?
Minute Silence
Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran’s started a petition back in March asking for compensation for families of NHS staff who die from Covid-19. The petition was signed by 60 MPs. Yesterday, it was an announced that this has had some success. Families will now receive £60K. Layla Moran called this a good start and says more needs to be done to bring them into line with armed forces personnel who die in active service.

The video shows the minute’s silence looking out onto a rainy West St Helen Street. I expect there was something more significant at Abingdon Community Hospital. They will know people who lost their lives. It was announced on April 19th that Margaret Tapley, from Witney Community Hospital, lost her life to Covid-19.

The NHS pictures come from
* Penlon Place, Abingdon (Penlon make Ventilators and so provide an important part of NHS equipment to fight Covid-19);
* Steventon Road, Drayton
* The Abbey Fish Ponds Nature Reserve on Radley Road, Abingdon.