Author Archives: Backstreeter

Scaffolding Comes Down at 3 West St Helen Street

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The scaffolding at 3 West St Helen Street has finally come down. It first went up in October 2024 when the building was found to be dangerous. There followed a long wait before work could begin to demolish and rebuild the end wall.

That reconstruction is now complete, and while the fencing and the blue site box remain for the moment, they should soon be removed, bringing to an end more than a year of disruption.

Before its closure, the ground floor was used by Pappy’s Afro-Caribbean Cuisine, which had only been open there for nine months. Three residents also lived in the flats above. Around twenty years ago the building housed Glendales, an electrical goods shop. We will now have to wait and see whether Pappy’s returns.

Here is how the building looked three weeks ago, as work on the wall neared completion:

Poppy Appeal Donations Rise £6,660 in Abingdon

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Donations to this year’s Poppy Appeal in Abingdon have risen by 16%, reaching £47,911.25 with more still to come.

Clare Oldfield, Abingdon Poppy Appeal Organiser, said: “At a time when people are feeling the pinch, these figures are incredible – heartbreaking and humbling. They demonstrate the generosity of townspeople and show just how much the Poppy means to them.”

Royal British Legion Branch chairman Michael Barrett added that it had been “an amazing year”, praising the dedicated team of collectors and the town’s strong support.

Tesco Extra raised over £14,000, Waitrose £10,000, and the town’s sole house-to-house collector brought in more than £1,000. Abingdon pubs contributed £471, and local schools added £3,904. Nearby villages also made significant contributions.

This year’s appeal also featured a vintage military jeep, a rare 1945 ambulance, and the first Poppy Ball at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Anyone wishing to join the Poppy Appeal team can email abingdonpoppies@gmail.com

Mayor’s Christmas Party for residents

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The Mayor’s annual Christmas Party for Abingdon residents took place at the Hilton Garden Inn and was enjoyed by many. Here are two guests heading home with their raffle prizes and goody bags.

Former Mayor Duncan Brown (pictured) acted as compere. The Mayor, Cllr Rawda Jehanli,(pictured), Deputy Mayor, and several town councillors were on hand to help throughout the afternoon.

Entertainment was provided by a choir from John Mason School and performing arts students from Abingdon & Witney College, both of whom also took part in the Extravaganza at the weekend. There was good food, and the Hilton Garden Inn generously provided the room for the occasion. The party was for residents over a certain age.

What’s On in Abingdon Next Week, and the First Use of the New Town Notice Board

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The new notice board on the Market Place displayed its first posters today, with different notices on each side. It is hoped this will help make local events better known.

The Mayor’s Christmas Party for Over-75s takes place on Thursday 4 December at the Hilton Garden Hotel, though it is probably too late now to get tickets, which were distributed through the Abingdon Information Centre.

On Saturday 6 December, there will be a Craft Market on the Market Place — one of the events that usually relies on its own lamp-post advertising rather than the town notice boards.

Also on Saturday 6 December, in the Roysse Room, Eben Lark will be selling their mix of vintage, home, and garden decorations and furnishings.

At 3.30pm on Saturday 6 December, the Abingdon Concert Band will perform Christmas Day in Concert at St Helen’s Church. Tickets are £10/£8, with under-12s free.

At 7.30pm on Saturday 6 December, the Thames Vale Youth Orchestra will give a concert in the Yolande Paterson Hall at St Helen & St Katharine’s School. The programme includes Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld Overture, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnole, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique). Tickets are £12/£10, with under-16s free.

On Sunday 7 December at 2.30pm, Pavlova Winds will perform Paul Reade’s Cinderella Suite and Jim Parker’s Mississippi Five as part of the Abbey Chamber Concerts series at St Nicolas Church. Tickets cost £12.

On Monday 8 December at 5pm, The Abbey Cinema will show the documentary Rhino, following its collaboration with One Planet Abingdon. The film explores efforts to save one of the world’s most endangered species.

On Tuesday 10 December at 7pm, the Amey Theatre will present a live screening of The Nutcracker from the Royal Opera House — the classic Christmas ballet featuring Tchaikovsky’s music and Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs.