Today began with street parties (Exbourne Road pictured).

There were also after church parties (Abingdon Baptist Church pictured). At church, it was a day to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen and Pentecost (the church’s birthday).

Then at 5 pm in Abingdon, there was a bun throw. Here are pictures with rhymes to capture this event.

Abingdon Bun Throw – 70th Jubilee

The crowd has taken every space.
They overflow the Market Place.

Sons and daughters, dads and mums:
Chant as one: We want buns!

Councillors and civic graces
Look down upon the sea of faces –

St Nic’s church bells start to ring.
Dignatories start to fling.

Currant buns dot the sky,
Speeding up from on high.

One plummets down. You nearly catch it,
Someone taller leaps to snatch it.

A wild bun hits you on the head,
And bounds to someone else instead.
One final bun falls a tumbling.
One last try, no more fumbling:

You’ve got a 70 on that bun.
I have to say, ‘That is well done!’

It was back to Rye Farm Meadow for the third day of the Jubilee Meadow Festival. It started off with rain,

but then came sunshine in the afternoon, which attracted bigger crowds.

Some sports clubs gave people the chance to try out their sports. Abingdon Hockey Club meets at Tilsley Park. Their pre-season begins on the 17th of August and people can try 3 sessions for free. The website is http://abingdonhockey.org.uk/.

Abingdon Rowing Club runs an adult beginner course in early Summer to provide people with a taster in rowing. They also had a rowing machine to show the basics, which, if I remember correctly, are: legs push, keep back straight and lean back, then arms pull. It is about training the muscle memory (legs, back, arms).

Mr Punch was there on the hour to show the children ‘”That’s the way to do it!”

There was also a spotted dog that the children recognised, there for Abingdon Carousel who were giving out yellow balloons.

Inside the Marquee, The Rock Choir began the day’s entertainment. The Rock Choir rehearse in over 300 towns nationwide, including Abingdon. Their website is https://rockchoir.com/.

Ashnah also danced in the Marquee and I caught them afterwards for a posed shot. Their performance on stage was so mesmerising all I got was a blur.

On the outside stage were the Abingdon Music Centre Community Choir.

At St Helen’s Church this evening, there was a service to celebrate ‘the incomparable event of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’. There was a packed church and a large choir.

The choir sang the Introit ‘Zadok the Priest’ – from the coronation.

The Mayor could not do his reading, so Councillor Jim Halliday read instead. It was said the Mayor has Covid.

In the sermon, Revd Masheder began by recalling the day when he watched the coronation as a small child. He said that Seventy years ago, more people believed than now. He had the hope people would rediscover faith.

The choir then sang the anthem ‘I was Glad’ – from the coronation.

The service ended with singing the National Anthem.