Category Archives: community groups

Last Saturday (Abingdon Cuts Plastic) This Saturday (Guide Dogs in the rain)

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Against Plastic
Last Saturday Abingdon Cuts Plastic were having a small clean-up. Numbers were restricted, because of Covid-19, to 6 in canoes and 6 on land.

They were doing it as part of the Surfers Against Sewage 6 week Plastic Protest, which started on 5th September and ends on 18th October. SAS are lobbying MPs to include in the Environment Bill, that all businesses set plastic reduction targets. They need as many people as possible to show they support this idea.
Against Plastic
Also they want people to photograph “evidence” of branded rubbish that’s ended up as litter, and send it to SAS. Instagram has lots of #returntooffender pictures.

Anne, who sent me the pictures, told me that they found:
* lots of Budweiser bottles in the Abbey Grounds
* 6 sackfuls of non-recyclable waste
* 4 large sackfuls of recyclable waste
The most unusual find was an ancient car horn.
Against Plastic
It rained a lot of yesterday and it has rained a lot of today and the forecast has a high probability of rain for most of next week. Cars had their lights on at midday today.
Against Plastic
Despite the rain, Guide Dogs went ahead with a stall on Abingdon Market Place. New Guide Dog training did stop for a couple of months at the start of the pandemic and restarted in June. This did mean a longer wait for some people needing a replacement Guide Dog.

Abingdon Community Fridge – reminder

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Abingdon Community Fridge
Thankyou to Margaret for a reminder on the work of Abingdon Community Fridge.

Abingdon Community Fridge is alive and well and thriving.   It combats food waste by collecting surplus food from local supermarkets and redistributing to the community.   The fridge is open to all and is located at Abingdon Health & Wellbeing Centre, Audlett Drive, OX14 3GD..   Its opening times are currently Mondays 6 – 7pm, Wednesdays 10.30 – 11.30 am and Saturdays 10.30 – 1130 am.
Abingdon Community Fridge
Contents vary depending on supermarket surplus, but there is usually lots of bread, fruit and vegetables available.  It is always useful to check the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/abingdoncommunityfridge/)

Queuing at the Abingdon Community Fridge

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Community Fridge
On Saturday morning there was a long ‘socially distanced’ queue for the Abingdon Community Fridge at the Health and Wellbeing Centre off Audlett Drive. Some interesting chalk pictures have been added since to amuse people as they queue at the fridge on Monday.
Community Fridge
Abingdon Community Fridge fights food waste by redistributing surplus food from local supermarkets and SOFEA.. The Abingdon Community Fridge is open to all. On Monday it will have tomatoes, lettuces, greens, bananas and other fruit, yogurt, bread etc.

Abingdon Probus Club gift to Abingdon Community Hospital

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Abingdon Probus Club
The members of the Abingdon Probus Club gave a cheque for £500 for Abingdon Community Hospital. They wanted to thank the hospital and League of Friends for all their hard work  in these difficult times. They would like the money to be spent on staff welfare and for Abingdon Emergency Multidisciplinary Units (EMU).

This presentation was carried out using social distancing as required.

Probus is a national organization which through it’s member clubs seeks to bring together like minded people who have worked in professions and/or in business.

Before the lockdown they met on the second Wednesday of the month for lunch in a local hotel, often with a guest speaker.

It addition during the year there are a number of social events, the theatre, Christmas lunch, ladies summer lunch and a host of other organized visits.

If anyone is interested in joining them, though currently on the national lockdown, please contact their President, Marcus Smith, on 01235 201174 or by email m.smith90@ntlworld.com

The Virtual World Expands

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Virtual World
The ‘Share a Poem’ poetry group usually meets at St Ethelwolds on the first Wednesday of the month and they did intend to have the theme of ‘Fools and Folly‘. The April 1st meeting was cancelled – as was April’s Fools Day by common consent. Then some of the group met virtually using Zoom. I could not make it as I was at work but would have liked to have been there.

The Quakers, first Thursday evening of the month meeting at St Ethelwolds, has also decided to use Zoom to bring people together.

I gather that Zoom and Skype and Whatsapp and Facetime are all being used for video calls and meetings. At work I am supporting people with learning disabilities, and they are currently not allowed visits, or their usual range of activities such as: shopping, gym, day centre, craft workshops, church, bingo, pub etc. There are Easy Read guides to help explain what and why this is all happening. Those with iPads can use facetime and there are laptops with Zoom and Skype for others.
Virtual World
Youtube is being used for live streaming and recordings. Nicky Thornton  will be launching her latest book The Cut-Throat Cafe on Thursday, April 2nd using a youtube live stream  . It should have happened at Mostly Books.