On Sunday we went to The Abbey at Sutton Courtenay, and saw Mike Moon in the grounds. Mike is well known in Abingdon and, in his time, has Chaired the Vale accessibility group, and the Abingdon Fair Trade group. He now Chairs The Shed Oxford which is a workshop where members do their creative hobbies, while doing repair and renovation work at the Abbey in lieu of rent. The Shed has an open day on Saturday September 8th 11am to 6pm. Visit shedoxford.wordpress.com.

We had a good time looking round the Abbey. There was supposed to be a Garden Party but it was raining.

So instead there was food, drinks, music, and a raffle in the great hall, with a roaring log fire.

There were also tours round the Abbey. Although old enough to be an Abbey it would probably have been demolished if it has been an Abbey when Henry VIII was about. At that time it was a place where well off clergyman could stay and entertain. It only got the name Abbey in Victorian times, and is now run as a charitable trust. More information at www.theabbey.uk.com.

Thankyou to David for this piece …

Last Tuesday the grassland in Barton Fields was mowed by a local farmer and on Wednesday and Saturday teams of volunteers helped rake the hay off of the field into stacks.  This removes nutrients from the grassland, which helps to increase plant diversity.  The stacks rot down providing habitat for grass snakes, voles and other creatures.  This is a task that the Abingdon Naturalists’ Green Team have done each year for the past sixteen years.  It is keeps us fit apart from anything else.

On Wednesday the Green Team raked about three acres into ‘rolls’ ready for Saturday when we had 31 volunteers including: 17 – Abingdon Green Gym, 9 – 2nd Abingdon Scouts and 5 – Barton Fields Green Team.  They completed the job in about two and a half hours, including a break with refreshments provided by the Green Team.  The scouts particularly enjoyed jumping up and down on top of the haystacks!

David says We are very grateful to all the volunteers.

Thanks also go to Michael Bloom for the first and third pictures, and David for the group picture, and the scouts’ parents for giving permission for the images to be shown on the internet.

The South Abingdon Children’s Centre, off Caldecott Road, is set to re-open its doors at the end of the summer. The trustees got the keys last Tuesday.

The group, Abingdon Carousel have transitional funding from Oxfordshire County Council, and a grant from Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council, which means they have £100,000 over three years to get the project off the ground.

Abingdon Carousel has been set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisations or CIO. This is a relatively new legal structure for a charity intended to reduce red tape. Nevertheless, negotiating the lease has taken time. Caldecott School will take about one third of the building and the new charity will take the rest.

Lesley Legge, the chair of trustees is pictured here, opening the door of the centre, with Councillor Sam Bowring, who initiated the project.

They will be offering a variety of services for families, children and vulnerable adults.

Organisations  already lined up to begin working from the centre including Citizens Advice Abingdon, Health Visitors, Downs Syndrome Association, Inspiring Minds and Carbon Cutters. The centre will be open five days a week in term-time to start with. From the New Year they are planning to run weekend and holiday sessions.

Abingdon Carousel will have some paid staff including a centre manager but will also be run by volunteers. Around twenty volunteers have already been signed up for a variety of work including helping at play sessions, event management, gardening, painting, reception duties and administration. Anyone who would like to take part can register their details on the website www.abingdoncarousel.org.uk

There will be an Open Day on 1st September – a chance to speak to centre staff and volunteers. There you can find out more about the sessions you can use with your family or how you can join the team.

There is also a chance to help before then. Visit abingdoncarousel.org.uk/volunteers and sign-up to help clear the leaves and spruce up the building on Friday August 17th and Saturday August 18th.