The Social Club has been in the same building and alongside North East Abingdon Community Centre since it opened in 1984. It has a bar, pub games, quizzes, and special events at Christmas and New Year. All residents within the area of Twelve Acre Drive, Oxford Road, Norman Avenue and Radley Road could apply for full membership, and people outside could become associate members.

But in 2017, for financial reasons – I believe, the Social Club is having to close down leaving the Community Centre, and its clubs and societies, to use all of the building.

The Community Centre is used from Monday to Friday by Peachcroft Pre-School, so is well used. Members of the Committee would like to see the centre also well used in evenings and weekends by all people from the area to ensure the centre is still there for many years to come.

Thanks to Ray for this …

On the evening of Saturday 25th March, Abingdon Vineyard Church hosted a ‘Celebration of Mums’ for Mothers Day that was open to ladies from the church and the community in which the church serves. Fifty ladies attended this free event to enjoy a freshly cooked three course meal, with choices for each course. The food was prepared and served mainly by the men of the church.

On the Sunday morning after the celebration for Mums, the church hosted its free regular monthly Vineyard Café, a community breakfast event at the Community Centre with bacon, egg and sausage rolls, tea and coffee etc are on offer to provide energy for the games and craft activities for the families.

This year, the Vineyard Church is celebrating 10 years in South Abingdon. The church has met at Preston Road Community Centre throughout, from where it also runs community groups such as the Baby & Toddler Group and Youth Clubs that have been part its work in the community since the beginning.

The Vineyard Church is a friendly and informal gathering of people from Abingdon and beyond where people from every background are welcome.

This afternoon there was a party to celebrate the work of the South Abingdon Children’s Centre.

The Children’s Centre has been a place where children up to five, and their familes, can find a variety of activities, play, information and support from professionals working in a wide range of fields.

At the party were Morris Dancers, and staff, Carbon Cutters, and volunteers, along with many familes that have used the facilities.

The Children’s Centre opened about sixteen years ago as a replacement for the Family Centre on Saxton Road. It is recognised that there has always been the need for such a place in this part of town to give children a good start in life.

Budget cuts mean that the County Council are now strictly targeting families at risk, and Children’s Centres across Oxfordshire are closing.

It is yet to be seen how the South Abingdon Children’s Centre will find new life. The Green Man recited a poem about new life from old, and the phoenix rising from the ashes. The future could be as a part of Caldecott School with a charity group running part of the premises. That is still being worked on.