Jibber Jabber is a regular social group aimed at parents with young children which aims to provide stimulating talks and discussions. The sessions are relaxed enough that parents can bring their child and feed / change / play with them while the talks are going on. Location Christ Church, Northcourt, Abingdon. Next one Monday 25th January 2016 from 10:00 to 12:00.

Next speaker is Manfred Brod, a local historian specialising in the Thames Valley in the 16th and 17th centuries, whose books include Abingdon in Context, and The Case of Reading.

Thanks to Sally for this ….

Angela Lawrence has organised six groups who use the Northcourt Centre to use the Community Freespace (Bury Street, Abingdon) until Saturday to showcase some of what goes on there.

The 6 groups are: Fitzharrys WI, Abingdon MS society, Abingdon Country Scottish Dance Club, AAAHS, Abingdon Flower Club, and Abingdon Peace Group.

Here is Jackie Smith of AAAHS (Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society) with their display;

Sally Reynolds with the Abingdon Peace Group stall;

and Hilary Kell and Val Smith at the Fitzharrys WI stall. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2016.

Sally says “There was no-one there this morning from the Flower Club or the MS society – we are all covering each others’ stalls in a great show of co-operation!” And I would add “well worth visiting.”

On Saturday Abingdon War Games Club held fort in the Community Space.

This was a chance to meet with non-war gamers and try to convert some of them into gamers. On Saturday they had a WWII game on the centre table,

A battle was brewing between some rebellious tribes and a Romano British Army. There was also a game devised for Halloween – where Zombies attacked and, unfortunately, overran a village.

The club meet every Friday evening at the Neave Room, Abingdon Conservative Club, Ock Street. I am told it is a very sociable way to pass an evening. See abingdonwargames.org.uk for further information.

Earlier in the year they also took part in a scaled down re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo. And on Sunday 6th March 2016, at Fitzharry’s School, they organise an annual war games extravaganza called Overlord.

The Oxon and Bucks Branch of the British Woodcarvers Association are in residence this week at the Community Space on Bury Street up until Friday 16th October.

So you are very welcome to go in and see members at work,

see some of their work in progress,

and look at some of their finished works.

The branch is ten years old this year, and grew out of an evening class at Abingdon College led by Brian Eastoe. Club projects have included: the Abingdon 450th Charter Plaques, now on display in Abingdon Library; 15 plaques to celebrate 1,000 years of  Oxfordshire; and a Rocking Dragon which raised £10,000 for Help for Heroes.

The branch now meet on Thursday Evenings from 6:45 to 9:00pm at John Mason School They are led by Brian Eastoe, who has been carving for 60 years, and has an amazing collection of tools and books which he brings for the use of members.