This morning the Market Place was so alive … There were community stalls. There was sunshine. Three young ladies were there from the Studio Theatre Club to publicise their upcoming show The Happiest Days of Your Life. Having seen their last production – A Comedy of Errors – at the Unicorn Theatre, I very much look forward to seeing them again.

Then at noon it was a real pleasure to hear The Abingdon’s Military Wives Choir – wives and girlfriends from Dalton Barracks – singing in public for the first time.


The Abingdon Herald were there to photograph and interview the young ladies so I expect there will be more about them on Wednesday.

Yesterday the South Abingdon Residents’ Plan map went to Thameside School, during parents’ evening, and it will be back there for the second parents’ evening tomorrow.

This evening it was at Preston Road Community Centre. There are lots of small cocktail stick flags with issues like dog bin needed here, or day centre needed, or Skatepark, or dangerous traffic here, and people stick the pins into the map where appropriate. It will also be at the Preston Road Youth Club on Friday Night.

South Abingdon Residents’ Plan are also holding two public gigs, one on Saturday 28th April at Preston Road Community Centre between 10 and 1; the other at Abingdon Rugby Union Football Club off Lambrick Way on Saturday 5th May, also between 10 and 1. And if sticking flags into a map is not entertainment enough there will also be a children’s entertainer, face painting, a bouncy castle and refreshments.

Afterwards the map will be out on the road again visiting flats for elderly people, the Children’s Centre etc etc., and anywhere where people gather.

In a rash moment I did say I would set up a facebook group for SARP. If you use Facebook, you could try to Like it and add comments … http://www.facebook.com/groups/406426419375592/ .

The first Market Place event of the year was a Fairtrade market. Waitrose were there showing a range of their products and offering free samples.

The Co-op were there selling Fair Trade products like 99 Tea with 20% off.

Skinny Hippo were there with some of their Fairtrade craft products.

The Mayor received a certificate to say that Abingdon is officially recognised as a Fairtrade town.

We are currently into Fairtrade fortnight and  there is a national event called “Take a Step in Fairtrade fortnight (Feb 27th – March 11th). You can register a step if you like at online.

About 60 Abingdon people wrote the Step they are going to take for Fairtrade on a board on the Market Place. This young lady is going to try to find Fairtrade Ice Cream.

“Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.”