Category Archives: community

Pride Month in Abingdon: June 1st–30th

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Throughout June, Abingdon councils and businesses are showing support for Pride Month, a time dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ communities and culture and promoting inclusivity.

The Helen & Douglas House shop has a window display with colourful dresses on mannequins arranged in rainbow order, with a rainbow stripe along the bottom.

The Pride flag flies from the Abingdon County Hall, reflecting the Town Council’s ongoing commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ residents. A Pride picnic is planned later in the month.

Mostly Books is joining in with a rainbow flag in the window and a display of books — exploring LGBTQ+ lives and themes.

These local displays are part of a wider movement. Pride Month is observed in June to mark the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in the US. It has since grown from the US into a global movement.

Nature Trails for Explorers

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In South Abingdon, three new trails take you on adventures through parks, playgrounds, and local neighbourhoods. These are called the South Abingdon Nature Trails. They’re like treasure hunts, but instead of finding gold, you get to see wildlife, play pavement games, have a picnic on the way, and stop off to have a go on the swings or slides of a local playground.

Bug, bird and bat boxes, community planters, carved animals, wildflower areas and pavement games are being added to make the trails more interesting.

There are three trails to choose from. You can scuttle on the hedgehog trail, flutter on the dragonfly trail, or waddle on the duck trail

All the trails have special markers to help you find your way, and there’s a map you can print out from the website https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/vale-of-white-horse-district-council/sports-and-activities/follow-the-new-south-abingdon-nature-trails/.

Where the trails follow the same route for a bit you will see two or more colours

You can start your adventure anywhere you like! But there are three starts near Hogarth Place just off Preston Road.

The trails were created by the Vale of White Horse District Council to encourage people to enjoy the local area, become more active, and learn more about the natural world around them.

Abingdon Passion Play Preview evening

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An Abingdon Passion Play information meeting took place, with around 70 people attending, at Trinity Conduit Centre last night. The committee members, easily spotted in their red sweatshirts, explained that the play will be performed outdoors in the Abbey Gardens on June 22nd, with two separate shows. They said that it will be free as a big community participation event for the people of Abingdon and the area. It will be the fourth Abingdon Passion Play, part of a tradition of passion plays that started with the play in Oberammergau in 1634.

The director talked about the stage and promenade areas for different parts of the play, plus the different scenes, and musical backing. Actors for roles like Jesus have already been chosen, and others are still open. If you’re interested in acting, you can go to a rehearsal evening, and the director will give you a chance to showcase your skills. There are 12 main parts and 28 backing parts. (Acting rehearsals – Fridays from 9th Feb 7:30 to 9:30 pm at All Saints Church or Mondays from 12th Feb 7 pm to 9 pm at Our Lady and St Edmund Church Parish Centre. Singing Rehearsals – Every 2 weeks on Thursday (next one 22nd Feb) 7:30 – 9:15 pm, at St Nicolas Church).

But acting isn’t the only way to get involved! They need volunteers for everything from helping out with security to sewing costumes. I’m helping in my small way to publicise things but https://www.abingdonpassionplay.co.uk/ and social media will have much more.

It takes place on the same day as the Mayor of Ock Street ceremony. So that is going to make it a busy day in Abingdon. And you can catch both.

The pictures show the Abingdon Passion Play in 2013, 2016 and 2019.

Free Warm Welcoming Safe Places

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Warm Welcome Places
The current cost of living crisis, particularly the increase in heating costs, has led to many people struggling to heat their homes. This is often compounded by loneliness and isolation.

That’s why The Church in Abingdon has created five Warm Spaces across Abingdon where anyone can go to heat up, have a warm drink and enjoy a little company. It goes on until the end of March (2023).
Warm Welcome Places
Mondays
11 am – 4 pm, from 9 January 2023
St Edmund’s Catholic Church, 1 Oxford Road – Parish Centre (01235 847804)
Hot lunch, refreshments, conversation, games

Tuesdays
1-4 pm, from 10 January 2023
Peachcroft Christian Centre, Lindsay Drive (01235 530227)
Warm drinks, comfy chairs, quiet workspace

Wednesdays
12 -2 pm (The Sanctuary)
Abingdon Salvation Army, 12 West St Helen’s St (01235 523586)
Tea, coffee, Wi-fi, conversation, games

Thursdays
12.30-4.30 pm, from 5 January 2023
Christ Church, Northcourt Road, The Barn (01235 539172)
Hot drinks/soup, conversation

Fridays
2-4.30 pm
Abingdon Baptist Church, 35 Ock Street (01235 530080)
Tea. Coffee, squash, biscuits, conversation

3957 warm welcome places in the UK are registered at https://www.warmwelcome.uk/, including Abingdon Library and One Planet Abingdon (under the museum).