Trinity Evergreens hosted a talk on Monday by Ann and John Ford, a couple whose lives have been taken over by their Morris Minors. The talk, called “Morris Minors in the Media”, began when they took a Morris Minor to a car show and discovered a business card on their windscreen asking if it could be hired for a film.

From that beginning, their interest in Morris Minors developed into a business, and they built up a collection of Morris Minors. They helped supply a fleet of 32 cars for the film “The Borrowers.” Their vehicles have been featured in commercials, fashion shoots, weddings, and TV series. Mr. Ford became friendly with Anthony Hopkins, and used to get him a newspaper and read him the news and drive the Morris Minor during filming of “Shadowlands.” They appeared with Fiona Bruce in Antiques Road Show.

Trinity Evergreens (at Trinity Church) have other interesting speakers booked for the upcoming year. There is a waiting list to join the club. Ann and John Ford are available for public speaking engagements. Try aandj.ford2019 at gmail.com or 07831 519 478. (The picture is from Clubs and Societies Day in Abingdon in 2023.)

It seems quite a while since Abingdon Town Band last played in the Market Place, but they were back this Saturday morning for the pleasure of people seated at the coffee houses, and passers-by. They played under the direction of conductor Steve Rich. This historic brass band, established before the 20th century and reformed in 1965, is gearing up to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025. Two of the members, Steve Rich and Elaine on cornet, have been a part of the band since its reformation. They must have both begun as very young players in the band’s training program.

The 30th Abingdon Scouts celebrated the opening of their new scout hut, alongside Abingdon Baptist Church, on Sunday, June 25, 2023. The new modular building is 105 square metres and will be accessible and available to all.

The new hut was made possible thanks to a £75,000 grant from Biffa Award and grants from Abingdon Town Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon and other grant givers.

The previous hut was originally a welfare building from Didcot Power Station and was put there in the 1970s. It had been repaired over many years but was no longer fit for purpose.

Avril Williams, Group Scout Leader, thanked the people behind the new hut, including Christine Hutt and others. She also acknowledged the support of the local community, which had helped to raise funds for the project.

There were special Scout Commissioner’s Commendation Awards for Stephen Bodey

and Steve Knapton who worked on the project.

One of the scout seniors cut the ribbon, and after everyone had looked around, a barbecue and a short service of thanks followed.

For more information about the 30th Abingdon Scouts, please visit their website at www.30thabingdon.org.uk. They include Rainbows, Brownies, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.

Thank you to Avril for the pictures of the old hut and the new hut being placed in position.

The Abingdon Silver Group (ASG) have designed their own mark for members to stamp their work. A plaque bearing a larger and smaller version of the mark was presented by John Huddleston to Abingdon County Hall Museum today to form part of the museum collection. Two punches bearing the mark were manufactured (one by the London Assay Office) in 2022.

The group could not find evidence of a mark from an Abingdon silver guild from earlier times, so they based the mark on members’ suggestions. The design uses the Abingdon shield and cross with the group’s initials and a crescent moon – the alchemical symbol for silver.

The group meets most Wednesday evenings during the year at John Mason School – see abingdonsilvergroup.org.uk. The group provides members with a working environment, specialist tools, advice and tuition.