Thanks to Avril Williams – Group Scout Leader 30th Abingdon – for this report …

The 30th Abingdon Beavers based at Abingdon Baptist Church have recently visited Downing Street to share their project on Clean Water and Sanitation to MPs interested in social issues.

The Beavers worked hard taking part in “A Million Hands”, a Scout Association social action project which aims to get over 500,000 Scouts involved over a 4 year time period in social issues such as dementia, disability, mental well-being and clean water for all.

The whole of the 30th Abingdon Beavers were involved, after choosing which social issue to explore, the Beavers then decided to collect number 1s and 2s (pennies), to fund a new toilet in Kisima, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Beavers teamed up with the Abingdon School Science Partnership and visited Abingdon School science labs to carry out some experiments on water purification. The Beavers enjoyed a visit from Wateraid who helped the Beavers understand the importance of having access to clean water and toilets. Finally, as part of raising awareness, the Beavers made a story board and a video describing what they had learned, this helped the Beavers to learn about presenting their fund raising efforts to a wider audience.

During the visit to Downing Street the Beavers took it in turns to explain their work to several MPs. They also got the opportunity to try out a virtual reality headset of natural disasters and then, like true Beavers, proceeded to help everyone else use the headsets. It was a very long day for the Beavers and tired but successful, they headed home, after a few photo calls outside number 10 and 11.

To date, more than 96,512 hours have been volunteered nationally to help raise awareness and to support initiatives designed to improve the lives of those affected by the four social issues selected.

Adult Scouts volunteers work more than 364 million hours each year in their local communities, but they are looking for more volunteers to help support the young people hoping to join. Thames Ridge Scouts » Volunteer

At the Clubs and Societies event, the Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Helen Pighills, and the Chair of the Vale of White Horse District Council, Councillor Mike Badcock, were there talking to stall holders.

The Abingdon Scottish Country Dancer Club say on their web site ‘So long as you are willing to have a good time, there is no restriction on age. The Abingdon club has members who won’t see seventy again and much younger dancers, all of whom enjoy Scottish country dancing in their own way.‘ All are welcome. You don’t even have to be Scottish. 

Another of the groups at the event were the CSMA club, the Civil Service Motoring Club. To join this club I believe you have to have served in the Civil Service, but they may one day change the rules to allow all public sector workers. They meet at Preston Road Comminity Centre in Abingdon and have done for many years.

The Abingdon Carbon Cutters, are helping to tackle climate change. We have been burning fossil fuels in larger and larger amounts for over 300 years, and Abingdon Carbon Cutters are trying to make a difference locally.

The official launch of Host Abingdon will be on 10th May

They had a stall at the Clubs and Societies day. Their aim is to find host families who will provide emergency accommodation as part of the existing Host Oxford Initiative. A fund has also been established to make a room available at St Ethelwold’s for refugee accommodation. They have also set up language lessons, welcoming and befriending, and food donations.

Near them on one side at Clubs and Societies Day were Abingdon Artists. As well as frequent exhibitions, they have a programme of talks and demonstrations. On 12 May 2016 there will be a demonstration of pastels, and on 09 June 2016 A talk on Van Gogh.

On the other side of Host Abingdon were the Abbey Meadow Lace Makers who meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Preston Road Community Centre from 09:30 to 15:30. They also have a fortnightly group at All Saints on Monday evenings for people who might like some tuition.

Rounding off today’s groups are Abingdon Lions – an international organisation started in the USA in 1917, who have a well established group in Abingdon, UK.

Ron Skinner, their president, will be jump out of an aeroplane at 15,000 feet for charity on 29th April. The money raised goes to Maggie’s Centre at the Oxford Children’s Hospital. His donation page is justgiving.com/ron-skinner111. This will be his first skydive and he is age 70.

The Didcot, Abingdon and Wantage Talking Newspaper – DAWN – record and produce local news for people who are blind or partially sighted. It can be listened to by anybody visiting their website, and is distributed to about 100 recipients using memory sticks. Volunteers record news and other features of interest at the Health and Wellbeing Centre on Audlett Drive in Abingdon.

University of the 3rd Age – U3A – have over 300 members in Abingdon. Thay have weekly talks at Preston Road Commnity Centre. The next ones are:
Mon May 9th – Investigation of Insurance Fraud
Mon May 16th – James Sadler: Oxford Pastry Cook & First English Aeronaut
Mon May 23rd – The Spanish Guitar
They also have many other smaller groups for people with special interests.

Abingdon-on-Thames Festival of Science and Technology is an annual week-long event run by ATOM. They also have monthly talks. Next one is 19:30 to 21:00, 28 April 2016 at the Barn Room, Crown & Thistle, Abingdon, when Professor Jon Butterworth from UCL will discuss physics at the ‘energy frontier’. (Free for members. £3 for non-members.)

The Rotary Club Vesper are well known for running the annual Dragon Boat Racing on the first Sunday of September. They also run the Abingdon Food Festival . It began at Miele for the first two years, and is moving to Rye Farm Meadow, Abingdon this year on Saturday 25th June 2016. The Rotary Club Vesper are experts at advertising and running large events. They also raise a lot of money for good causes.