The Abingdon Clubs and Societies Day was at the Guildhall in Abingdon today. There were 33 stalls in 4 assembly rooms, and I will feature some of them over the next four days.

Thames Ridge Scouts provide activities for hundreds of young people across Abingdon, Appleton, Chilton, Didcot, Dry Sandford, Hagbourne, Harwell, Marcham, Kingston Bagpuize and Sutton Courtenay. They are looking for leaders to help.

Abingdon Community Walks help people to be more active with walks led by friendly leaders. Their organised walks help people to get fit, explore Abingdon, and make new friends. Contact them through vivboorman531 @ btinternet.com.

The Oxfordshire Chinese Brush Painting Group meet online and in person for lessons on practising this ancient art. During and since Covid, they have lessons from a master in China. For more information contact ocpb.art @ gmail.com.

The latest initiative from Healthy Abingdon is to set up a junior park run over a 2 km course, and they are looking for volunteers to help from 8:40 to 9:40 each Sunday. Training will be given. Contact information at https://healthyabingdon.org.uk/.

Abingdon Carousel Family Center in South Abingdon helps young families. They also have a SEND group (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). They have 241 families currently involved at the centre and need more volunteers as they get more popular. They are supported by grants from Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council and others but still need help fundraising.

A small group of Abingdon residents have set up an organisation called Madrina Oxfordshire to help young people who could not otherwise afford it, to go to their school or college prom. They picked up the idea from a very successful scheme running in Birmingham.

They are asking people to donate used Prom dresses, suits and accessories for students who might otherwise not be able to attend their Prom. This is especially relevant given the cost of living crisis but also helps reduce our environmental impact. They now have support from a local business (BH&O Solicitors) and from the Shopping centre management who have given them a space for storing (and displaying) the donations.

This dress was displayed at John Mason School in an art exhibition in 2013 ( from the blog archives).

Thank you to Rob for this …

Abingdon Silver Group held a social get together recently. While enjoying a great BBQ supper, the talk was of silver spoons, christening cups, rings, necklaces, and other projects planned for September. Members were looking forward to the new term under the guidance of well-known silversmith John Huddleston.

Looking at the group’s website, I see there is a course for beginners – with one space remaining.

John Huddleston made this silver figure of a well-known horse.