At lunchtime today, town council staff closed the Ock Valley Walk having been informed of a Health and Safety risk on the bridge at the town end.

People will now walk down the alternative route along Ock Street and breath in all those traffic fumes. Let us hope the closure is not for too long.

As I understand it, from reading the Herald, doctor’s surgeries in Abingdon and surrounds have started opening at the weekend from this weekend. The Malthouse Surgery was open this morning …

as was the Abingdon Surgery for pre-booked appointments. I was also told that the Malthouse will be open tomorrow – Sunday. Surgeries will be working together, so you book through your own surgery but may get an appointment elsewhere depending on the rotation of who is open. It will also allow evening appointments to 8 pm.

The Malthouse will be taking on new GPs to cater with their extended hours, so I am not sure there will be room on the board for all 14 of them.

Both Dr Crossley, and Dr Buttar are now gone from the top of the board at the Abingdon Surgery, as younger doctors start heading up the practice.

There is also the minor injuries at the Community Hospital who are open to 10:30 pm. All this will hopefully reduce the burden on A&E at the JR.

Thanks to Viv (in hi-vis jacket) and Peter for this report …

Due to the rising popularity of Abingdon Health Walks, 19 new walk leaders were trained yesterday at the MG car club.

MacMillan Cancer Care fund the national health walks scheme and the MG Car Club support MacMillan with coffee mornings so they came together to help Abingdon Heath Walks.

Viv says ‘Come and join us and find a new circle of friends while getting fitter. Health Walk leaders find circuits that use many of the local Abingdon paths. For more details see www.walkingforhealth.org.uk.’

Outdoor gym equipment has appeared all the way round the Boxhill Recreation Ground. Some of it was still partly wrapped on Saturday – near the old Workhouse wall, that incidentally somebody was mending.

But some equipment was usable and the children playing football with St Edmunds Football Club had a go before their match kicked off.

Outdoor gyms have grown in popularity in recent years.

The first outdoor gym area in Abingdon was created about three years ago on the Ladygrove Meadow Play Area, near the Drayton Road bridge. Such gyms are free to use and don’t need membership.