
Some trend setters in Abingdon have started to wear masks in public – a practice long established in Asia. I read somewhere that it was begun in Japan in 1918 during the influenza pandemic.

At the Abingdon Market the fruit and veg stall was extended into one long stall. This is to help social distancing.

Finishing Touch in Stert Street have been making some colourful rainbows to add to their shop window while the shop is closed.

Prices Stationers will take orders by email. They supply the raw materials for making all kinds of Art, including rainbows for the window, and VE Day bunting.

VE Day 75 is still planned for Friday 8th May. Many events will have been cancelled because of the lockdown but Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council have details of their plans for virtual events.
Category Archives: health
Saturday Night, Bee Happy, PPE available

It is Saturday night. No pubs or restaurants are open, apart from takeaways. I noticed Sami’s Kebab Van on Abingdon Market Place for the first time in the lockdown.

Our short health walk today took us near the Abingdon Wellbeing Centre where I saw this Bee Happy rainbow.

Wallingford School have hundreds of face shields which their DT department have made and they would like to distribute to Key workers. They have worked in Wallingford and are wondering if any care homes etc in Abingdon would like some.
If you are interested follow this link …. https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/news/thumbs-up-thousands-of-face-masks-for-nhs-and-care-homes/?fbclid=IwAR1D4t2RYw95AEtkC38K6xZ-bXZ_AbQ_RW_bZwate1wskxUZ7GV5yEwb9Qc
After April, when May follows

Waitrose were handing out umbrellas for people in the queue. At the very end of April, the month is trying to make up for all the missing April Showers with one downpour .

With the shopping I got an Abingdon Herald. On page 22 is a message from the editor.The Herald has been hit hard by the lockdown in sales and advertising revenue. During the next six weeks they offer free delivery.

For May Morning (Friday, 1st May), Rotary Abingdon planned to have a choir singing on top of the Abingdon County Hall and a May Pole in the Market Place. This is postponed until 2021.

The large event in Oxford, that attracts thousand of people, has also been cancelled. However Oxford are having a virtual May Morning. People can join in by tagging their own social media posts with #MayMorning .
From 6am on May Morning you can see a Virtual May Morning live stream featuring: The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford Horns of Plenty, Oxford University Morris Dancers, John Otway, and many more. The Choir of Magdalen College have recorded their parts individually, and through modern technology will be singing together. I don’t know how the Morris Dancers will dance together while apart.
Abbey Fishponds and back

In Abingdon, there are two nature reserves looked after by the Earth Trust: Radley Lakes, and Abbey Fishponds.

For our daily walk we went along the Radley Road, then through the Abbey Fishponds.

Volunteers have laid wood chip over the path at one end.

They have also cut back the reeds. From the wetland fresh reeds grow.

At the cross paths, near the centre, we saw a gentleman coming the other way, and using the choreography learned during the lockdown, we walked up the earthwork, while he took the low path, and said hello as we passed.

We crossed Audlett Drive and then went round the Leisure Centre. It was closed but the side area was open. Some dog walkers were on the green, and one young person was using the skate park.

There is a narrow path to Barton Lane. My wife took this picture of me taking a picture through the tunnel of leaves. She liked the colours.
We then walked by Sophos and Penlon. I had a word with somebody at a distance at Penlon about their activities, and I am hoping they will send me something for a future blog post. But they do have more important things to do.

Outside the businesses on Barton Mill corner, on Audlett Drive, there was a rainbow.

Back through the Abbey Grounds my wife got this picture. The thrush had been hopping about tapping the ground, and this is the moment the thrush got the worm.