70 years after the first OXFAM shop opened in Oxford on Broad Street, a pop up Oxfam shop was set up in Abingdon on Saturday. This was in addition to the permanent Abingdon shop on Stert Street.

Lots of volunteers helped set up a  variety of stalls at the St Ethelwold’s pop-up shop, down East St Helen Street.

They were there all day to help as customers came and went. I got there rather late when they were packing up so did not get a picture of the sleigh outside.

The manager said it was a wonderful day with so many good people helping. To her it was very heart warming after what had been a bad night. The Stert Street shop had been broken into, through the side shop window. Objects were stolen, as were the contents of a charity box made by school children to raise money for a village in Africa.

Trinity is supporting a charity called Toilet Twinning. By donating £60 a time they help those in desperate poverty to have access to a proper latrine, clean water and the information they need to be healthy. There are already 13 toilets round the world Twinned with Trinity.

Some members of the church have put a notice in the church magazine “Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year. I will not be sending cards but contributing to Toilet Twinning.”

To find out more about how to twin your toilet visit www.toilettwinning.org.

There was the first ever Poppy Festival on the Market Place in Abingdon today – 28th October 2017. Army cadets were out in force to sell poppys, and soldiers from Dalton Barracks came to support the event.

Clare organised the event, and brought together many poppy themed stalls, and people.

There was a stall selling poppy cakes …

A giant poppy was brought into the Market Place to the sound of drum and pipes.

This event is at the commencement of the fortnight of the Poppy Appeal leading up to Remembrance Day on 12th November. Homebase donated a waterfall of poppys like the ones first seen at the Tower of London, if a little smaller.

The Royal British Legion Riders Branch were there. Vintage cars came later.

Thre Titanic house band will be on at the Royal British Legion Club in the evening 8.30 pm,and tomorrow there will be a sponsored poppy run in Abingdon, one of seven being held.