At Trinity Church people paid £7.50 each to take part in what was called a ‘Big Sing’ to raise money for Christian Aid. It went on for about three hours with a coffee break in the middle. Most of the people seemed to be keen, proficient singers. I recorded one typical song. After a practise of this song the people were split into groups and did it as a 4 part round.
Last night was the Mayor’s Charity Ball. The Abbey Hall was transformed by drapes and balloons. There was a lot going on for the £45 ticket price. During the meal there was music by a string quartet from Abingdon School. A charity auction followed.
There was a back to front raffle where everybody was given a prize and then asked for money and given a gift aid form. One raffle prize was a signed picture of the Mayor in Morris Dancer’s dress which is likely to be auctioned by the winner on Ebay to make more dosh for the Mayor’s Charities: Abingdon Bridge and The Fire Fighter’s Charity.
There was also entertainment by Kevin Tomlinson, and then music by Full Circle. Congratulations to those who gave their services for free and helped raise so much money.
Age Concern, in Abingdon, have joined up with Help The Aged to become age uk.
And the news from the age uk website today is that …
Workers will be allowed to continue in their jobs after the age of 65 under a Government pledge to scrap the ability of firms to force employees out at retirement age. (If you can a job after age 35 that is.)
The practice of ‘bed-blocking’, keeping older people in hospital because of a lack of adequate after-care, is liable to get worse as council funding gets cut.
An alternative to the Boundary Walk, for people wanting a group new year’s walk, was the Christian Aid walk from which John sent pictures. The walk set out from Christ Church on Northcourt Road,
stopped for refreshments at Tall Trees in Boars Hill then returned to Christ Church by another route. Walkers could either get sponsors before the event or simply turn up and make a donation.