This afternoon, a VE Day 80 Tea Dance organised by the Royal British Legion was held at Preston Road Community Centre as part of 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Penny and a young volunteer welcomed guests at the door, selling raffle tickets, and later served tea, biscuits, and a selection of cakes.

Over the course of more than two hours, guests enjoyed dancing — both ballroom and line dancing —accompanied by music from Sugar and Spice.

The event was organised largely by Ron on behalf of the Royal British Legion. At the start he asked how many people present had been alive at the end of the war. About half a dozen hands went up, including three individuals now in their nineties.

The afternoon ended with Sugar and Spice singing ‘We’ll Meet Again’.

On April 12th, 2025, while Abingdon slept, Duncan Bhaskaran Brown put on his bells and ribbons for what he described as a mad challenge: over 11 hours of Morris dancing to raise funds for charity and to set a world record.

Starting at 5:00 AM, Duncan was joined by a small group of Morris dancers and official monitors. Every step was meticulously logged for verification, with a video camera capturing the entire event for additional proof.

Throughout the day, supporters dropped by, including Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon.

There were a group of Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers to support Duncan, and they also danced a couple of dances.

At about 4:10 PM, Duncan completed the challenge, and the video above captures the last 2 minutes.

Duncan was then greeted by wife, Sreeja, and daughter.

Duncan raised over £1,500 for the Mayor’s Charities: One Planet Abingdon and the Abingdon and District Volunteer Centre. One Planet Abingdon provided children’s activities on the day. One of their main stays is their volunteer Graham who is always on hand to lift equipment and help set things up. The Volunteer Centre showcased a car used to transport people to hospital appointments.

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers were playing music, singing and dancing under the County Hall Museum on New Years Day 2025 from 1:30 pm. Before that they gathered for a drink or two in the warmth of the Punch bowl.

The performance featured a number of Mock Mayors, including Rob Charlton, the new Mayor of Ock Street, and Harry Knight, a former Mayor who has held the position for most of the past decade. Stuart Jackson, a long-time Morris dancer, former Mayor of Ock Street, and now president of the morris dancers, led the group by holding a replica copy of the Horns of Ock Street. The real horns, dating from 1700, are only brought out when the Mayor of Ock Street is elected by the citizens of Ock Street.

Roger Cox, another former Mayor of Ock Street, added to the merriment by playing the fool, interacting with the crowd and encouraging the dancers with whacks from a pig bladder..

Both the new and former Mayors, Rob Charlton and Harry Knight, joined in some of the dances. Duncan Brown, a local resident with the unique distinction of having served as both Mayor of Abingdon and Mayor (or Mock Mayor) of Ock Street, was also dancing. Lots of people joined in the final dance for all comers. Lesley Legge, a former Mayor of Abingdon, was there in the crowd watching. (It was she who reinstated the Abingdon Boundary Walk.)

Recently, we saw some morris dancers under the county hall – The Taunton Deane Morris Men from Somerset. They were on a Sunday tour of some of the places associated with the morris dance sides recorded by Cecil Sharp who died 100 years ago. (Sharp, a renowned English folklorist, is credited with reviving Morris dancing in the early 20th century.)  The Taunton Deane Morris visited Chipping Campden, Longborough, Sherborne, Headington Quarry and Abingdon.

I was too late to see all of them as they had finished dancing. But found this picture of all of them on their website.