Today began with street parties (Exbourne Road pictured).

There were also after church parties (Abingdon Baptist Church pictured). At church, it was a day to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen and Pentecost (the church’s birthday).

Then at 5 pm in Abingdon, there was a bun throw. Here are pictures with rhymes to capture this event.

Abingdon Bun Throw – 70th Jubilee

The crowd has taken every space.
They overflow the Market Place.

Sons and daughters, dads and mums:
Chant as one: We want buns!

Councillors and civic graces
Look down upon the sea of faces –

St Nic’s church bells start to ring.
Dignatories start to fling.

Currant buns dot the sky,
Speeding up from on high.

One plummets down. You nearly catch it,
Someone taller leaps to snatch it.

A wild bun hits you on the head,
And bounds to someone else instead.
One final bun falls a tumbling.
One last try, no more fumbling:

You’ve got a 70 on that bun.
I have to say, ‘That is well done!’

It was back to Rye Farm Meadow for the third day of the Jubilee Meadow Festival. It started off with rain,

but then came sunshine in the afternoon, which attracted bigger crowds.

Some sports clubs gave people the chance to try out their sports. Abingdon Hockey Club meets at Tilsley Park. Their pre-season begins on the 17th of August and people can try 3 sessions for free. The website is http://abingdonhockey.org.uk/.

Abingdon Rowing Club runs an adult beginner course in early Summer to provide people with a taster in rowing. They also had a rowing machine to show the basics, which, if I remember correctly, are: legs push, keep back straight and lean back, then arms pull. It is about training the muscle memory (legs, back, arms).

Mr Punch was there on the hour to show the children ‘”That’s the way to do it!”

There was also a spotted dog that the children recognised, there for Abingdon Carousel who were giving out yellow balloons.

Inside the Marquee, The Rock Choir began the day’s entertainment. The Rock Choir rehearse in over 300 towns nationwide, including Abingdon. Their website is https://rockchoir.com/.

Ashnah also danced in the Marquee and I caught them afterwards for a posed shot. Their performance on stage was so mesmerising all I got was a blur.

On the outside stage were the Abingdon Music Centre Community Choir.

St Nicolas’ Church Bells rang at the time of the St Paul’s Cathedral jubilee service. The Queen could not attend but watched the broadcast like many other people. The Archbishop of York said, ‘So, thank you for staying the course. Thank you, for continuing to be faithful to the pledges you made 70 years ago. Thank you for showing us how service and faithfulness matter. People of all faiths and no faiths and people of goodwill can learn from this.’

There were more community stalls in Rye Farm Meadow, including this one from Abingdon Court Care Home, showing off some of the resources and activities they use to make life more stimulating for people with dementia.

In the Marquee during the day, the ATOM Science Festival was a buzz of experimental activity with many children and a few adults learning about Science. These scientists are telling us how harmful proteins can be modelled and crystalised so that ways can be found to counteract them.

In the Marquee in the evening, there were bands. They included Rodney Quakes from Abingdon. (If you missed them there is a short video at https://youtu.be/rE3FjngLCOo.)

On the Tithe Farm Estate in Abingdon, there was a gathering on Longfellow Drive Green. Lots more street and green parties are still to come.

Jackie Smith, the town archivist, led a walk on Industrial Abingdon, one of the walks organised by the Friends of Abingdon.

Abingdon Bowls Club were dressed in red, white and blue for an afternoon of bowling in Albert Park.

At St Helen’s Church this evening, there was a service to celebrate ‘the incomparable event of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’. There was a packed church and a large choir.

The choir sang the Introit ‘Zadok the Priest’ – from the coronation.

The Mayor could not do his reading, so Councillor Jim Halliday read instead. It was said the Mayor has Covid.

In the sermon, Revd Masheder began by recalling the day when he watched the coronation as a small child. He said that Seventy years ago, more people believed than now. He had the hope people would rediscover faith.

The choir then sang the anthem ‘I was Glad’ – from the coronation.

The service ended with singing the National Anthem.