I had an interesting walk round Thrupp and Bullfield lakes yesterday, following the well marked circular tour, picturing the scenery and some of the birds on a sunny autumn afternoon.

The lake, once threatened with being filled with ash from Didcot Power Station, was saved thanks to   a campaign group called Save Radley Lakes, chaired by Basil Crowley, who sadly is no longer with us. The group’s campaigners were very well known in Abingdon, running their fund raising tombolas on the Market Place. Their campaigning ideas not only got into the Abingdon Herald but also national newspapers in a David v Goliath conflict. Then in 2008, ten years ago, Npower gave Thrupp Lake to the community for nature conservation.

It is now looked after by the Earth Trust.

The hide at the bottom end got burned down, and has now been replaced with a wicker fence with holes though which you can look. Being an out of the way place, with wooden buildings, there have been occasional acts of vandalism.

In 2008 a new organisation, The Friends of Radley Lakes was established to help raise funds and look after the lake, and work with the Earth Trust. The Friends have their AGM on Friday  at 7:30 at  Peachcroft Christian Centre with an illustrated talk: “The Birds of Radley Lakes” by Ben Carpenter.

This is a picture of another large Radley lake, one that did get filled with ash from Didcot Power Station. For about ten years it was surrounded by a high fence. But now the trees have taken over and the fence is down.

The smoke free life van is a regular visitor to Abingdon Market Place. They offer free sessions, as well as a free supply of Nicotine Replacement Therapy.

Our local Oxford Vapours shop will also help switch you from cigarettes to vaping where you can start with the same amount of nicotine as your cigarettes and then reduce.

18mg – The highest strength that we stock (highest legal strength is 20mg, though it is now uncommon) is recommended for anyone smoking 20 or more cigarettes a day.

It should be everyone’s aim to reduce their nicotine strength to the lowest dosage possible. 

When you get down to a 3mg or a 0mg dosage you can still make bigger clouds than was ever possible with cigarettes – in lots of different flavours.

Thanks to Sally for this short piece about the NHS v TRIDENT Abingdon People’s Ballot that took place on Monday. Sally said …

We had a good morning, the market place was busy although the market itself seemed a bit thinner than usual.

Many people didn’t even know what Trident is, much less that we, the taxpayer, spend over £5000 per minute on it… Some people still seem to think we need it for “deterrence”. Although who it is supposed to “deter” and from doing what, is not clear.

Trident is the UK’s nuclear deterrent with missiles on 4 submarines. The next parliament could take the decision to replace it with an updated Trident.