Category Archives: Events

We are into Stoptober and at the start of Guide Dogs Week

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Stoptober
On the Market Place this morning there was a Smoke Free Oxfordshire roadshow. They were signing up people who want to stop smoking in “Stoptober”. Stoptober is a national campaign encouraging people all across the country to stop smoking for 28 days (and beyond) from the 1st October. The team will also be on the Market Place for the next few Wednesdays.
Stoptober
A group of tandems were also seen coming through town on their way from Lambourn to Oxford. They are not a tandem club or anything official but thought it was just a good idea.
Stoptober
Guide dogs were to be seen about the town centre helping to raise money for training other guidedogs. We are at the start of Guide Dogs Week. Find out more from www.guidedogs.org.uk.

Autumn Apple Juice Making at the Community Space

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Autumn Apple Juice
Abingdon Carbon Cutters have their apple crusher, press and pasteuriser in the Community Space in Bury Street.
Autumn Apple Juice
It is a chance to make your own apple juice, or join in with community apple juice making. Many people are donating surplus apples and windfalls, and coming along to lend a hand.

In this short video, Samantha Bowring explains the process of apple cutting, crushing, and pressing; then apple juice bottling and pasteurising.

You can borrow the complete kit for £10 a day (£15 a day at weekends) or book a slot between Sept 21st & Oct 3rd in the Community Space in Bury Street precinct. More information at Abingdon Carbon Cutters.

Splash of Pink Day 2015

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Splash of Pink Day
Abingdon has been turning pink in preparation for the annual Splash of Pink Day organised by Against Breast Cancer – an Abingdon based charity.

Shops joined in by competing in the shop window competition…
Third place went to Rosie’s Tea room,
Second place to Robert Stanley,

The winner’s award was presented at the end of a day of activities on the Market Place.
Splash of Pink Day
As always, the cup cake stall was very popular, as was the design a cup-cake stall.
Splash of Pink Day
The weather could not have been nicer in late September. You could feel the force at times, and people were just throwing £5 and £10 notes into the collecting buckets.
Splash of Pink Day
Otto (pictured above), and Harvey, search dogs from Buckinghamshire, came to let people know that they are trained to locate missing persons.

There was music from the group BMW, Abingdon Operatic, Abbey Sax, and Abingdon Community Choir.
Splash of Pink Day
Entertainment also included Ashnah Tribal belly dancers …
Splash of Pink Day
TheFlyin’ Aces street dancers, Strawberry Fayre Majorettes …
Splash of Pink Day
and Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris dancers. There were also appearances from some well known cartoon characters who look much bigger in real life.

Having danced round Daleks earlier in the year, Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers danced round Storm Troopers, from Star Wars, on this occasion. The sky is the limit as far as they are concerned.
Splash of Pink Day
And the prize for the shop window competition went to …
Splash of Pink Day
Masons, for their double front shop at 20 and 22 Bath Street.

Bells for 18th Birthday and Golden Anniversary of Abingdon Town Band at St Helen’s Church

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18th birthday
This afternoon, David Thomas, was ringing with 5 other Abingdon bellringers to celebrate David’s birthday. They rang a peal lasting 3 hours and 5 minutes with 5040 changes (pulls of the rope). The peal ended at about 5:10pm. David was born at 5:08pm 18 years earlier.
Golden Anniversary
At 5:30pm there was a Songs of Praise to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Abingdon Town Band, of which Steve Rich has been the musical director for the last 30 years.

There was a mix of hymns accompanied by Abingdon Town Band, and Brass Band music. Short youtube of one Brass Band piece above.