Category Archives: Events

If this glorious weather continues …

Air and Country Show
If this glorious weather continues until Sunday this could be one of the great Abingdon Air & Country Shows.
Air and Country Show
Flying Displays:
* DC3 Dakota
* P51 Mustang (Hangar 11′s)
* Gnat
* RV8tors display team (2x RV8)
* Bulldog
* Silence Twister solo
* Breitling Wingwalkers x2
* Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial * Flight Avro Lancaster
* North American T28 Fennec
* Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance EC-135 * Helicopter Flythru.
* Army Air Corp Lynx
* Hurricane Mk1 (Peter Vachers)
* Royal Air Force Tristar tanker (216sqn, RAF * Brize Norton)
* Harvard
* Jet Provost T5

Ground Displays:
* Farms2Ewe (includes an assortment of animals!)
* Tank Rides on the rough terrain course
* Williams Formula One FW35 Showcar (non runner)
* Hawkwalk Falconry (static and demonstration of various English birds)
* Dogs Trust ‘Dogmobile’ (with 2 Dogs to view from the Hampstead Marshal rehoming centre )
* Ex Military Vehicles (Military Vehicle Trust)
* Avon Valley Ferrets
* RAF Tornado Flight Simulator (RAFA Experience)
* Kennesaw Confederates” 1860s re-enactment group
* Abingdon Town Crier Peter Green (ex Vulcan aircrew!)
* Viv O Gara Irish Dancers
* English School of Falconry static display (from * Owls to the Bald Eagle!)
* Abbey Brass Band
* Reptiles & Creepy Crawlies Stall.
* Red Arrows Flight Simulator
* Heyford Park Playbus
* Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team (selection of static model boats)
* US / British Army / Homeguard Soldier Re-Enactors
* Spitfire to sit in the cockpit (Spit4hire)
* Skyangels International Rescue attending with a King Air aircraft (or similar type) kitted out as a hospital, & / or an Air Ambulance helicopter, & support Vehicles & crews
* Vale Islanders Medieval Dancers
* National Sports Association mini air rifle range
* Trade Stalls containing various items to view / purchase
* Vintage Vehicles (includes: Jaguar E Types, Morgan 4/4, MGs, Morris Minors, 1964 Ford F100, 1941 Bedford MW, Triumphs, Landrover 101/109, Ford Mustangs, Minis, 1949 Dodge Coronet to name a few).
* Steam Engines – 4″ / 5″ scale Foster Engines, 4″ scale Hind Steam Engine.
* Royal Air Force 4624 Auxillary Sqn (from RAF Brize Norton)
* Army Air Corp Apache Helicopter Flight

They just go on and on.

abingdonairandcountry.co.uk to see more.

£15 on the day or £12 if you get an advance ticket locally. It is already too late to purchase on line.

Air and Country Show
Sponsored by local businesses. Chancellors for example have distributed 10,000 leaflets to promote the air show and displayed promotional boards throughout the local area.

Profits go to Air Ambulance.

Market Place on Saturday

Market Place
Yesterday the usual round of Market Place activities were back in full swing. The Abbey Brass Band are a charitable group whose aim is to provide training for young people and adults. For only £75 a year, they can supply an instrument and weekly group tuition. Visit http://www.abbeybrass.com
Market Place
The 10th Abingdon (St Helen’s) Scouts were holding a sale. They are looking for adults who are interested in becoming Scout Leader or Assistant Scout Leader for their thriving group. The group has Beavers and Cubs – several of the Cubs will soon be of Scout age and they want to start a Scout troop for them from September 2013. Contact Tom Kyffin (the Group Scout Leader) at gsl@tenthabingdon.org.uk
Market Place
It was also last day of the exhibition by Abingdon Artists at St Nicolas Church, and they had lots of visitors during the week.

Lodge Hill Garage celebrates the UK’s transport heritage at its finest

UK transport heritage
Lodge Hill Garage were taking part in the annual Drive It Day, yesterday, where classic vehicle owners across the country are encouraged to drive their vehicles for a day to celebrate the UK’s transport heritage at its finest.
UK transport heritage
The forecourt was full of enthusiasts with their cars enjoying the food and drinks. Lodge Hill Garage are raising money towards a permanent memorial to commemorate the lives of the brave female ATA pilots of World War 2.
UK transport heritage
George Haslam, more usually to be seen improvising jazz on Baritone Sax and Tarogato, is seen here with his Jaguar. He said the day was a great success with far more vehicles than previous years.

Spring Cycle Festival 2013

Spring Cycle Festival 2013
The Abingdon Spring Cycle Festival, run by Freewheeling, was a huge success with a large number of rides for people with varying ability and experience. There was also some track racing in the Abbey Grounds this afternoon for younger riders.
Spring Cycle Festival 2013
The Mayor, Councillor Monica Lovatt, came along to wish everybody well. This morning she was also on BBC Radio Oxford talking about Abingdon-on-Thames to presenter Bill Heine, along with Andrew Wright who runs the new We Love Abingdon website. Radio Oxford have been featuring Abingdon all week and were at the Farmers Market on Friday (with DJ Malcolm Boyden).
Spring Cycle Festival 2013
Riders came from as far away as Rome and as near as Abingdon Police Station. These two young policemen were taking part in one of the longer road rides.
Spring Cycle Festival 2013
All three Abingdon Bike shops took part: Outdoor Traders Cycle Club led a ride to see the White Horse in Uffington.
Spring Cycle Festival 2013
Pedal Power were there. And Behind Bars had a large stall for helping you look after your bike.
Spring Cycle Festival 2013
After the riding was over there were bands playing, refreshments, and treatment for aching muscles.

The event looked bigger than ever this year. One of the organisers told me that Abingdon was an amazing place, just in the way so many organisations and people come along to help.