On Bank Holiday Monday, a series of walks were organised by The Friends of Abingdon Civic Society. Five were guided, and there were ten themed trail leaflets.

The Friends had their AGM last Wednesday at the same time as the Town Council cinema meeting. In the last year, the Friends have organised Heritage Open Day, and walk days like today. They also have a project to produce a photographic archive of the town. They were active in looking at planning applications and notifying both the town and district council of concerns. They are involved in the Conservation Area Appraisal for the Albert Park area, and the Abingdon neighborhood plan. They also act as a pressure group on major issues and have worked with local residents to press the District Council to resolve problems over the derelict Upper Reaches hotel site.

Most of the Monday Market was also on the Market Place despite it being a bank holiday.

The World Poohsticks Championship was held on the bridge near Sandford Lock on the River Thames today.

At 11 am, Tigger was bouncing with excitement, wanting to see the first pooh sticks dropped into the gentle current. The championship involved a series of heats. Participants leaned over the bridges edge, prepared to release their different coloured sticks. Then at a signal, they dropped the sticks upstream of the bridge and crossed to see whose stick emerged downstream and crossed the finishing line first.

Umpires from the Abingdon Rotary Club, who organised the event, watched the finishing line like owls.

At about 1 am, Tigger could not contain his excitement as just two players were left in the final, waiting to drop their sticks.

The red stick finished a few lengths ahead of the blue stick.

The red stick’s handler was congratulated as the World Poohsticks Champion for 2023. He is Bertie S (age 9).

The next world championship is a year away but that does not stop people playing the game at any time, whatever your age, just as Pooh Bear played it with with Christopher Robin, Tigger, and Eeyore.

The annual World Poohsticks Championships was previously held at Day’s Lock on the River Thames from 1984 to 2018. There has been a gap of four years with no competition because of lack of resources and then Covid. This was the first time at Sandford Lock. It has moved from downstream to upstream of Abingdon.

The Abingdon Air and Country Show was called off in September last year because of the death of the Queen two days before the event. This year there was a full show with a two-hour flying display at the end. The day was fine with blue sky.

The display included among others the Titans Display Team ,

a Bronco,

and Westland Helicopters.

Information about RAF Abingdon was provided in the programme (price £2) and in a tent. Somebody found a lot of booklets called The First Fifty Years of RAF Abingdon and gave them away for free. RAF Abingdon used the airfield until it was transferred to the army in 1992.

As well as the airshow and static aircraft, a young motorcycle display team, with ages ranging from 6 to about 16, rode over ramps and in interweaving patterns.  Musicians played in one marquee, and craft makers displayed artifacts in another marquee. There were lots of stalls, and a fun fair.

WWII re-enactors, including the Oxfordshire Home Guard, guarded their pitches.

Hundreds of classic cars were parked near the display area, and at the other end were lorries, and some small traction engines.

The event, as well as giving lots of people a good day out, supports local charities and good causes. Thankyou to the organisers, and volunteers, for another wonderful show.

A report from Pete.

The giant teddy bear caused quite a few chuckles as it perched in its own chair, waiting to see who would win him at bingo.

Thanks go to the Lewis Baker shop in Bridge Street, Abingdon, who kindly donated the teddy bear. This is an opportunity to remind readers to support our local independent shops that serve the community.

Bingo is every Tuesday at Preston Road Community Centre, Midget Close, next to the Midget pub. Doors open at 7:00pm with eyes down at 8:00pm. All are welcome to come & join in the fun. All funds raised go towards supporting the Community Centre.

The lucky winner was Jane.