After weeks of lying on the ground, the monk is standing again.

Soon after midnight, in the new year 2023, I walked around Abingdon town centre, where St Nicolas bells started ringing. The secret crochet had made a 2023 postbox topper. Walking back, I saw the residents of East St Helen Street going back into their houses after wishing each other a Happy New Year.

Looking forward to the new year, there will be the coronation of King Charles III and a bun throw in May. Town and vale council elections are also in May.

The Mummers’ Play was performed by members of Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers around certain village pubs outside Abingdon and then in certain pubs in Abingdon, beginning at the Punchbowl, pictured here. The drama involved the characters of Father Christmas, King George, Bold Slasher, a doctor, and Mrs Finny.

The play opened with Father Christmas entering the pub to surprise customers and delivering a prologue, in rhyme, beginning:
Make room, make room, my gallant boys,
And give me room to rhyme;
For I have mine to let you know
Tis merry Christmas time.

He then introduced King George, who gave another monologue and challenged onlookers to see if anybody dared fight him. The challenge was accepted by a man called Bold Slasher. They fought, and King George fell.

A doctor was called, and after much boasting and using some pills, the doctor healed King George.

King George and Bold Slasher fought again, and Bold Slasher fell. The doctor said he had already saved a life, and now another life was lost, and he called on somebody else to heal Bold Slasher.

People called for Jack Finny, and a person with rosy red cheeks entered and said, ‘You want Jack Finny’ in a deep voice, and then said in a much higher voice, ‘But I am not Jack Finny. I am Mrs Finny’. After another speech, Mrs Finney used a flashing umbrella stuck up the backside of Bold Slasher to bring him around.

After that, all the players walked around and around and around, singing a rhyme and wishing people a Merry Christmas.

A collection tin was then taken around. This year the money went to the Abingdon Foodbank.

Ten years ago, Mike Badcock gave me a Mayor’s award for writing the Abingdon Blog. Alice Badcock gave an award to Abingdon Monday Club, represented by Helen Ronaldson and Peter Knight, mentioned on the blog a couple of days ago. One person who has not got an award yet is Ray, who puts in so much work, unpaid, keeping Preston Road Community Centre going as well as the food bank. He asked whether I could publicise the Vineyard Church Christmas Cafe, and I am very happy to help – if it does help.

Ray also helps out with other volunteers, unpaid, at Preston Road bingo every Tuesday. It opens at 7 pm, eyes down at 8 pm and ends after the jackpot game at about 10 pm. For over twenty years, bingo profits have helped subsidise other community activities at the centre. Numbers have not returned to pre covid levels. And now it is an evening out for people but hardly makes a profit. So more people would be made very welcome.