The chance to experience cinema at the Unicorn is about to happen – ‘a modern cinema in a medieval setting’. The cinema at the Unicorn opens on Friday 29th December 2017. The program and website to buy tickets is at theunicorn.ac The project was delayed a little because of the need to sort out distribution rights for films at the new venue.

The installation of the equipment took place before Christmas, and a short film was shown successfully. There will be a full run through of a feature length film to trustees of the Friends of Abingdon to check all is working before the first full day on Friday.

The Advent Candle was lit

and the 2nd Abingdon Beer Festival began at the Abbey Buildings. The Friends of Abingdon have joined forces with Abingdon’s Loose Cannon Brewery to organise this event. Local beers and ciders were available. Local bands were playing and there was food on sale outside.

It also runs on Saturday 2nd December from 6pm to 11pm, so somewhere to try after the Christmas Extravaganza Fireworks. Entry is free and tickets costing £7 buy 2 pints or 4 halfpints.

I enjoyed going to Jumble Sales as a youngster in the village where I lived from the age of 10, and still have some of the prize finds from back then.

On Saturday, St Helen’s Church and Trinity Church both had their Christmas sales – events not unlike those jumble sales.

At St Helen’s Church there were stalls in the south aisle – with a long table of books down the centre; a jewellery stall under St Helen’s Window; new painting by local artists either side; and refreshments along most of the south wall.

Bric-a-brac and crafts were on sale opposite the refreshments, and then a raffle and children’s toys.

At Trinity, the Christmas Fair was in the Conduit Centre – the church hall that once served as as school room, but now is more of a Community Hall. There was a rectangle of tables at the centre with people selling cakes, pickles and jams, jewellery, bric-a-brac, and raffle tickets.

Other stalls were round the outside, including a Traidcraft stall, books and toys and crafts; and fund raising games run by uniformed organisations.

As at St Helen’s Church, there was an area for people to sit with refreshments and enjoy each others company.

I did get some good finds, but best of all, coming out of St Helen’s Church, I got a nice picture of a Robin on the churchyard wall.