On the Market Place this morning the sun was out and people could enjoy the Local Excellence Market. Added Ingredients had a stall where you could sample and buy their products.

The Market Place will be busy now for three Saturdays in a row. This Saturday was Local Excellence, Next Saturday is the Christmas Extravaganza, and the following Saturday is the Craft Market.

That means that some of the stalls, including Vallis Green Woodworking, will be there three Saturdays in a a row. I first photographed Simon, from Vallis Green, about 8 years ago at a very wet event where he was one of the few stall holders to brave the weather.

This evening at St Helen’s Church there was a choral concert by Vox Coelestis. They are no ordinary choir. Formed in 2005 as a collection of musical friends they sang first on a one off basis to raise funds for the organ appeal at Holy Trinity, Coventry. Since then they have come together to perform 14 concerts and raised over £16,000 for a range of charities. And this evening they performed their 15th concert to raise funds for the Abingdon Bridge.

Singers are drawn from cathedral and chamber choirs across the UK. They were very very good. I loved the pieces where they sang from different places in the church. In one piece the sopranos were situated round the church singing a plain chant, and the rest of the choir gathered to sing from the front.

The Abingdon Bridge often has to help young people going through difficult times, and the music was by composers who had had their own sufferings. From Shadow Light – out of times of great mental anguish, distress and illness, beautiful choral music had been created.

The Abingdon Baptist Church Christmas Fayre was opened by Councillor Monica Lovatt, Deputy Chairman of the Vale of White Horse District Council.

The money raised will go towards the church development project that has raised over £400K from the required £650K.

One of the organisers, Jill, explained that this will see the pews removed, a new glass screen to make a larger welcome area, a new dias and cross and furnishings, and general revamp. Work is likely to happen in 2018, and they are still talking to one or two potential temporary homes while work is in progress.

A Showing of the film Akong – A Remarkable Life, will take place on Tuesday, 14 November 2017, at 7.30 – 9.30 pm, in the Garden Room at St Ethelwold’s House. This feature-length documentary captures the fascinating life of Akong: a teacher, spiritual leader and doctor of Tibetan medicine. Entrance is by donation, with all money going directly to the Akong Memorial Foundation https://akongmemorialfoundation.org/

On Saturday 18th November there will be a Christian Aid petition asking the big banks how they use our money. It has already been signed by people at some of the town’s churches and the organisers are looking to get lots more comments and signatures on the Market Place.

Kindness Day is on 13th November in the UK. World Kindness Day is on the same day. Visit Kindness Day UK for more.