Belgium Chocolates and Santa Claus: A BBC programme from Abingdon’s Twin Town – Sint Niklaas

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Today’s episode of “Inside the Factory” watched the production of Guylian’s iconic seashell-shaped pralines.

This renowned Belgian chocolate brand makes their chocolates in Sint-Niklaas, Abingdon’s twin town.

The episode also explored the origins of Santa Claus. He has his roots in Sinterklaas, a Belgian character inspired by Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century Christian bishop renowned for his generosity, particularly towards children and the poor.

December 6th, the feast day of Saint Nicholas, became a day for gift-giving in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Dutch settlers brought the Sinterklaas tradition to America in the 17th century. His name was anglicised to “Santa Claus,” and over time, the character evolved (got reindeer instead of a horse), and brought presents on December 25th (not the eve of December 6th). The modified version of Santa Claus came back to Europe, partly thanks to Coca Cola.

The town of Sint-Niklaas has a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, and Abingdon has St. Nicolas Church. This shared reverence for Saint Nicholas makes a strong church and school twinning link between the two towns.

Saint Nicolas School in Abingdon celebrate their patron saint on December 6th (picture from the Abingdon Blog in 2009).

The programme was broadcast this evening on BBC 2 and can be watched on IPlayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b07mddqk/inside-the-factory

Abingdon Pharmacy quoted in Parliament as Ready to Assist with Winter Healthcare

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The Avicenna Pharmacy in Abingdon has been taken over, and is now run by the new owner. He got a mention in parliament this week after Layla Moran MP visited. Layla Moran is Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, and on 18th December 2024 she said in parliament when debating winter preparedness, ‘Last Friday, I visited Sherwood Pharmacy in Abingdon. Ben, who owns it, told me that local pharmacies stand ready to help… There needs to be a real push for GPs to refer people to pharmacies, in particular for vaccinations.’

Advent Windows in South Avenue and Holland Road

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South Avenue and Holland Road have been bringing joy to residents and visitors with their annual Advent Windows displays since 2017. The 2024 display looked bigger and better then ever.

This evening, the community gathered outside number 54 South Avenue to celebrate together. The organisers provided hot chocolate, mulled wine, and mince pies. A raffle was organised by The Abingdon Bridge, a local charity supporting young people in Abingdon. Donations given for the Advent Windows will also go to The Abingdon Bridge.

People gathered, drinking their mulled wine or hot chocolate, to hear carols from an Abingdon choral choir.

The stars were bright overhead and the window displays were amazing.

So many people want to take part that there are usually three or four houses displaying Advent windows each day. On December 1st, three windows were revealed. This particular display is located on Holland Road.

There’s an activity sheet and trail for children where they have to find candy canes. Here’s one of them – look, it’s in the dog’s mouth!

This window celebrates the Nativity (the birth of Jesus about 2020 years ago), and the Christian hope that God is with us.

Can you see more candy canes? At Christmas we mix the religious elements with other traditions like Father Christmas who gets stuck down the chimney and a reindeer with a red nose,

and presents, crackers  and much more besides.

New Equipment and Safety Measures at Chaunterell Way Play Park

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Good news for families living near the Chaunterell Way play park in south Abingdon! The park, which often floods due to the nearby River Ock, now features exciting new play equipment for children to enjoy.

Among the new additions are a step trail, a shopfront play feature with a sign that can flip between “closed” and “open,”

and musical elements like a xylophone and a sound synthesizer tube. There’s also a tic-tac-toe game and a railway engine play structure for young visitors.

In addition to the play equipment, the park now has updated signage.

The new sign promotes safety, reminding parents and guardians that children must be supervised at all times. Abingdon Town Council has stated they are not liable for injuries caused by lack of supervision.

For those interested in fitness, the park also includes exercise equipment, scattered across the open, unfenced areas of the park. These facilities are accompanied by a new and detailed set of usage guidelines:

Important — Please read these instructions before beginning your workout
• Users of this equipment do so at their own risk, Abingdon on Thames Town Council does not accept any liability for loss or injury caused by the use of this equipment.
• Users must be 1400mm or taller to use the gym equipment.
• Children must be adequately supervised by an adult. This is not play equipment.
• Read the instructions on each piece of equipment first.
• Begin your exercise routine with a warm up session. Start slowly and build up intensity gradually.
• Aim to do at least 20 minutes of medium to high intensity exercise overall.
• Allow 5-10 minutes stretch off and cool down after your session.
• Stop if you feel faint or dizzy. Do not use under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• If you are in any doubt about your health or level of physical fitness, consult a doctor or fitness professional before using this equipment.
• Be courteous; allow others to use this equipment as soon as you have finished your session.
• Stand clear of all equipment when in use by someone else.
• Do not use any equipment if it appears damaged or malfunctioning
• In case of accidents, please contact 999 or 111. The nearest Minor Injuries unit is at Abingdon Hospital.
• In the interest of safety, please do not bring dogs, glass or alcohol into the area.
• Please help to keep this site in good working condition.

The new signage reflects a trend to prioritise safety and minimise liability.