Carswell Community School’s Sensory Garden – Final Report

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Carswell Sensory Garden
The rain kept off on Tuesday 12th June for the opening of Carswell Community School’s Sensory Garden.

Academic, explorer, television presenter and local celebrity Dr George McGavin officially opened the garden by pulling aside a “ Very Hungry Caterpillar” curtain.
Carswell Sensory Garden
Parents toured the garden as pupils sang and performed a MayPole Dance.
Carswell Sensory Garden
The area’s transformation from derelict concrete and scrub
Carswell Sensory Garden
to a place of magical tranquillity for children and staff has brought together people from all over the community, in a project very much in keeping with the school’s title. Teams from Dalton Barracks, Abingdon Fire Station and the Princes Trust joined staff, parents and neighbours to clear the site, and local businesses contributed compost, wildflower turf, a bug hotel and hard landscaping. Nearly all the garden’s plants have been donated by well-wishers in local churches.
Carswell Sensory Garden
The garden will be used as an outdoor classroom by Key Stage 1 children at the school, for Science, Literacy and R.E.

Designed by teacher Katie David and Rosemary Perrow from TrinityLearning, the garden has winding paths and a rainbow seat, leading on to a dark/light path, where children can discuss the journey of life. The children have planted bulbs and woven a willow shelter to emphasise their role in the community. Many of the school’s children have parents serving at nearby Dalton Barracks and The Forces Covenant provided a Community Award in recognition of the garden’s other role – a place of quiet and reflection for children going through difficult times.

Thanks to Rosemary for update reports and this final report and pictures.

Abingdon Xtra Presentation and Town Council Meeting

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Abingdon Xtra Town Council
This evening Mark from Radio Abingdon Xtra did a presentation about the soon to be launched Internet Radio Station … Abingdon-Xtra.

Mark is looking for volunteers from any background to help the community radio station take off and grow. He also needs business sponsors. Mark will be using posts from this blog in the news feed.

This evening there was also a meeting of Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council. There have already been suggestions that the Town Council Meetings should be me made available as broadcasts – or even podcasts. So Mark is considering all such ideas as he wants radio content to be about the local community with music.

The news about the opening of the Museum on July 7th has already appeared on the front page of The Abingdon Herald but it was also announced at the Town Council meeting.

Abingdon Xtra Town Council
There is still a lot of work needed to meet that date.
Abingdon Xtra Town Council

Exhibits need unpacking and putting in cases.

A huge amount of effort has been put into the Jubilee Celebrations. But it is back to business as usual. The Town Council went through all the recent committee meetings making comments on a few such as additional saltbins, making progress on the MG Garden, progress on the Guildhall plans etc …
Abingdon Xtra Town Council
I see that a lot of grass cutting has been done in the last couple of days, as the staff catch up on normal duties.

Culvert Repairs may have hit a problem

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Culvert Repairs
You may remember how back in December 2011 barriers were put along the top of Stert Street.

We learned later that the River Stert Culvert, beneath the street, needed stabilising, and work was done  in March. This picture was taken at the end of March of an entrance used by workmen to enter the culvert from Old Station Yard.

Culvert Repairs

Spike send me a picture of the River Stert entering the River Thames showing that stabilisation work had been completed at the bottom end.

Culvert Repairs
But two months later, in mid June, the barriers at the top end of Stert Street still remain.

Culvert Repairs
The Bus Stop taking people to Abingdon Hospital is still out of bounds. The Olympic Torch could be in Danger.

It is difficult to know what is going on below the surface. It could be just inter departmental financial squabbling, between the County Council and the Environment Agency, about who pays. Or it could be that the repairs are more complicated than those first thought. Or maybe the barriers just need collecting.

Changes since last Mayor Making in Ock Street

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This Saturday the election of the Mayor of Ock Street takes place. According to the book ‘Ock Street Remembered’, by the Ock Street heritage Group, Ock Street housed almost a third of the town’s population in the nineteenth century.They also note that during the slum clearances of the mid-twentieth century much of the traditional character of the street was destroyed. But there are still a large number of businesses.

Since last year there have been a couple of changes to businesses in the street.
Ock Street Changes
In the last month Megabonus who supplied new and reconditioned household appliances have moved out
Ock Street Changes
and a sandwich bar has moved in.
Ock Street Changes
And where the Tattoo parlour was, before relocating to the town centre,  there is now a hairdresser.