Church in Abingdon carol singers on the Market Place

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There was carol singing on Abingdon’s Market Place today from 10 am to noon. Over 100 people gathered to sing carols, led by Sally Mears. A tuba and percussion instruments provided accompaniment for the singers. There was also a crafting table with an Advent theme.

A pop-up nativity scene offered a photo opportunity for people to capture the Christmas spirit. Some of the Abingdon Street Pastors, who will be patrolling the streets tonight from 10:30 pm, were having their photo taken.

Abingdon Street Pastors is a volunteer-led charity that patrols the streets of Abingdon on Saturday nights to offer support and care to people having a night out. They work with the police and local businesses to create a safe and positive atmosphere in the town. They have been doing this since 2011.

The carols finished with We Wish you a Merry Christmas, which you can hear here.

Overheard on the Wilsham Road railings yesterday

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Pigeon 1: “Tis a right roller coaster o’ a year. Folks ‘ave gone right barmy for them gulls.”

Pigeon 2: “Aye, they’ve been snatchin’ all the breadcrumbs right fae under our beaks.”

Pigeon 3: “Those rapacious gulls are nothing but purloining nuisances! They’re perpetually pilfering our food, it’s positively galling!”

Pigeon 4: “Always showing off with their dive-bombing stunts, like performing pets.”

Pigeon 5: “Strewth, like flying rats, more like! Pooping everywhere. Stealing our railing.”

Pigeon 1: “I tell ee wot, mate, I’d like to see Abingdon made a gull-free zone”

Pigeon 2: “Aye, noo you’re talking. Gull-free, gull-free!”

Pigeon 3: “They’re forever impeding our progress and generating a cacophony, it’s positively unbecoming”

Pigeon 4: “Squawking and screeching, it gives me a proper headache.”

Pigeon 5: “We’ve gotta do something about them.”

Pigeon 1: “Well, mate, we could start by educating folks about the importance of pigeons. Make ’em proud o’ our joint heritage together.”

Pigeon 2: “Aye! Make Abingdon a mair pigeon-friendly place.”

Pigeon 3: “I’m in wholehearted agreement with you there. And let the humans be aware that gulls are transmitters of avian influenza.”

Pigeon 4: “Let’s start spreading the word and get Abingdon gull-free.”

Pigeon 5: “Yeah, sounds like a plan.”

Closure of Abingdon Monday Club after 56 Years

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After 56 years of providing a social space for adults with learning disabilities, the Abingdon Monday Club will close its doors due to a shortage of volunteers on 18th December 2023. The club’s organisers, Peter and Helen, who have been leading the club since 2003, expressed their gratitude to the dedicated volunteers and members who have supported the club over the years. They hope that someone in the community will come forward to establish a new organisation to fill the void left by Monday Club. I saw one member today, and he was very sad and said he would miss the club.

The organisers will give the members the club’s games, puzzles, and other items. They will also spend the club’s remaining funds on activities that benefit the members.

(The organisers were pictured at this year’s Clubs and Societies Day.)

Christmas Lights on Medlicott Drive and beyond

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As Christmas approaches, Medlicott Drive is adorned with Christmas lights, and attracts many visitors. Half the houses in the road are transformed into a winter wonderland because of this annual tradition. Lights can also be seen in nearby Nash Drive. They are on the Tithe Farm & Ladygrove Estate in South Abingdon.

Thomas Medlicott was the Recorder of Abingdon from 1675 to 1686 and 1688 to 1689, a Governor of Christ’s Hospital, and the M.P in 1689. The surname used to be spelled Medleycott or Medlycott. There is a long entry about him in https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/abingdon_people/thomas-medlycott.

The Tithe Farm & Ladygrove Estate holds an annual advent window display, similar to the one held at the Workhouse Estate. This house on Bridges Close, adjacent to the community room used by the local community association, also features an impressive display. The room was full of people when I took this picture so they could have been meeting this evening.