Mayor of Ock Street 2023 – Lego reminder

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Morris Dancers have put up a Lego model in the window of Fat Face to remind people of Mayor’s Day on Saturday 17th June. The model shows Abingdon Market Place complete with Morris dancers and Sami’s kebab Trailer.

The highlight of the day will be the Election of Mayor of Ock Street at around 16:15, followed by a procession chairing the Mayor along Ock Street.

There will be processions and dancing throughout the day from 11:00 until about 19:30. The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers will be joined by the Bampton Traditional Morris Dancers and Old Speckled Hen Morris.

A running order can be seen at http://atmd.org.uk/coming-events/

MG Celebrates 100 Years

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MG cars have been a part of British motoring for 100 years, and Abingdon played a big role in the marque’s history. Today, a number of MG Vintage and MG Triple M cars were on display in Abingdon Market Place as part of the MG100 celebrations.

The MG marque was founded in 1923 by Cecil Kimber. The first MG car, the MG Midget, was produced in 1924. MGs were built in Abingdon from 1928 to 1980.

There will be a larger event for all MGs at Silverstone from 10th – 11th June.

For more information about the MG100 celebrations please visit the MGCC website www.mgcc.co.uk/mg100/.

Thank you to Martin Wackenier for the pictures.

St Ethelwolds House cakes and coffee

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Volunteers at St Ethelwolds House served cakes and coffee today, and guests enjoyed them in the beautiful garden.

I was told that on June 21st, there will be a Midsummer’s Day celebration, with musicians playing in the afternoon and coffee and cakes for sale.

The coffee and cakes sold at these events help raise funds for garden projects and flowers. A recent project was constructing a wheelchair-accessible gravel path, with a grid beneath, from the side gate, which is now left open. The usual way in is over deeper gravel.

Pride Month

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Pride Month (June) celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and recognizes their culture, and long history of fighting for equality. At our recent Ock Poets meeting at Abingdon Library, we read some poems by Mary Jean Chan. Chan was born in Hong Kong and teaches at Brookes University in Oxford, and co-edited the Penguin Book 100 Queer Poems.

In Oxford at the weekend there was a Pride festival, and in previous years there has been an event in Abingdon. Perhaps there will be one. In any case, colourful flags flutter in solidarity on the County Hall roof in Abingdon,

and above Abingdon School.

Charity shop windows also have colourful displays during Pride Month.

At Sue Ryder, some staff wear a rainbow badge. The badge means ‘I’m someone you can talk to about LGBTQ+ identities.’