Vineyard Church Christmas Cafe

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Ten years ago, Mike Badcock gave me a Mayor’s award for writing the Abingdon Blog. Alice Badcock gave an award to Abingdon Monday Club, represented by Helen Ronaldson and Peter Knight, mentioned on the blog a couple of days ago. One person who has not got an award yet is Ray, who puts in so much work, unpaid, keeping Preston Road Community Centre going as well as the food bank. He asked whether I could publicise the Vineyard Church Christmas Cafe, and I am very happy to help – if it does help.

Ray also helps out with other volunteers, unpaid, at Preston Road bingo every Tuesday. It opens at 7 pm, eyes down at 8 pm and ends after the jackpot game at about 10 pm. For over twenty years, bingo profits have helped subsidise other community activities at the centre. Numbers have not returned to pre covid levels. And now it is an evening out for people but hardly makes a profit. So more people would be made very welcome.

Frosty Morning

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There was a frosty sunrise over the River Thames.

I photographed these two swans flying after a running takeoff.

Hoar frost covered branches of trees, leaves, hedgerows and the grass blades at Caldecott Recreation Ground

These pictures do not show all the cars trying to get to school or to work. I cannot remember seeing a queue so long of vehicles on Caldecott Road waiting to get onto Drayton Road.

Club sees Swindon Panto and Abingdon Town Band

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Peter has been the leader of the Abingdon Monday Club for nineteen years, and the members love his sense of fun. He is planning one more year to make it twenty, and hopefully, somebody else can be found to take over. He is helped by his wife, Alison, and Helen, the chairman, who has been doing it even longer. Other volunteers also make this club possible.

On Sunday, they took members to the annual pantomime in Swindon. It was good, apart from one joke about Oxford United. Swindon Town are local rivals.

On Monday, there was a concert by the Abingdon Town Band. The banter between Steve Rich (band leader) and Monday Club members was hilarious in between songs. It was an enjoyable concert with lots of Christmas favourites.

On Monday, the club said goodbye to Brian, who used to organise bingo and other activities at the club, as he has died, and club members were saddened by the news.

Christmas Post Boxes

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The Christmas postbox topper on the Market Place has Father Chrismas and Rudolph.

At Tesco, the Christmas topper has a snowman and hedgehogs.

I have not seen a topper in the Co-op yet, but there was a notice saying, ‘Post Box full’. There were also large lunchtime queues at the post office itself. Allow plenty of time for posting this year.