Preston Road Community Centre Marks 50th Anniversary

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Preston Road Community Centre has its 50th anniversary this month.

The building is owned by the Vale of White Horse District Council but leased and run for the community by a charity. The original building (including a large main hall, kitchen and bar, storage rooms, lavatories, and an office) was completed in May 1975.

Since 1975, the entrance has changed, and moveable partitions have been added, allowing the large hall to be reconfigured into a medium hall, small hall, and lounge.

Many community groups have used the centre over the years, but bingo has been a constant – originally run by Abingdon Boys Football Club and now run by volunteers from the centre.  This evening, bingo players played an extra free game to celebrate the anniversary. It had a prize of £50.

Most of the players were still very young in 1975. Some were not even born.

Someone remembered when Doug Lee was the chairman at Preston Road Community Centre and how the Abingdon pub darts final was played there when there was a bar. The old bar space is used now for storage by the South Abingdon Food Bank.

Caterpillars Strip Tree in Abbey Meadow

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Nick sent me photos of a tree in Abbey Meadow, near the children’s play area, that has been stripped of its leaves by caterpillars. It is the only tree that has been attacked.

Silken sheets are visible between twigs, with many caterpillars living inside. They leave their protective tents to feed and return afterward.

The trees trunks are also surrounded in silk. Here is one caterpillar outside the silk, and inside — near the trunk — a pupa within its cocoon.

VE Day 80 Tea Dance at Preston Road Community Centre

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This afternoon, a VE Day 80 Tea Dance organised by the Royal British Legion was held at Preston Road Community Centre as part of 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Penny and a young volunteer welcomed guests at the door, selling raffle tickets, and later served tea, biscuits, and a selection of cakes.

Over the course of more than two hours, guests enjoyed dancing — both ballroom and line dancing —accompanied by music from Sugar and Spice.

The event was organised largely by Ron on behalf of the Royal British Legion. At the start he asked how many people present had been alive at the end of the war. About half a dozen hands went up, including three individuals now in their nineties.

The afternoon ended with Sugar and Spice singing ‘We’ll Meet Again’.

Community Events and a Tribute in Abingdon this Saturday Morning

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Scout jumble sale
At Abingdon Baptist Church on Ock Street, the Scouts held a jumble sale to raise funds. Tables were filled with bric-a-brac, books, clothes, and more.
Planet Abingdon food stall
On the Market Place, One Planet Abingdon were offering free vegan food and handing out recipes and leaflets. They were raising awareness of the environmental benefits of plant-based diets, highlighting the lower resource use and reduced methane emissions compared to meat production.
Bike tuning at County Hall
Under the County Hall, volunteers were offering free bike checks and minor repairs — encouraging greener travel by helping people keep their bikes roadworthy.
Flag at half mast
Overhead, the town flag above the County Hall flew at half-mast. It was a mark of respect for the Oxfordshire firefighters who lost their lives tackling the recent business park blaze near Bicester.