25 years of DAWN – Didcot, Abingdon & Wantage Talking Newspaper

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DAWN at 25
On Saturday the Didcot, Abingdon & Wantage Talking newspaper celebrated their 25th Anniversary.

The charity provides weekly audio recordings of the Didcot Abingdon and Wantage newspapers, free of charge, for the blind and partially sighted.

Volunteers read (and record) the local newspapers on a Wednesday evening every week, and listeners receive a USB memory stick in the post a couple of days later. Programmes can also be heard on their website, where there is a history of the charity at http://www.dawntn.org.uk/AboutDawnHistory.htm
DAWN at 25
The celebration featured special guest Chris Davies, a finalist in The Big Painting Challenge on the BBC this year.

The Oxford Mail had an article about the Talking Newspapers 25th anniversary including pictures of a recording http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16263764.Talking_newspaper_celebrates_25th_anniversary/.

Thanks to John for the pictures used here.

25 years of the Abingdon Sue Ryder shop

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Sue Ryder at 25
The Sue Ryder charity have been providing nursing care for people with  life-limiting and long-term conditions in hospices since 1953, and more recently in people’s own homes. They announced a few months ago that they are selling the hospice building in Nettlebed to concentrate more on care-at-home in the Henley area, and then in the Abingdon / Didcot area.
Sue Ryder at 25
The thing I notice most about the Abingdon shop is the changing display of furniture for sale, and the seasonally themed, ever changing window displays. There was a birthday theme last week, and on Saturday inside the shop were cakes and tea and coffee, and somebody playing the accordion as part of a celebration of twenty five years of the Abingdon Sue Ryder shop.

Music in the Park

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Music in the Park
There was glorious sunshine as Music in the Park began in the Abbey Grounds in Abingdon with a capacity crowd of 3500.
Music in the Park
The opening band, Sidekickz, got some of the crowd dancing,
Music in the Park
The Undercovers got almost everybody dancing.
Music in the Park
The Oxfordshire Big Band followed with a more laid back beat.
Music in the Park
Then the Mayor, Councillor Margaret Crick, thanked everybody who had helped at the event. Special thanks and a bouquet of flowers went to Councillor Alice Badcock who heads up the organising committee.
Music in the Park
The Abingdon Town Band then got people waving flags, and waving mobile phone torches, and even got a lot of people singing the proms part of the programme.
Music in the Park
That was followed by fireworks, and a polite request to take the rubbish home.

Fun in the Park

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Fun in the Park
The Abbey Grounds have dried out in time for Fun in the Park. As one well known local told me, they knew what they were doing building the Abbey here on the gravel terrace for drainage.
Fun in the Park
On the little stage Punch kept the children entertained. Near them was a huge inflatable and a climbing wall.
Fun in the Park
On the big stage, at the same time, were Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers. They were followed by many other acts. Late afternoon and evening the stage will be used for Music in the Park.
Fun in the Park
There was also a concourse of stalls with local groups either side of the path. On the Church in Abingdon stall you could sponsor a duck for the duck race on June 16th – same day as Mayor of Ock Street, and opening the Outdoor Pool. Money from the duck race goes towards Abingdon Passion play 2019.
Fun in the Park
Monica Lovatt the new Chair of the Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) was speaking to the people in charge of mobiloo. Its appearance was discussed at the recent town council meeting featured on this blog.