Any Questions – from St Helen and St Katharine School

18 Replies

St Helen
Last Friday, Radio 4’s Any Questions was introduced by Jonathan Dimbleby … “Welcome to Oxfordshire, to Abingdon beside the Thames, and to an Independent Girls School with pupils aged between 9 and 18, called St Helen and St Katharine School. It has all the facilities that you might expect of such an institution including a Science Centre with twelve new laboratories and a 3-D design centre. The School’s vision is to inspire the next generation of leading women.”

With just under three weeks to go to the EU referendum, the first question was ‘If we Brexit will we have more control to limit immigration?”
St Helen
There to answer were Caroline Lucas, Green MP and board member of the pro-European Britain Stronger in Europe campaign, seen her with Rebecca Dougall, Head of the school. Also there were Gisela Stuart, Labour MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston and Chair of the Vote Leave campaign; and Julia Hartley-Brewer, journalist and broadcaster, current morning presenter on Talk Radio and a vociferous Brexiter,
St Helen
and Lord Heseltine. Caroline Lucas had the final words on the first question and spoke on the value of inspiring people, particularly young people, about everything that is positive about EU membership.

Next was a question from 16 year-old Florence Wiggins a Lower 6 student at St Helen’s. “Why weren’t 16 and 17 year olds being allowed to vote in the forthcoming referendum?” The exchange included Julia Hartley-Brewer commenting wryly that “Cameron is now wishing he’d extended voting rights as polls suggest more 16 and 17 year olds would vote stay” and was thrown back to Florence who articulated the position that this was about the future of the UK and that the impact legacy of the decision on 23rd June will be on her generation, citing the previously temporarily lowered voting age for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

Impressed by the balance and maturity of Florence’s response, Lord Heseltine said “I may not want to give the vote to all 16 year olds, but I would certainly give the vote to you” which was greeted with a mighty cheer from the 300 strong audience.

The rest of the programme can be heard at BBC Radio 4 – Any Questions.

RR Newsagents

3 Replies

RR Stores
I got an email asking why the Radley Road Newsagent has been closed for a few weeks now. I was not aware it was closed but did see the shutters were down over the weekend. I said I’d ask if any body knows.

Bus Service 41 to be improved, while Bus Services 42, 43, and 44 are cut.

23 Replies

Oxfordshire County Council will be withdrawing subsidies on all bus services from 20th July 2016. That will mean that some services will cease – including the 44 and 44a, and the Abingdon Town Bus service routes 42, and 43 round North Abingdon.
41 Bus
However the third part of this Abingdon Town Bus Service, Service 41, appears to be viable. It will be enhanced and extended to provide a half hourly service between Abingdon Town Centre, Tesco / Fairacres Retail Park, Community Hospital and South Abingdon between 08:30 and 15:00 on Mondays to Fridays. It will no longer run on Saturday.

Abingdon Style Countryfile

4 Replies

Countryfile
In the Abbey Meadows there are now two circles where the grass and wild flowers are encouraged to grow. The inner circle is already full of delicate meadow grass and flowers, such as these Ragged Robin.
Countryfile
The outer circle has thicker grass, and some wild flowers including thistles. Yesterday volunteers were digging out the thistles to allow other flowers to thrive.
Countryfile
Today was sunny, and over the River Thames, in Rye Farm Meadow, a tractor was turning the grass with the wuffler, or hay spreader.
Countryfile
There were also lots of people out enjoying the countryside and the River Thames, watching boats at Abingdon Lock, and crossing the white water at Abingdon Weir. The Abbey Meadows play area, round the splash pad, was particularly popular.