Monthly Archives: June 2010

Independents

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Jill Carver
On Saturday Jill Carver, who runs Added Ingredients, joined in the Environmental Awareness Day with a display, and a chance to taste, Olive Oils from Italy, Greece, and Spain.
Best Wine Display
Added Ingredients, recently won a national award for the best display of wines by an independent retailer / off-licence.
Best Deli
They have also been nominated for Deli of The Year. The winning Deli and two people who voted for it get invited to an Olive harvest in Spain.

Competitions like this are there to recognise the best independent retailers, and encourage the independent sector to excel in a world of multi-nationals.

We often say how important independent retailers are for Abingdon and it is good that they win competitions, but I should think it is more important that we support them.

Eco Day in Abindgon

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BBOWT Compost and Worms
There were a lot of Eco stalls on the Market Place today. It was a chance for everybody to play with a worm on the BBOWT stall tray. Worms make great compost. The central tray includes some of the starting ingredients, including dry bread, that can make compost. The BBOWT volunteer said bread is OK to use for compost so long as the bin is out of the way of rats.
Friends of Radley Lakes
Among all the familiar groups there was a new group called ‘Friends of Radley Lakes’. As you can see it is the old familiar ‘Save Radley Lakes’ reborn. Their aims are to work with the Northmoor Trust in caring for Radley Lakes. That includes things like fundraising for special projects, litter picks, controlling Himalayan Balsam…
Two Mayors
Meanwhile some visiting Morris Dancers were passing through Abingdon and the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers joined them for some dances under the County Hall. I caught up with the Mayor of Ock Street, and the Mayor of Abingdon afterwards. Apparently I did not get all my facts completely right a couple of days ago. But I was speculating – a rare slip. It is more a case that the two groups are starting to have some more friendly exchanges. Best way to start any process…
Peter Green
Ex Mayor, Peter Green, was having a tough time making himself heard – trying to announce the Eco Day on the Market Place – because the Bells of St Nics kept ringing for weddings.
Peter Green
Eleanor Dangerfield was in charge of the Green Gym Stall. Like the newly formed Friends of Radley Lakes the Green Gym are known to wage war on Himalayan Balsam. Come to think of it… So did Peter Green who used to lead teams of volunteers destroying Himalayan Balsam on the Ock Valley Walk. He led the way.

Sky Diving Mayor and Deputy

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Sky Dive
The Mayor of Abingdon and his Deputy took part today in sky dive to raise money for the Mayor’s Charities, one of which is the Fire Fighters Charity. The fund raising was joined by firemen from Bicester.
Sky Dive
All did a tandem jump which involves being strapped to an instructor.
Sky Dive
and taken by a very cramped aircraft up to about 13,000 feet over Royal Air Force – Weston on The Green. The cloud level was about 5,000 feet. Then they threw themselves out of the plane, fell for about 30 seconds to just above the clouds. The parachutes were then successfully opened.
Sky Dive
Not much more to tell. There was a lot of wheeling round as the parachutes came near the ground. After landing, the Mayor was raring to have another go, but his Deputy felt a little sick – being somebody who can’t even do a fairground ride normally.

Displays for Mayor of Ock Street’s Day June 19th!

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Morris Men in Fat Face
On June 19th the residents of Ock Street choose The Mayor of Ock Street – or Mock Mayor of Abingdon. I have a suspicion that this is a very important year for the Morris Dancers.

There are two groups of Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers. For 40 long years they have not danced together. But things are happening…

Two weeks ago at the Cherry Tree in Steventon both groups were there together and some were looking for a chance to dance together.
Morris Men in Scuffs
Whoever becomes Mock Mayor, and leader of the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, will need to handle this situation. Get it wrong and there could be three groups of Morris Dancers. The new group would be those who want to end the forty year feud and dance together.
Morris Men in Merityre
There are displays in the shops of Abingdon to promote the annual election – in Fatface, Scuffs , and Merityre.

(The real Mayor of Abingdon will be dancing on the day as a member of the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers. There was talk earlier in the year that he might also stand to become Mock Mayor. I don’t think that is going to happen. But he is to jump out of an aeroplane tomorrow for charity. See more and sponsor him on The Mayor of Abingdon’s Brand New Website. )