Monthly Archives: October 2014

Virtual Cycling Cambridge to Oxford and other events in town today

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Virtual Cycling Cambridge to Oxford
A team of volunteers, staff and customers, have been “virtually” cycling the 100 miles from Cambridge to Oxford – two major research centres, to raise money for Cancer Research UK, using a static bike in the window of the shop in Bury Street, Abingdon from 9am – 4.00pm.
Virtual Cycling Cambridge to Oxford
There were outlines of Cambridge and Oxford on the shop window and a “You are here” indicator to show progress between.
Alzheimers Society Xmas Sale
Also in town this morning the Alzheimer’s Society Xmas Sale was in the Roysse Room, with jumble, Christmas decorations, and refreshments. It was not such a big event as previous years.
Alzheimers Society Xmas Sale
Abingdon Artists had their autumn exhibition in St Nics. As well as the members’ exhibits there was a chance to judge your favorite picture, and enter a raffle for the prize picture, a copy of a Van Gogh that one of the members had painted.
Alzheimers Society Xmas Sale
This is the first week of the ACF Crafts for Christmas Show at the Old Abbey Buildings, now into the 43rd year, and also open tomorrow and next week.

Old Books about Abingdon

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Old Abingdon
The Abingdon Oxfam Shop has become more and more an Aladdin’s Cave in recent weeks with interesting items crammed in every nook and cranny. Last Saturday there was a group of books about Abingdon, many of them out of print. I was fortunate to get Historic Streets of Abingdon by Agnes C. Baker for £9.99. The original price in 1957 was One Shilling and Sixpence.
Old Abingdon
On Ebay this evening there was a lovely print of Abingdon Bridge – just one page taken from a book called “The Royal River – The Thames from source to the sea”, printed by Cassell and company Ltd and dated 1885. The book has been broken up to sell at £11.30 a page. The text alongside appears a bit mixed up … “Opposite the church at the side of the Market Place is the Market Cross, designed by Inigo Jones, erected in 1667, and far too extensively restored in 1853.“

Blog Action Day – Inequality

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Blog Action Day - Inequality
Pictured at the height of summer, Mark’s wildflower meadow, at the bottom of St Ethelwold’s garden, was named after a young man who starved to death after his benefits were cut.

Atos, the company in charge of assessing whether a lot of vulnerable people like Mark should return to work or loose their benefits, lost their government contract by mutual consent. Atos could not make a profit from the contract, and the government received too many complaints about the way cases were handled.
Blog Action Day - Inequality
Autumn is now here and just a few flowers remain among the fallen leaves in Mark’s Garden.

The contract will go to a new company in the Spring. A private company needs to make a profit. The government has a political agenda and targets. So it will always be difficult to assess individuals like Mark, who have complex needs, within such a set up where time is money.

This is a contribution to the Blog Action Day on the Theme of Inequality.

More Land for Houses Round Abingdon

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This evening at Wantage there is Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) Meeting where the updated draft local plan (2013 – 2031) will be discussed.

This evening’s Council Meeting will be the first chance for most Abingdon District Councillors to challenge the change from 610 to 1000 houses for North Abingdon.
More Houses for Abingdon
In the original draft plan put out for public consultation in February 2013 there were no major housing developments planned for Abingdon.

After that the UK Government told Oxfordshire to take many more houses.

And so in February 2014 a new plan was published with 610 new houses in North Abingdon, removing that land from the Green Belt. They are the westerly 3 red areas on the google map above.
More Houses for Abingdon
They included the circus field,
More Houses for Abingdon
and fields either side of Tilsley Park – very close to the A34 in places.
More Houses for Abingdon
Now in October 2014 the new draft plan has proposed removing more land from the green belt for housing and is offering a Lodge Hill A34 Diamond Interchange to help take the additional traffic. That does depend on the UK Government allowing such an interchange.

The Draft Plan says “One site, North Abingdon, has been extended east of the A4183 into land not initially recommended for Green Belt release in the Green Belt review. An expanded site at North Abingdon would better support provision of a new primary school and help fund the A34 south facing slips at Lodge Hill, as well as helping to meet needs arising in the largest settlement where there are limited alternative opportunities for sustainable growth.

The plan has already been recommended by the VWHDC Cabinet, who met on 3rd October, and if agreed by this evening’s meeting will go out for 6 weeks public consultation and then to the Secretary of State for independent examination.