There were about 18 stalls on Abingdon Market Place for the annual Healthfest organised by the charity Healthy Abingdon.
The Reducing the Risk charity was new at the Healthfest. They help people who are experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse. They offer support, advice, and resources. They were the Mayor’s charity last year and are working to make Abingdon a safer place for everyone.
Dance Creative offered a free dance class. They specialise in helping older people and those with health conditions. Dancing can be fun, healthy, and a great way to meet new people.
The South Central Ambulance Charity raises money to help the ambulance service. They also support volunteers called Community First Responders. These volunteers help people in emergencies until the ambulance arrives.
The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Rawda Jehanli, was talking to stall holders and was impressed by the Healthfest.
The Abingdon Good Neighbour Scheme helps people by visiting them, running errands, and listening. They have been operating since 2010 and won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2018
The Friends of the Open Air Pool wanted to know what people thought about the pool this year. Most people really liked it. They said the pool is warm and there are lots of activities to do. The only problem is that it’s not open during June and July – often the best part of summer. The Friends want the pool to stay open longer. The last day is Sunday 8th September. The last session is for dogs. It is already fully booked.
I didn’t go to healthiest, I foolishly paid to go to the fun and music in the park!
A previously free event that is now fully ticketed. Once inside I noticed that all the footstall were run by a single monopoly (no competition and low quality) and the “attractions” needed to be paid for although they did not have clearly plaved pricing.
Not sure what my £10 went towards since I had to pay for everything after entry too. I fully support Abingdon having such an event with the current format is just daylight robbery and will not encourage attendance.
Hi Colin, I did not make Fun / Music in the Park this year as I had a free ticket to Culhambury. It is for employees at Culham and their family and I was family. Hope and Glory, the tribute to the 1980s ska and two-tone bands, were playing there. So it was good fun. Loose Canon were there and other independents.
Thank you for inviting The Abingdon Bridge TAB to be part of the Abingdon Heathfest, it was well organised and we benefited by;
1. Meeting people who hadn’t previously known about our service and advising them how to make a referral
2. We liaised with other charities and services that we can now signpost clients to.
3. We touched base with OCVA who are helping us recruit volunteers/ trustees
4. It was a very positive experience that we would repeat if invited again