The first Christmas Lights were being put up in Abingdon on 18th October. The job is done by a specialist contractor with a lot of towns to cover and so they spread the load to keep their workforce fully employed.
This year Stert Street has some new red and silver Christmas trees. One of them is above Oxfam.
Inside Oxfam Christmas is also well underway.
In 1920, the relatives who had lost loved ones in the Great War were canvassed by Abingdon Borough Council’s War Memorial Committee about a fitting memorial. The preferred option was a Statue of a Soldier with 100 votes, a cross got 62 votes, and a monument 31 votes.
The memorial that was decided upon does incorporate a soldier.
On this wet Wednesday, before Remembrance Day, the Royal British Legion wreath remains from last year.
Either side of the monument turf has been placed – for poppies and crosses.
This year, Pure Marie (Bath Street, Abingdon) are supporting the Movember charity – dedicated to raising awareness and funds for Men’s Health by encouraging men everywhere to grow a moustache throughout the month of November! They have a scarf in honour of the charity.
This old postcard of mine shows the sort of effect Movember are trying to achieve. Twenty one out of twenty three men have a moustache. Press the image to check if I’m right
The mini version of Abingdon Hydro has been on the road for about three years now.
The aspiration is to generate electricity from the water flowing over Abingdon Weir.
In the last year some major hurdles have been cleared. The environment agency has granted the scheme a license, with conditions. Last week Councillors, on the district council planning committee, gave it unanimous support, with conditions. There has also been the need to ensure, for anglers, that fish spawning grounds are protected and fish passes are provided, and, for canoeists, that white water is still available as before.
So a simple aspiration to do something locally for the environment has become quite a major project.
Undaunted, Richard Riggs, and other people backing the scheme, with their money and time, have overcome many obstacles. They still have work to do. But given their determination so far they look a good bet to make the project happen.
Finally a co-operative will be set up into which we all can invest. See Abingdon Hydro for more details.