The statue of Queen Victoria erected in Abingdon in 1887 to mark the Golden Jubilee was moved to the Abbey Gardens in the 1940s. The statue started life in the centre of a lot of buildings, and now has a more leafy outlook.
But in 2012 there are new buildings in front of her on the other side of the fence.
This must be the last plot of land in the town centre to be built upon. It is to be a large home that will care for the elderly.
The Abingdon Artists usually stage two exhibitions a year, and their summer exhibition runs from 23 Jun- 30 Jun (10:00 – 17:00) at St Helen’s Church.
St Helen’s Church is well known for being as wide as it is long. Since the redevelopment a few years ago that extra width in the Outer South Aisle can be used – flexibly – either for adding chairs for services or concerts, or for refreshments, exhibitions, charity sales, or lectures.
The art exhibition takes place in that south aisle, and is open all week.
This is also a good chance to look round the rest of the church building whether you are new to St Helen’s or not . The painted ceiling – from around 1390 – of the chapel off the North Aisle must be seen.
Abingdons got talent 2012 provided a fun filled hour and a half at lunchtime on the Market Place.
Most acts sang.
There were also a couple of dance acts and a magician.
Callam won the under 18s section singing “Proud Mary.”
We were lucky to get Geraldine Pierce from BBC South among the judges. This is her fifth year taking part.
Other judges were Eileen Bagshaw, Steve Rich (who gets more like Simon Cowell every year with his remarks) , and the Mayor Councillor Monica Lovatt.
In the over 18s section Pam Aird won singing “Someone like you” . That was the one time it rained
Normally Pam sings with sister Jackie. But this year Jackie is recovering from illness and was unable to perform, and so Pam sang solo.
Jackie was invited on stage to share the applause.
I have put up a short video that shows an extract of both Callam’s and Pam’s encores for anybody that missed it all.
There are two competing colour schemes in the civic beds of Abingdon-on-Thames this floral year. There are the Red White and blues for the Jubilee.
There are also the yellows or gold for the olympics. The flowers are from Wick Farm Nurseries on Audlett Drive.
I have seen a couple of shops in town that have created their own versions of the Olympic five hoops logo, and then taken them down before the big day. I hear that the olympics are very precious about who uses their logo and how.
Olympic Gold should be OK.
The torch will be coming through very soon on Tuesday 10 July 2012. Schools and many other local organisations will be out lining the route for this once in a lifetime experience. There could be 20,000+ people along the route in Abingdon with people from surrounding villages and towns.