Public consultation on the planned changes to manning will last until January 31. There is a public meeting at Abingdon Guildhall on January 15 at 7pm, where the management will present their proposed changes. The unions urge people to make their concerns known at the union website.

In an attempt to ensure better fire cover is provided in some rural areas of Oxfordshire, Fire Service bosses are proposing cuts to the number of full time firefighter jobs at Abingdon and Didcot fire stations. In addition, those that remain will see their working hours radically changed. The Fire Brigades Union, who were not consulted on the proposal, are deeply concerned about the impact these changes will have for the people who live in the Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot areas.

If accepted, the initiative will reduce the number of full time firefighters at Abingdon and Didcot fire stations from 14 to 12 on each station. Alarmingly, there will be periods of time when none of the 12 firefighters are on duty. Part time firefighters will fill the gaps when they are able to do so. Firefighters are worried that these changes will lead to an increase in the time it takes for the Fire Service to respond to emergency calls, with the possibility that it could lead to more fatalities.

Already in South Yorkshire similar changes have escalated into a dispute. Bosses have served notice to terminate the contracts of over 700 Firefighters unless they accept the changes being imposed upon them.

Against Breast Cancer, an Abingdon based charity, did a brilliant job turning the town centre pink. Many of the shops had a display. This is Fabulous Flowers.

This is Badgers Menswear. I was quite amazed at the common pink purpose that had taken hold of the town.

On the Market there was belly dancing by Ashnah. They have their own blog.

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers performed with non-traditional pink bows on their broom.

There was also a Cabaret by Janice Day. She sang some 1930s and 1950s songs very well.

She also read from her book ‘Getting IT off My Chest’ about her Breast Cancer and how it changed her as a person. Having read the first few pages of my signed copy I am very glad I bought it.

… There was a rumour that a convoy of pink cars were going to come through town. If they did come through I missed them. But there is one at least on The Harry Blog.

Thanks to Pat for this picture of some fungi growing in a rotten tree in the Abbey Fish Pond nature reserve off Radley Road. It is the sort of fungi I would NOT eat without expert advice. So anybody know what it is, and how it got to be so big.

There was a chill in the air tonight.

Blog Action Day is a yearly event when bloggers try to do a blog on the same topic – world wide. The day this year is October 15th. The URL to register is http://www.blogactionday.org . This year the topic is climate change. I will try to think of something in Abingdon…