“Keep stylishly dry in a rainy Abingdon under a beautiful umbrella!”

This stall, raising money for the Abingdon Breakaway Club, went for colour.

These church people praying for healing were more restrained.

The students from the performing arts course at Abingdon College had one HUGE umbrella. They were dancing and singing…

I was asked during the singing “What about sound for a change?” Here it is, if a little shaky…

Friday June 5th to Sunday June 7th.

Thanks to Sue H for these pictures of the start of the 300 mile bike ride, before the rain set in. The cyclists were sent off by the Mayor and a D Day veteran, Maurice Armstrong, yesterday.

The 18 cyclists, with support vehicle, are doing it to raise money for the Pathway Workshop – a charity which provides employment and training for disabled people.

The cyclists are going to Abingdon’s twin town, Argentan, but en-route will be doing their own D-Day Landing. (The Normandy Landings were on June 6, 1944.)

And for those who could not join them, there are more cycling events planned during Bike Week – June 13th-21st. See the Abingdon Diary for the details.

A Big swing…

from a good election result for the Lib-Dems in 2007 ….to… 2009, when the electors of Abingdon have chosen four Conservative County Councillors. The winning candidates are shown above.

Not just Abingdon, but most of Oxfordshire has turned blue.

From time to time I looked in on the County Council Website and was shocked when I saw This Abingdon result come in at about 11:30. The County Council site then crashed. Peter Jones was to win some hours later but not by quite such a huge margin.

Meanwhile, after many days of glorious sunshine, the rain set in.

The people who will plan our roads, schools, social care, incinerators, libraries etc. for the next four years are standing at the County Council elections today.

In north Abingdon, Alan Bryden from the Lib-Dem party is retiring. So his place will be taken either

by Angela Lawrence from the Lib-Dem party

or Sandy Lovatt from the Conservative party, or Anne-Marie Heslop from the Greens or Denise Watt from Labour for whom I have no picture.

In central Abingdon, Lesley Legge from the Lib-Dem party is retiring. So her place will be taken either

by Tony De Vere from the Lib-Dem party

or Peter Jones from the Conservative party, or Richard Bullock from the Greens or Barbara Wynn from Labour for whom I have no picture.

In South Abingdon and Drayton, Mike Badcock from the Conservative party

and Marilyn Badcock, also from the Conservative party, are standing for re-election.

Also going for this position are Neil Fawcett from the Lib-Dem party

and Richard Webber from the Lib-Dem party,

or the Green Candidates, Rachel Bottley and Hazel Hornblow, or the Labour Candidates
Antonia Bance or David Banner for whom I have no picture.

Not only are there the County Council Election candidates above, but also the European elections – the candidates for that are too many to mention. Each party has a list of ten candidates in the South East region.