This quilted wall hanging was unveiled in Abingdon library today by the mayor Alison Rooke. Many people have sewn and stitched squares that are now all sewn together to give a collage of Abingdon from White Horse hill to Masons.

Down on the bottom row three from the end is a square that says Masons. This work could not have happened without a shop like Masons. It is a habberdasher and craft shop selling: threads, needles, buttons, zips, wool, knitting needles, cloths and material and lace, equipment for embroidery…

An Abingdon resident has told Abingdon Town Council that an EU (European Union)  directive may threaten this years bun throwing on June 10th. The traditional bun throwing is held to celebrate important national and local events. Buns are thrown by the mayor and other dignatories from the County Hall roof to be scrambled for by Abingdonians down below.

The resident says that the EU Health and Safety directive only allows uncovered food to be served where “the ambient concentation of pollutants like Nitrogen Oxide are below prescibed limits.”

The Town Council will meet in emergency session to discuss this and other potential dangers including:

• Whether passing birds – with bird-flu – could contaminate the buns
• Whether the force with which buns can be propelled using artificial means – such as tennis rackets, could lead to injuries.
• Whether an over zealous councillor could throw himself off the unstable roof with a bun

Recommendations on this matter will be made at the April 1st meeting of the Town Council health, safety and food hygene working party. Cllr Martin Smith and Cllr Peter Jones are investigating whether the buns could be wrapped in clingfilm and delivered more gently using balloons.

The resident, a Mr Loof Lirpa, an expert in European law, originally from Sweden, says “These directives are there to protect ordinary citizens from the high and mighty wielding power in whatever form.”

The picture shows Year 11 from Larkmead in 2006. Every single one of them has a white shirt and Larkmead tie on, and none have tied it the trendy way (just a bit of tie beneath the knot).

Larkmead is currently featured on a government run website called teachernet for their scheme to promote lively and varied playground activities “…boys playing ‘kwik cricket’ and touch rugby at one end of the playground, girls shooting basketball hoops at the other…” This teachernet site is one in a group of school websites. There is also governornet and I am told there is also a parentsnet but cannot find it yet. It will give a parents view into teachernet data, and the new style on-line annual Report on the school. Examination results will be loaded centrally by

All the three public secondary schools in Abingdon (Larkmead, John Mason, and Fitzharries) have new headmasters and deputy heads this year. At Larkmead Chris Harris (pictured) has taken over from Richard Bysouth.

The three secondary schools worked together on a joint bid to become centres of excellence for different areas (and get extra central government funding). Larkmead’s specialism is Visual and Performing Arts.

The three schools become one when you get to year 12 and 13 and do A levels. A student can study at all three achools, but have tutor groups at their original school.

Larkmead also has a specialist Special Needs unit and hearing resource base.

There is a trend to built houses in the town centre, whereas up to ten years ago new houses were built on the outskirts. One new tc development seem to merge into another, and so it must be difficult to create a strong identity, but they try with their colourful showrooms and banners.

I have pictures from two current developments: Marchants Place is between Waitrose and the Vineyard, and the Riverside collection looks as though it will have a good view over the recently restored victorian lake in the Abbey Grounds, and over the mill stream. This lake was paid for by you and me, the council tax payers, and all those kind people who do the national lottery.

One advantage of more houses near the centre is that people can more easily use the shops and restaurants, which is good for the vitality of the town. One will have to wait and see how it plays out over the next twenty years.

There are few town centre plots of land available for any building purpose now – not many more old factory sites left in the town. This process started a long time ago when the Abingdon Carpet factory became the Upper Reaches Hotel, so nothing is new. But a good mix is necessary to create a sustainable community. The final picture is the lake on a misty morning – the only way in future to see “The Victorian Lake” without “The Riverside Collection.”