Exploring Nature and Having Fun at Rush Common with a little help from Annington

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Pupils received some useful things for their Forest School at Rush Common School.

Forest School is all about learning and having fun outdoors. Annington, the company that makes ex-army homes energy efficient, gave them bug pots, binoculars, magnifying glasses, pond nets, a hedgehog house, bird boxes, and feeders.

Thank you to Kyle at Annington for sharing pictures and info with the blog. He sent a press release where Rebecca Strugnell, Chair of the Friends of Rush Common, said, “Our Forest School at Rush Common teaches pupils how to respect nature and to grow up with a better understanding of where we fit in with the natural environment. We were in desperate need of some new resources, so the donation from Annington couldn’t have come at a better time! The pupils, parents and teachers are very grateful for the kit, which will put to great use by children of all ages in the school.”

Did you know that Forest School started in Denmark in 1953? Now it’s a popular thing in the UK too. Pupils who go to Forest Schools are great at making friends, working together, and feeling good about themselves. The Rush Common Forest School is part of it too!

Some Upcoming Events

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On 10th June, at St Helen’s Church.  Abingdon & District Musical Society will be performing two symphonic pieces from Smetena’s Ma Vlast, and all of Brahm’s German Requiem.

Every year (except for Covid), the drama festival is at the Unicorn Theatre. Different acting groups perform plays from Tuesday to Friday, after which an adjudicator will critique the performances. The adjudicator selects three plays for the Saturday Gala Night.

Music at the Unicorn continues to bring acts to the Unicorn Theatre. There are two concerts in June: Bossa Gringo and Moonrakers.

Last week, Abingdon Library had a special Bee Day. Following that, David Busby will talk on Bees at Abingdon Library next Tuesday.

Geese and Swans

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I was watching, from a distance, a pair of Canada Geese with four goslings near a mother swan with five cygnets. They were on the bank while the male swan was on the water some way away.

The geese came closer and closer to the swans and just before reaching the swans, the geese got into the water.

It was at that point that the male swan came towards them looking like a a war galleon from the Spanish Armada, and attacked the first defending adult goose a number of times. The swan did not attack the goslings, and the mother swan did not get involved in the conflict.

The geese and goslings then went back onto land, and after that the male swan ignored them.

The female swan took the cygnets out on the water and brought up water weed which she strew in the way of the cygnets to feed.

After feeding for a few minutes, the swan family then swam away under Abingdon Bridge.

Bank Holiday Walks and Market

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On Bank Holiday Monday, a series of walks were organised by The Friends of Abingdon Civic Society. Five were guided, and there were ten themed trail leaflets.

The Friends had their AGM last Wednesday at the same time as the Town Council cinema meeting. In the last year, the Friends have organised Heritage Open Day, and walk days like today. They also have a project to produce a photographic archive of the town. They were active in looking at planning applications and notifying both the town and district council of concerns. They are involved in the Conservation Area Appraisal for the Albert Park area, and the Abingdon neighborhood plan. They also act as a pressure group on major issues and have worked with local residents to press the District Council to resolve problems over the derelict Upper Reaches hotel site.

Most of the Monday Market was also on the Market Place despite it being a bank holiday.