Knitted Monk

Monk post box top
Janet has sent a picture of the knitted post-box top on top of the post-box outside Tesco.

The monk on the Tesco traffic island fell over at the start of November and is still down.

She wonders whether a local company could sponsor the roundabout as happens in other towns.

Air Ambulance in Abingdon

Air Ambulance
2022 was the busiest year yet for Thames Valley Air Ambulance, with over 3000 callouts.

They were called out to 1,161 incidents in Berkshire, 1,086 in Buckinghamshire, 818 in Oxfordshire, and 93 in the surrounding area.

Last weekend, the air ambulance was called out near Abingdon Rugby Club.

Looking at the interactive mission map, you can see previous callouts up to December 2022, including those to Abingdon.

As a charity, they rely on donations of funds and volunteers’ time. Abingdon Air and Country Show always gives them a prominent place and offers a large donation from any profits. The 23rd annual show is on Saturday, 20th May 2023.

Nearly back to average water storage levels

Flood water
The river had broken its banks but had not yet flooded the field.
Flood water
At the height of the summer drought, there were a few trickles at Abingdon weir. Now there is a torrent.
Flood waterWhen Thames Water ended the hosepipe ban on 22nd November, after heavy rain in November, they said, ‘We predict that just 60% of normal winter rain will return capacity (that is underground sources, rivers, and reservoirs) to normal by next spring.’

Their December 2022 situation report says ‘Farmoor reservoir capacity continued to increase, and by December month end was 97%. Capacity also increased to 82% in the Lower Thames reservoirs at the end of December, but this is still below the long-term average.’