Buddy Bench + Lodge Hill Planning Application submitted

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In recognition of Anti-Bullying Week, Oxfordshire housebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes has donated a friendship bench to Dunmore Primary School in Abingdon.

Close to the developer’s Abbey Fields and Kings Gate developments, the school has received a bench inscribed with ‘We sit, we chat and ask each other questions. We leave as friends, with all good intentions’, for its pupils to use when they need to talk to someone.

Anti-Bullying Week takes place from Monday 14th to Friday 18th November.

Oxfordshire housebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes have also given developer funding towards upgrading the A34 interchange at Lodge Hill to have south-facing slipways.

The planning application for the Lodge Hill interchange has been submitted and can be viewed and commented upon at https://myeplanning2.oxfordshire.gov.uk/Planning/Display/R3.0148/22.

Autumn Fayre and Christmas Fayre

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The NSPCC Autumn Fayre happens next Saturday (19 November) at the Roysse Room.

Starting at the same time, there is a Christmas Fayre and Christmas Tree Competition at Abingdon Baptist Church. Proceeds go towards the Abingdon Baptist Church development fund.

The induction of the Revd Rachel Hughes, the new minister at the baptist church, will occur on Saturday, 3 December 2022, at 11 am.

North Abingdon growth area

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A lot more houses have been built in the north Abingdon growth area.

A theme is developing on the Kings Gate Estate. Rather than Kings, the names being used are ex-Mayors of Abingdon; the latest to be revealed is George Aird, mayor from 1986 to 1987.

The developing road name theme on the Abbey Fields estate appears to be ex-Abingdon businesses. Hathaways was the tobacconist in the High Street.

Baileys sold and repaired shoes on Bath Street.

The entrance driveway to a new shop is being made.

The building is mostly complete and the shop is being kitted out and the car park laid. The opening is expected in December 2022.

As to the Lodge Hill Interchange work, paid for by these developments, the Oxfordshire County Council Website says ‘Phase One currently consists of submitting a planning application in early October 2022.’

I don’t think that has happened. Work on Abingdon Bridge was also expected to start in October 2022.

Remembrance Day in Abingdon

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After a service at St Helen’s Church, the uniformed organisations marched to the war memorial where many townspeople were waiting.

Abingdon Town Band were at the War Memorial and played Slaidburn as the uniformed organisations gathered.

Service sheets had been handed out by members of the Rotary Club so that everybody could join in the responses and the singing.

A member of the Royal British Legion said the exhortation: “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: / Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. / At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”

Alison Rich of Abingdon Town Band then sounded the last post.

Two minutes of silence followed to remember the fallen.

There followed the laying of the wreaths as the band led the singing of the hymn “O God Our Help in Ages Past.’

The short service ended with The National Anthem.

There followed a march past the County Hall where dignitaries gathered,

including, on a platform, the Mayor, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, and a senior officer who received the salute.

Some people then viewed the wreaths. Three of them had been put there on Friday by local schools. There was also a wreath from visitors from the twin town of Argentan in France.

This is a video of the arrival at the war memorial, the sounding of the last post and a short extract from uniformed organisations marching by the County Hall.