VWHDC looking again at the Charter, Abbey House, and Upper Reaches in 2022

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Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) has announced a regeneration review for central Abingdon to identify realistic options for three properties the council owns in the town centre:

* the Charter area and car park

* Abbey House

* Upper Reaches Hotel.

They are talking with businesses and community groups this spring. They will do a survey and town centre event for the public in the summer. A report, to identify what future improvements are needed, will be published later this year. This will happen alongside the development of the Neighbourhood Plan which is also looking at the future of central Abingdon.

Currently The Charter car park is subject to urgent and long-term repairs as the upper floors are currently closed. Abbey House is currently being leased by Oxfordshire County Council for office space. The Upper Reaches Hotel is on a very long lease to a third party and has been closed for a number of years.

Recycle, restore and upcycle shop

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A new shop called The Shed opened about three weeks ago in Stert Street. The shop is bigger than it looks because it has the shop in the front and a large back room. The shop sells mostly recycled second hand goods, some picked up at flee markets and where needed restored or upcycled. There are pieces of furniture, tools, books, pots and pans and crockery. When I went in I got a warm welcome and just browsed and the lady running the shop answered questions and carried on restoring some furniture.

40 new charge points in car parks in Abingdon

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Work is underway to install Park and Charge EV Charging hubs in 3 car parks in Abingdon. West St Helen Street will have 12 charge points,

Audlett Drive 16, and Cattle Market 12.

The cost of the installation is not from local council budgets but from grant funding from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles. The primary aim is charging hubs for residents without off-street parking as parking is free overnight. These new EV chargers will be bookable overnight, and can be used during the day. Initially this will mean less parking for other vehicles, until more vehicles are electric and the charge points are needed more.

EV=Electric Vehicle

First Lorry Load for Ukraine

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As comments have suggested, Polski Sklep Żubr Abingdon are temporarily overloaded with donations for Ukraine.

R&R have a cellar full. So they have the first lorry load to be taken by a Polish lorry to the Polish / Ukraine border.

There are other ways to donate financially from Ukrainian to Polish Charities to UK Charities. UK charities have launched the DEC humanitarian appeal. The UK Government will match donations from the public pound-for-pound up to £20 million.