Bread and Bun Throwing in Abingdon

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This evening in the Margaret Brown Gardens a child was laughing with glee as all the gulls circled round trying to catch the crumbs of bread thrown into the air.

This is a bit like spot the ball. Which gull is going to get the crumb?

Unlike most English towns, it is not just the gulls that try to catch bread thrown in Abingdon. The people of Abingdon get very excited about trying to catch current buns thrown from the County Hall on important Royal (and other) occasions.

The next bun throw will be for the Queen’s 70th Anniversary in 2022. Some people are calling it the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee but that sounds ugly to me. Silver, Golden and Diamond sounded nice, but not Platinum.

Silver jubilee, for a 25th anniversary.
Golden jubilee, for a 50th anniversary.
Diamond jubilee, for a 60th anniversary.
Platinum jubilee, for a 70th anniversary.

Christmas Lights all come on this evening

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The Christmas Lights in the town centre were all on this evening for the first time. They have been half-on for the last week.

Normally there is pressure to get everything ready for the big celebrity switch-on. This year there was no S Club 2, Spice Girl, or a celebrity from the Vicar of Dibley.

This evening there was no crowd, no fireworks and no celebrity, but it did all come together. Three cheers …

Foodbank at Christmas

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The Abingdon foodbank operates throughout the year, but at Christmas there is a special effort. Over 200 families received parcels / hampers in 2020 and a similar number are expected in 2021.

The parcels / hampers will be put together next week and donations can be taken directly to the foodbank . You can find out more about the foodbank at https://abingdon.foodbank.org.uk/.

There are also easier ways to give.

At Trinity last Sunday there was a gift service and people had been asked for shower gel, soap, shampoo, toothpaste etc.

At Waitrose they have a stall with a list of suggested items for the foodbank when you enter. Shortbread and some others are available to pick up on entry. You can pay for and then put them into the foodbank box on the way out.

P.S. I have not checked out whether this is also happening at Tesco, Little, Coop, Budgens, Reynolds Supermarket, Spar, and Londis.

St Ethelwold’s House Garden bedded down for winter

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The garden at St Ethelwold’s House is now ready for the winter. The annuals and leaves have been tidied and a lot are now on the compost heap. There are still a few flowers and vegetables.

The perennials are dormant.  Nutrients and carbohydrates are down in their roots to keep them going during the winter months and to help them regrow next spring.

Some evergreen  cuttings are available for people to use for their Christmas decorations with a box for donations.

The front door has a wreath.