Volunteer Governor needed for Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon / Rotary Club Remembrance Tree

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Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon, Abingdon’s oldest charity (established in 1553), are looking to recruit a volunteer Governor. Governors provide strategic oversight of the charity’s operations, and governors are likely to take responsibility for one of their aims and objectives:
• The care and maintenance of the town’s historical Almshouses.
• Providing grants to those referred to the Charity by care agencies.
• Providing educational grants to school pupils from Abingdon in case of special need.
• Supporting local organizations deemed by the Governors to be of benefit to the residents of Abingdon.
• Providing a public service to the town by maintaining Albert Park for use by the people of Abingdon.

There is more information here or on the Christ’s Hospital website. I do know some people who would love to do this so hopefully they will see this.

The Rotary Club of Abingdon Vesper had a stall on the Market Place, where people remembered a loved one by writing a message on one of the ribbons, which then got attached to the Remembrance Tree. Rotary support many local charities and also have overseas projects such as African fuel saving mud-stoves.

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.