Abingdon Marks 80th Anniversary of VE Day (Poppies, Cornflowers, Dandelions)

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At 12 noon today, residents of Abingdon gathered around the town’s war memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The ceremony brought together townspeople, veterans, local dignitaries, members of the Abingdon Fire Service, police, and Scouts.

The town crier began with a formal proclamation. He remembered the celebrations in 1945, when the United Kingdom and its allies celebrated the end of the war in Europe, and spoke of Abingdon’s commemoration as a tribute to those who gave so much for the cause of freedom.

A two-minute silence followed. The flag of the Royal British Legion was lowered in respect.

Wreaths of red poppies were then laid at the base of the memorial, joined by bunches of blue flowers, including some cornflowers. In France, the blue cornflower, known as the “Bleuet de France,” serves as the national symbol of remembrance, similar to the poppy in the UK.

Another flower, the dandelion, is the flower of military children. Some of them have shared their writings with the Royal British Legion in Abingdon. Here is one that Clare sent me:

In folklore, blowing dandelions is believed to carry your dreams, wishes and thoughts. This is why I feel it is a perfect flower for military children.

When I see a dandelion, I wish for peace for the world. I pluck it by the stem, hold it to my lips and blow. As the wind gushes past, I watch the fairies fly in different directions, carrying my wishes and thoughts into the sky. At this moment, I feel like my dad is right by my side. I want to reassure him that I am OK. I don’t want him to worry about me as he has an important job to do. I think about how much I love him and how much I miss him.

My mind wanders away from my own life and I start to think about what it would have been like for children in World War II. Would they have had the same hopes and wishes? I think they would but their main wish would probably have been that their dads survive the War. I never want this to be my main wish and that is why I am grateful that I am not a child of war.

Abingdon Prepares for VE Day 80th Anniversary

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Tomorrow, Abingdon will commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day with displays and events in the town.

The Abingdon Bridge charity, based in the old Police Station, has Union Jack bunting and flags round its blue door. Its window reads “VE 80,”

Local shopfronts have also joined in. Helen & Douglas House, the Oxford-based children’s hospice charity, features mannequins dressed in red, white, and blue, accompanied by Union Jack flags.

Acacia, as always, has a colourful themed window display.

At The Shed, a Union Jack-themed window display includes cushions and teasets and a union jack fire guard.

In Bath Street, the two Masons have dressed their shopfronts in creative red white and blue fabrics, wools and ribbons. Both with the theme “VE Day 1945–2025.” Mason in Stert Street also has a good display.

At the centre of the commemorations, the Royal British Legion club has silhouettes of soldiers, giant poppies, and a large Union Jack, paying tribute to those who served from 1939 to 1945.

This is just a small sample. Abingdon is ready to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Cattle Market Car Park Update

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The newly revamped Cattle Market Car Park opened recently and is looking smart with fresh tarmac, clearly painted lines, and brick-block parking bays.

One feature still to be completed is the rain garden. This will collect and filter rainwater runoff from the car park, preventing it from overwhelming the drainage channels. By filtering the water through soil and plants, the rain garden helps clean it before it reaches the water table. It will also enhance biodiversity in the area.

Why the Bells Were Ringing Today – Monday 5th May 2025

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If you heard the bells ringing at St Nicolas or St Helen’s in Abingdon today, it wasn’t for an early VE Day celebration. It was part of the Oxford Diocesan Bell Fund (ODBF) Ringing Day.

Bell ringers were visiting up to 26 towers across the old North Berks area, trying out the different bells. The teams were put together randomly, so as one experienced ringer told me, “It sounds rubbish!”

Each ringer paid £2 per tower (or £20 for a full day pass), and all the money goes towards maintaining and improving bells in the area.

I took a short video at St Nicolas. You can judge if the ringing is rubbish or not.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qGctQIkahoI

The proper bell ringers will be there on Thursday 8th May from 6:30 pm for the VE Day commemoration.