Witness and Experience Easter at Trinity

Trinity
Last Saturday, at Trinity Church in Abingon, there was the premier of a new musical called ‘Witness’ telling the Easter Story. It was performed by people from the Wantage and Abingdon Methodist circuit, which comprises churches in Abingdon, Didcot, Grove, Milton, Wantage and Wallingford.
Trinity
Almost 400 children from schools in and around Abingdon visited Experience Easter at Trinity Church, Abingdon, the week before last. As they visited the room-sized tableaux, they wrote hopes for the world on palm crosses, dried each-others’ hands, shared bread, thought of people who are suffering, and changed nasty feelings into beautiful models – then thought how they felt about the Easter story. This was Abingdon’s eighth Experience Easter, organised by local educational outreach TrinityLearning and supported by volunteers from 10 Abingdon churches.

Abingdon BID – One Year On

The Abingdon-on-Thames Business Improvement District, covering the town centre, was two years in the planning, and has been operating now for one year.

It was voted in by a majority of businesses, and charges businesses a levy in addition to the usual business rate. It has employed a town centre manager, and in feedback to members has noted the following achievements …
Abingdon BID
It has developed the Visit Abingdon brand, with the visitabingdon.co.uk website and a promotional brochure for visitors.

It has co-ordinated an annual events calendar, and helped put on new seasonal events at Hallowe’en, Christmas (Carols round town) , and Easter (Egg and Spoon races)
Abingdon BID
It has put up bunting in bid areas.
Abingdon BID
It has installed footfall counters in 9 locations and monitors and reports the findings and the effect of promotions.

It has set up workshops on business topics such as using social media, and is looking to develop a utilities buying group.

It chases up landlords of empty units and contacts potential businesses to attract them to the area.

It also reports minor issues in the BID area to councils, and lobbies councils on larger issues such as the future use of the charter, and the empty Upper Reaches.

Maundy Thursday Shoe Shine

Thanks to Jane for this …
Maundy Thursday
In Abingdon Market Square Abingdon, from 10.30 to 12.30 a.m, there will be a shoe cleaning event for the local community – also serving tea, coffee, chocolate eggs and mini hot cross buns!

Everything is absolutely free and is supported by Our Lady and St Edmunds Catholic Church, Abingdon and Abingdon Community Church.

They will also be giving away leaflets detailing all of the Easter Church services in Abingdon, and answering any questions people may have.

Abingdon Music Centre to move

Abingdon Music Centre
When one door closes, another door opens.

Abingdon town centre will be loosing the presence of Abingdon Music Centre as their lease at the Magistrate’s Court comes to an end. The Music Centre began life in the Old Gaol in 1975 and moved to The Old Magistrates Court in 2002 when The Old Gaol closed for development. The Magistrate’s Court is part of the Guildhall owned by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council which the town council now needs for their own use.

Abingdon Music Centre have announced a new partnership with Larkmead School, and will be moving to premises at Larkmead School from September 2017.