Le Boat interactive map of the Thames: is a fascinating new way to find the places of interest close to the Thames between Oxford and London.
Abingdon also has a couple of mentions, for the historic town centre, and one for the Abbey Meadows.
It does not seem long ago since the Drayton Waste Recycling Centre had a big revamp, but checking back on this blog it was 2006. Time for another revamp is on the way…
Queues have never seemed as bad since that revamp, and according to the 2015 Oxfordshire consultation on the use of Waste Recycling Centres there were 1.4 million visits to sites in 2008/9 and 1. 1 million in 2014/15. Usage is going down.
Oxfordshire County Council are looking to save money, because of reduced central government funding, and this is one area they have reduced the budget, and are going to make £350,000 of savings from 2017.
They have looked at various options, and it seems that the favorite option, which they are consulting upon, is to reduce the number of recycling centres to 3 or 4, and improve the ones that remain.
Currently Abingdon is well served by Drayton to the south and Redbridge to the north. Other places are less well served as – as can be seen by the map.
The aim is to keep and expand ones near larger centres of population, and limit drive times. The consultation says keeping just three recycling centres could result in centres as follows:
* Central North Oxfordshire: This would mean that Ardley and Alkerton will close
and be replaced with a new site.
* Central Oxfordshire: This would mean that Redbridge will be expanded or
replaced
* Central South Oxfordshire: This would mean that Drayton will be expanded or
replaced
The consultation can be found at https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/consult.ti/HWRCstrategy/consultationHome. It is open for comments from 6 Aug 2015 at 00:00 to 5 Oct 2015 at 23:59.
In the past few years, we have seen many notices applying for planning permission to change from business to residential use.
Dentistry is bucking the trend in Abingdon.
Blackberries can be foraged in a large number of locations in Abingdon at the moment.
The next crop are being pollinated by some very helpful insects. What would we do without them?
Other helpful insects are tucking into the fruit that is too ripe for human consumption
Mix oats, honey, and desiccated coconut. Cook in the oven until crisp. Put in the bottom of a desert dish. Cover with a layer of uncooked blackberries. Cover blackberries with crème fraîche. Puree some cooked blackberries and put on top.
Put any left over blackberries in the freezer.