An Angel in the Snow

2 Replies


Abingdon saw its first snow of the winter. While there wasn’t enough to build snowmen in Albert Park, the light covering left the ground white, and dogs and their owners left tracks.

By morning, rain was falling, melting the snow. The large Christmas decoration outside the Guildhall — an angel from one angle, and a tree from all other angles — was lit up with its large snowflake.

Tonight, on Twelfth Night, the town centre decorations will shine for the last time this Christmas. But as their lights fade, may the warmth and hope of this season carry us through the year ahead, guiding us to brighter days.

A Frosty Morning at the Park Run

Leave a reply


Parkrun is a free, weekly 5-kilometer event for runners, joggers, and walkers of all abilities. It’s a way to stay active, meet others, and enjoy the outdoors.

This morning, 343 participants braved the cold of the Abingdon Parkrun, including 19 people taking part in a parkrun for the first time.

The runners ran past Abingdon Lock twice, where the first Christmas trees have arrived for the goats (see yesterday’s post).

The frosty ground provided a firm running surface, and organizers checked the route to ensure it wasn’t too slippery.

Last year brought challenges with flooding, delaying the first parkrun until February 3rd 2024 and leading to around 20 cancellations overall. 2025 is off to a better start

There were also lots of volunteers who made the event possible.

If you’d like to take part, register online at https://www.parkrun.org.uk/abingdon/, print your barcode, and go along.

Goats, Mending, Quiz and Community Connections

Leave a reply


Have you got a Christmas tree that is suitable for goats to eat: free of tinsel, decorations, and spray snow. If so, take it to Abingdon lockside and leave it in the tree cage. The lock goats will happily munch on the needles and bark, and turn your tree into poop. Any leftovers will be composted and eaten by the worms and bugs.

The first repair cafe of 2025 is the Sewing Repair Cafe (Saturday 4th January 2025 at 10.30am – 1pm) in Unit 24. Go and see if the volunteers can mend, alter, or hem your garment!

The Mayor of Abingdon on Thames is hosting a quiz night to raise money for The Abingdon Driver Volunteer Service and One Planet Abingdon. The event will be held on Saturday, January 18th, 2025 at The Crown and Thistle. Tickets are £5 per person and can be purchased online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/abingdon-town-council/t-dvrgveg. Teams can have up to 8 people. Individuals and teams with fewer than 3 people will be assigned to a team on the night.

The Abingdon Clubs and Societies Day is on March 1st 2025. If you want to highlight the work of your club or society visit https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/event/clubs-societies-day. Otherwise just turn up on the day.

For anybody wanting exercise at the start of the new year, the following two community groups may help:

The Abingdon Green Gym is a volunteer conservation group that meets every Saturday from 9.30am to 12.30pm. They work on a variety of tasks to improve the local environment. For more information, visit abingdongreengym.org.uk and see their programme for Winter 2024.

VOWH Ramblers is a walking group that offers eleven walks in January. The walks are free and open to all. For more information, visit ramblers-oxon.org.uk/vwh/walking/walks

Abingdon Morris Dancers bring in the New Year

Leave a reply


The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers were playing music, singing and dancing under the County Hall Museum on New Years Day 2025 from 1:30 pm. Before that they gathered for a drink or two in the warmth of the Punch bowl.

The performance featured a number of Mock Mayors, including Rob Charlton, the new Mayor of Ock Street, and Harry Knight, a former Mayor who has held the position for most of the past decade. Stuart Jackson, a long-time Morris dancer, former Mayor of Ock Street, and now president of the morris dancers, led the group by holding a replica copy of the Horns of Ock Street. The real horns, dating from 1700, are only brought out when the Mayor of Ock Street is elected by the citizens of Ock Street.

Roger Cox, another former Mayor of Ock Street, added to the merriment by playing the fool, interacting with the crowd and encouraging the dancers with whacks from a pig bladder..

Both the new and former Mayors, Rob Charlton and Harry Knight, joined in some of the dances. Duncan Brown, a local resident with the unique distinction of having served as both Mayor of Abingdon and Mayor (or Mock Mayor) of Ock Street, was also dancing. Lots of people joined in the final dance for all comers. Lesley Legge, a former Mayor of Abingdon, was there in the crowd watching. (It was she who reinstated the Abingdon Boundary Walk.)