Category Archives: pandemic

After a cool start to June we are having some hot days

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Hottest Day of the year
Temperature went above 31 C as an alert was put in place telling people to take extra care in the sun.
Hottest Day of the year
I wonder about the risks of swimming in the River Thames. But I do know that not swallowing water reduces the risks of getting Weil’s disease.
Hottest Day of the year
It was a lovely sunny day. Whether that will help stop the spread of the Coronavirus no longer seems sure. The southern states of the USA,  and Mexico and Brazil are still experiencing a rise in cases, and they get a lot of sun.

Government advice about bubbles, and numbers of people in groups, and whether you can hug people and go indoors with them is becoming very confusing, and changing by the day, and so we are better to stay alert. We, and not the government, are responsible for our own health.
Hottest Day of the year
W H Smiths re-opened today in Abingdon. A lot more businesses including pubs and restaurants and hairdressers can open from July 4th. However tattoo shops, nail and beauty salons, and gyms still have to wait for their go ahead.

Nail salons and tattoo shops were wearing PPE before the rest of us. It is ironic that they are at the end of the queue.

Virtual Abingdon – Make Music Day

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Virtual Abingdon
Today was not only Father’s Day, but also the Virtual Make Music Abingdon Day. There were people performing from rooms in their houses. One group performed from a unknown field. The group called No Horses played from the Brewery Tap – which was otherwise empty.
Virtual Abingdon
Then there were groups that had recorded separately and been put together by the wonders of technology. The event was hosted by Make Music Abingdon. There was a virtual tip jar on paypal.

There are lots of virtual events happening in Abingdon. I found out about this from the Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council virtual events page. If you want more people to know about your virtual event then let them know.

So called ‘Non Essential’ Shops to re-open from Monday June 15th

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Non Essential
The so called ‘non essential’ shops have permission to open from June 15th.
Non Essential
The shops have all been certified as ready to open after working out their social distancing, and cleaning measures.
Non Essential
Opening hours will be less than usual in many shops.
Non Essential
The almost three months closure of businesses has meant they had to look, during the closure, to online sales, deliveries, or pick and collect.

The list of those businesses allowed to open include:

  • Betting shops
  • Charity shops
  • Clothing shops
  • Gift shops
  • Mobile Phone shops
  • Art galleries

Not all shops in these categories will want to open immediately.

Hairdressers, beauty salons, pubs, and restaurants will have to wait until at least July before they open. They involve closer contact.
Non Essential
There is a one way system on the Market Place – managed by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council, but not in places managed by other authorities or companies.

Beth Fleming

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Volunteering
This photograph from Easter 2007 shows members of Abingdon Baptist Church about to give out Easter eggs.

We got news yesterday from Revd David Fleming (on facebook) that Beth Fleming ( in the centre of the picture), died in intensive care with complications following Covid-19.

Many of you will remember that she became the Chairmum of the VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council) in 2010-11. Married to David, she had four children, and was trained as a geochemist. She had run all sorts of breakfast clubs, and scout troops, and toddler and baby clubs over the years – some at school, some at Abingdon Baptist Church where David was the Minister. This was all good training for getting involved in Abingdon local politics and becoming the chairmum of the district council. She could lip read and understood people well. She was a strong person and a great support to David as a Church Minister.

After leaving Abingdon David and Beth have been at Limbury Baptist Church in Luton for several years.

This is a very sad time for David and family. Our thoughts are with them.

Volunteers during the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Volunteering
1st to 7th June is Volunteers Week. As well as applauding the NHS and Key workers, we can applaud the volunteers who have made such a difference during the current pandemic. They have included people put on furlough who wanted to help others.

Volunteers working for Abingdon Coronavirus Community Response have answered 2,700 requests for help over the past 11 weeks – and as the lockdown eases they say “we’re still here to help“.

More than 400 people signed up for the scheme providing neighbour-to-neighbour help, running errands amounting to the equivalent of some 336 days of volunteering.

Sarah Anthony, who set up the group, said: “My mind is blown. I can’t believe what’s been achieved together.”

If you know anyone in Abingdon who needs help contact:
Email: abingdoncoronaresponse@gmail.com
Website: www.abingdoncommunityresponse.org

Here is one example from the many…
Volunteering
Teacher Sophie is one of the volunteers working for the response team. She says….
“I mostly get shopping for a couple on the street. I do a big shop once a week which I used to do by going into the shop. Now we’ve got click and collect sorted so that’s really straight-forward and I’ll also top on a Sunday with whatever they need and get a paper. I’ll do prescriptions when necessary and there’s been a few other errands for other people as well. It’s been really good being part of the network of volunteers because it feels very well organised. We get information passed down to us and if I can’t manage some things so… once I couldn’t manage a request and I passed that on to another willing volunteer, so it very much feels like nobody is on their own with this. It’s been really rewarding getting to know my couple and other neighbours on the street. They are really lovely and they are extremely grateful which they don’t really need to be. My parents are in Devon and I can’t help them or be of use to them at the moment which is quite difficult as I imagine it has been for lots of people across the country so I feel glad to be of use. They’ve given me a few plants and some gardening advice as well. I think it’s a relationship that will probably last beyond the coronavirus.

Chris, who she helps, said….
“I live with my partner in Abingdon. We are both in our late 60s. Last year he had a heart attack. He also has asthma. Although not shielding we felt very vulnerable going out and decided we would self-isolate. Not having any family nearby, we turned to the ACR team for help after receiving one of their postcards through the door. We were put in touch with Sophie who turned out to live just a few doors away from us and who we had never met. Sophie for the past 11 weeks has unconditionally helped us with weekly shopping and picking up prescriptions. On Sunday mornings, she also gets ours and our elderly next door neighbours Sunday papers along with the essential weekend top up shopping as needed. All this with a constant smile and willingness to help in any way that we can. We’ve been so grateful. We can’t thank Sophie enough for keeping us safe. All my adult life I have volunteered in various fields and have been a social worker for 32 years so it’s very difficult for me to feel the need to ask for help.”

Abingdon Zoo Day

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Abingdon Zoo
Lots of animals could be seen round Abingdon today. There were crocodiles and pigeons…
Abingdon Zoo
and a large cow among the menagerie in West St Helen Street.
Abingdon Zoo
In East St Helen Street there were Polar Bears,
Abingdon Zoo
a Giraffe,
Abingdon Zoo
and a Toucan among other species.
Abingdon Zoo
In Parsons Mead, there was a lego model of the County Hall built by one of the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers.
Abingdon Zoo
The Ock Street Ox was there as part of the Abingdon Zoo Day. The notice beside it says that the Mayor of Ock Street ceremony will be back in June 2021.

It was not possible to get round all Abingdon, especially as I had to go to work in the afternoon. Our next door neighbour remarked, it goes to show how amazingly artistic the people of Abingdon are

Celebration of Carers is ending its spot on Thursday at 8pm. Next up ….

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Last applause
In West St Helen Street there was a good turn out for the final Thursday 8 PM celebration of carers. Every Thursday people are encouraged onto the doorsteps by a member of the Oxford Caledonian Pipe Band with a drum

In Thesiger Road, George Haslam has been playing the clarinet on Thursdays at 8pm, and on this final week he appeared with a saxophone to play Over the Rainbow.

There will be other ways to show our appreciation to carers like making sure they are paid fittingly for their heroic efforts in future.
Last applause
We can also find new ways to come together as a community. One such is Abingdon Zoo Day this coming Sunday.