Abingdon health walks are Mondays and Wednesdays at 10.30am with a pattern of gentle walk, short brisk walk and long (up to four miles) brisk walk with friendly walk leaders. Check the information on their leaflets in the Information Centre or at the town's Leisure Centre which is where all walks start. There are Ramblers' walks second and fourth Thursdays in the month leaving at 10.30am from Market Place and all these walks continue to run in poor weather. In town, activities include Abingdon Freewheeling which organises cycle rides mainly on Thursdays and Sundays. Abingdon has water sports, roller skating, aquatoning, gym, nordic walking. Other activities such as free power walking, a new 'active woman' initiative, fun netball and rush hockey (short games) and cheap golf starter courses are offered locally. 

Photographs - any subject
In February the Abingdon Arts Festival Photography Competition is open to all, with a children's section as well. Young people have an under 16 category, a winner last year was a seven-year-old so all ages can get creative. You will be able to enter photographs on any subject. Entry forms can be obtained from us or from Abingdon Camera Club website. Abingdon Arts Festival Ball on 18th February features Dorothy Shaw, the full dance band SwingTime and guest artists and international food. This event is only £18/£16 per ticket. Call in for tickets now. There will be some good music, drama, art and comedy in the Festival. Abingdon Arts Festival dates are 15th March to 4th April.

Museum
http://www.abingdonmuseumfriends.org.uk/   Museum friends would value assistance with the campaign to keep the County Hall Museum campaign running. See the Diary for their guest speakers at friendly meetings each first Thursday in the month, next one St Helen's Parish Centre 3rd November with Janey Cumber.
Look at the Abingdon Museum site for dates when you can speak with the building contractors if interested in progress on the project at County Hall Museum. A lot of the internal work on the sessions hall and on the basement activities area has been completed. Meetings and briefings with the contractors are on the third or last Wednesday in the month with information on notice boards. The Museum is planning for its future with extra gallery space by 2012 and you can keep up to date through Museum staff who are based in Old Abbey House. Abingdon Museum has an outreach programme. Community groups and local schools are being involved in several projects, visits and talks. Friends of Abingdon Museum have meetings which are one Thursday in each month.

Historic finds
Found anything in your home or in the ground?
On each Monday (except 26th December and 2nd January) from 1.30pm until 3pm there is a drop-in session in Old Abbey House so that the Museum's service to identify and date historic objects and finds can continue. The Finds service is to look at the clues to an object's origin and use and perhaps date local history items, rather than being an antiques or 'flog it' valuation. The entire Old County Hall and the Museum are closed, planning to open to visitors again in 2012. Talks can be arranged for any school or community group or for visitors with a period of notice.

Abingdon for Peace
Paper cranes made by many local supporters of Abingdon Peace Group whilst they were in the community shop are on display in Hiroshima Children's Peace Memorial Garden in Japan. Abingdon has an active Peace group and is involved in Mayors for Peace.

Photograph courtesy of Peter and Anne Dodd and the http://www.abingdonblog.co.uk/

 

Abbey buildings
Abingdon Abbey buildings are closed apart from plays, theatre and events such as Comedy Abingdon 14th to 17th December. For events see http://www.abingdonabbey-unicorntheatre.org.uk/ You can organise a function, public event or book the buildings or the 90 seat theatre throughout the year. Abingdon Abbey was second to Westminster during part of its history and was prominent for over seven hundred years. The remaining buildings are managed by a Curator and the Friends of Abingdon civic society who organise a series of visits and talks  http://www.friendsofabingdon.org.uk/ Opening season is April to September 2pm to 4pm closed all day Wednesdays. All or part of the buildings could have restricted access if there is a function such as a wedding or production in the Unicorn Theatre so please check before a visit.  The Historical Tour section of the site is useful and also the on-line Abingdon town guide.

Swimming and sport
The Friends of Abbey Meadow Outdoor Pool need your support to secure the future of the heated outdoor pool. They have a new website www.communigate.co.uk/oxford/foamop which will have news. Our excellent indoor leisure centre at Audlett Drive has a competition standard pool and facilities are run by http://www.soll.co.uk/ Tilsley Park is the athletics and outdoor sports centre.

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You are welcome to bring in handbills. The main town noticeboards are done and the town diary is produced each Thursday. Please make your own checks of times, venues and necessary information with the organisers before setting out to any event.
Abingdon Visitor and Community Information Centre and individuals on behalf of Abingdon Town Council make every effort to ensure that information received from third parties is correct and complete. Changes may be made of which we are not aware.
No responsibility will be accepted for omissions or alterations to events.