Women in Music events in Oxford

Ellie Cox

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The events include inclusive talks, master classes and performances led by women and gender minorities in the music industry

The University of Oxford Cultural Programme has announced a series of Women in Music events in partnership with Girls I Rate on March 7th. The events will celebrate the many women leading the way in the music industry and ask why women remain underrepresented in many parts of the sector.

The day is made up of three events highlighting women’s accomplishments and perspectives from the music industry and will include exclusive access to accomplished industry professionals, music makers and academics and practical workshops exploring the challenges and opportunities in the industry today.

“Women Leading the Way” will feature an expert panel discussion with Apple’s Elena Segal, Glastonbury’s Emily Eavis, and Music Week’s 2023 International Woman of the Year Golnar Khosrowshahi, who will discuss challenges and opportunities facing women. “Future Hitmakers Masterclass”, organised by Girls I Rate, will have successful women songwriters and producers like Carla Marie Williams MBE, Katie Melua, Miranda Cooper and JinJin, offering advice to aspiring creators and reflecting on rising through a male-dominated space. Finally, “For You” will bring together diverse musicians to perform, including members of the YWMP’s Team Drum and London’s F-Choir, celebrating gender minorities and cultural heritage within music.

This day is part of a rich programme of research and events leading up to the launch of The Schwarzman Centre — a dynamic hub dedicated to the humanities where world-leading research will take place alongside arts and cultural activities. The centre will transform the way Oxford teaches, researches, and shares the humanities with the world, and is due to open in 2025.

This is a significant moment for culture in Oxford and the cultural programme is committed to ensuring everyone, from all backgrounds, can participate in the joy and power of the arts. Currently, women remain underrepresented in many areas of the music creation process, as highlighted in the recent House of Commons Committee report on Misogyny in Music. Women, trans and non-binary producers make up less than 3% of the industry, and for those whose identities intersect several protected characteristics, the figures are even lower. The Oxford Cultural Programme hopes the event will inspire positive change and encourage everyone to “Come as you are.”

For more information about the event and to book tickets, visit the Oxford Cultural Programme website here.

Miranda Cooper Image Credit: Emily Marcovecchio

Buy a butterfly to celebrate memories!

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BBOWT wildlife charity launches new commemorative display

To mark Valentine’s Day, a local wildlife charity has opened two new butterfly memory walls to celebrate special occasions, declare your love for nature – or your sweetheart!

The ‘Your Wild Memories’ displays have been installed by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) at two of its visitor centres. They feature specially-designed butterfly plaques which can be personalised with messages to remember precious moments, people or wild times.

The butterflies are made of brushed stainless steel and fly above an eye-catching wildlife border. They have been put up at the Nature Discovery Centre near Thatcham and College Lake visitor centre near Tring.

Laura Pepper, BBOWT’s Head of Philanthropy, said: “If your Valentine sets your heart a-flutter or you’ve just got engaged or married, why not celebrate your love with a specially engraved butterfly? Or you might like to commemorate a special birthday, a retirement, a favourite family walk or perhaps remember a loved one.

“Butterflies hold all sorts of different meanings for people, as well as being beautiful to behold. Our new ‘Your Wild Memories’ wall is a lovely way to celebrate your special memories and help the vital work of BBOWT at the same time.”

The Your Wild Memories walls have got off to a flying start, with butterfly messages added by local MPs, writers and nature champions.

Estelle Bailey, BBOWT’s Chief Executive, wrote: This special place, with nature at its heart. Here for every community.

Laura Farris, MP for Newbury, left this message on her butterfly at the Nature Discovery Centre: Delighted to support the NDC, bringing the wild into the heart of Thatcham.

Buckingham MP Greg Smith’s butterfly at College Lake reads: Thank you BBOWT, our nature champions. Proud to support you and work with you.

Writer and butterfly lover Patrick Barkham left this beautiful message: Breathe in green, Breathe in blue, Soar soul! Thanks, nature.

Priced at £250 (inclusive of VAT), each butterfly can be engraved to order with the wording of your choice. Funds raised from the sale of the commemorative butterfly plaques will go towards BBOWT’s work creating more nature everywhere for everyone, to benefit wildlife, climate and people.

To order your personalised butterfly visit: www.bbowt.org.uk/support-us/your-wild-memories Order forms are also available from College Lake or the Nature Discovery Centre. For more information call 01865 775476 (Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm) and ask to speak to the Membership Team.

Local dig reveals ancient secrets

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Ancient Blacksmiths Unearthed at Wittenham Clumps

Archaeologists have unearthed an exceptionally rare Iron Age blacksmith’s workshop, dating back nearly 2,700 years to the earliest days of ironworking in Britain, right here in South Oxfordshire.

The discoveries were made by archaeologists from DigVentures during excavations at the headquarters of local environmental charity, Earth Trust, near Abingdon. Just downslope from the iconic Wittenham Clumps, the dig revealed a smithy containing artefacts like pieces of hearth lining, hammerscale, iron bar, and the exceptionally rare discovery of an intact tuyere – evidence of a serious ironworking operation.

“At Earth Trust, we’re thrilled whenever discoveries at Wittenham Clumps shine a light on the deep history of human activity in this area,” said Anna Wilson, Head of Experience and Engagement.

“Nearly 10,000 artefacts were recovered during the dig, and as we continue to analyse them the story gets more and more captivating. These new discoveries are literally forging new history before our very eyes and revealing more of the ancient mysteries behind this very special place” she said.

“We can’t wait to share more through our upcoming Festival of Discovery,” adds Wilson.

Festival of Discovery

The key finds will be on display February 17-18, 2024 during a special Festival of Discovery at the Earth Trust Visitor Centre in Abingdon.

The festival includes talks from the archaeologists, hands-on workshops with the archaeologists, and a free pop-up exhibition showcasing artefacts like the tuyere and rare small finds. 

Visitors will have an exclusive chance to see the discoveries up-close and learn more about the skills of these early Oxfordshire craftsmen. Tickets and more information are available here.

Ancient Blacksmiths of the Clumps

Radiocarbon dating reveals the smithy dates from 771-515 BC, soon after ironworking first arrived in Britain around 800 BC. The size of the hearth suggests this was no ordinary village blacksmith, but rather the workshop of an ‘elite’ or ‘master’ ironworker producing swords, tools, wagon wheels, and other high-value objects.

“It’s exceptionally rare to find a complete tuyere, especially one that’s as old as this. Although there are examples from later periods, including Saxon, Viking-age, and medieval pieces, this is one of the only known Iron Age ones in the country, if not Europe. The fact that it dates not just to the Iron Age, but to the first few centuries of ironworking in Britain, is remarkable” said Gerry McDonnell, the archaeometallurgical specialist who examined the finds.

“What’s more, the size of it suggests we’re looking at a hearth that was much larger and more specialised than that of your average village smithy” he continued.

The vast majority of artefacts produced in the Iron Age weren’t very big and could be produced with quite a small hearth, while larger hearths would have taken much more skill and resources to control, said the researchers.

“The only reason a blacksmith would need a bigger hearth would be if they were forging something long like swords or trade bars, or big like cart wheels. And these wouldn’t be done by your average village smithy who would normally take care of everyday objects and repairs” explains McDonnell.

“The fact that this early Iron Age smithy had a specialist tuyere shows us this was much more likely to have been a serious operation by a highly skilled, elite, or master blacksmith” he concluded.

Even though the Iron Age takes its name from the mastery of this metal, sites that provide us with direct evidence of how they did this – especially ones from such an early period – are extremely scarce.

“It’s always exciting to uncover the remains of ancient buildings that were occupied thousands of years ago, but it’s even more special when we find such direct evidence of who lived there and what they were doing inside” said Nat Jackson, DigVentures Site Director, who led the excavation.

“In this case, the range of evidence is remarkable. We’ve got almost every component of the blacksmith’s workshop; the building, internal structures, hearth lining, tuyere, even the tiny bits of metal that fly off when the blacksmith is hammering the metal. The only thing we haven’t found is the tools” he said.

“It’s an incredible thrill to uncover something like this. It basically allows us to peer back in time and see what could have been one of Britain’s earliest master blacksmiths at work” he concluded.

Excavations also revealed an Iron Age settlement including a cluster of roundhouses, an Iron Age pantry, and evidence of ceremonial or ritual activity including animal burials, as well as a later Roman villa where archaeologists found the remains of a tiny Roman pet dog.

Local residents now have an exclusive opportunity to view these finds first-hand and learn more about Oxfordshire’s ancient ironworking heritage at February’s Festival of Discovery.

What’s new pussycat (doll)?

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Festival season isn’t far away, and Henley Festival has just announced its line up for 2024

2024 has only just got its feet under the table and we’re already looking forward to basking in the sun, having a few cheeky ones, and having a proper knees-up in a field. That’s right, festival season is looming on the horizon like a glitter-filled, good-time cloud; which is preferable to the rain-filled, dark and pendulous kind that we’re used to. Obviously.

Henley Festival have wasted no time in announcing their headliners for this year’s event, and we have to say, it’s looking impressive already. Opening the festival is Pussycat Doll, Masked Singer panellist and Sunset Boulevard star, Nicole Scherzinger.  

Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart is set to captivate the Floating Stage audience with ‘Dave Stewart’s Eurythmics Songbook’. It’s been a full 41 years since the release of Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), so expect that particular tune to get an airing.

From one icon to another…the Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight will be heading to Henley on the Friday night, and sadly, it will be the final show of her UK Farewell Tour. At least we’ll have the chance to say goodbye to a genuine legend who, along with The Pips recorded some of the greatest music of the 20th Century.

As the sun goes down on Henley Festival’s Friday evening Rylan will be DJing and entertaining the crowd with a trademark larger-than-life performance! It doesn’t feel like 10 years since he lit up the ninth series of The X Factor, but apparently it is. He’s now one of the UK’s most loved broadcasters, and we’re always a bit partial to his appearances on Celebrity Goggle Box.

The House Gospel Choir is exactly what it sounds like: an exhilarating mix of Gospel and House. Worshipping at the altar of dance they find the place where spirituality and the euphoria of the dancefloor come together –  amped up further by a full house band and percussion from the one and only Dezy Bongo, creating an effortless live fusion of the biggest house and gospel tunes that never fails to raise the roof.

Keeping the rave going will be no problem on Saturday evening as Ministry of Sound Ibiza Anthems with Ellie Sax take to the Floating Stage presenting the anthems that have sound-tracked everyone’s most iconic Ibiza moments.

Also confirmed for this year are classical music’s most famous Aston Villa fan Nigel Kennedy and the king of lockdown cover versions Sam Ryder. With some top names gracing the comedy stage (Mark Watson, Sara Pascoe, and Dara Ó Briain) Henley Festival is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the summer.

You can get tickets here.

Worth The Weight

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Share some love for preloved clothes on Saturday, 27th January at Oxford Town Hall at Worth The Weight’s Oxford Kilo Sale.

Sheffield based Worth The Weight was founded in 2018 as a way of fighting fast fashion. Experts predict 2024 will see the trend of shopping second hand increase dramatically – with the cost of living going up and worries about climate change, shoppers are keen to not only to save the environment, but save a few pounds by ditching fast fashion and opting for a preloved approach.
 
Events like Worth The Weight’s Oxford Kilo Sale offer a chance for shoppers to rethink their shopping habits and become part of the shopping revolution. The event will feature nine tonnes of handpicked vintage and pre-owned stock to have a rummage through, it’s a great way to start the new year with a clear conscience this January.
 
It can also be a tough time that’s why they are continuing to cap heavier items at £20. Even if it weighs over a kilo, you’ll never pay more than £20 for 1 item! Just be sure to point out heavy items to your server at the till to redeem the discount.
 
Chris Davies, Worth The Weight Organiser, said: “We’re noticing a change in shopper demographic during the events, Oxford has seen families of all ages coming together to help support the sustainable clothing industry.”
 
Worth The Weight will return to The Oxford Town Hall on Saturday, 27th January from 11am until 5pm. Entry is £3 for early bird and £2 after.
 
For more details about Worth The Weight and future events visit Worth The Weight Vintage

Social post – Rethink your shopping habits and share some love for the planet and your pocket at Worth The Weight’s Oxford Kilo Sale at Oxford Town Hall on Saturday, 27th January, 11am-5pm

Two operas come to Oxford

Ellie Cox

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Award-winning producer Ellen Kent returns to Oxford’s New Theatre.

The Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv will be presenting stunning classical productions of Bizet’s Carmen on Wednesday 17th January and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Thursday 18th January.

Bizet’s masterpiece, Carmen, is packed with passion, sexual jealousy, death and unforgettable arias. The story of the bewitching gypsy girl whose tantalising beauty lures a soldier to desertion and leads to her own murder, Carmen includes some of the most evocative and best-loved melodies in opera.

The stunning set, built by Setup Scenery, who also build sets for the Royal Opera Covent Garden, reflects the magnificent architecture of Seville with its Roman and Moorish influences.

Carmen will star Ukrainian mezzo-soprano’s Natalia Matveeva and Irina Sproglis.  Sung in French with English surtitles.

Madama Butterfly, the winner of the Best Opera Award by the Liverpool Daily Post Theatre Awards, returns in a new production with exquisite sets including a spectacular Japanese garden and fabulous costumes including antique wedding kimonos from Japan. One of the world’s most popular operas, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells the heart-breaking story of the beautiful young Japanese girl who falls in love with an American naval lieutenant – with dramatic results. Highlights include the melodic ‘Humming Chorus’, the moving aria ‘One Fine Day’ and the unforgettable ‘Love Duet’.

In Madama Butterfly the fabulous Korean soprano Elena Dee returns alongside Ukrainian soprano Alyona Kistenyova and Ukrainian mezzo-soprano’s Natalia Matveeva and Irina Sproglis. Madama Butterfly will be sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Ellen personally hand-picks and directs all soloists to create visually beautiful and moving productions. She said of these productions, ‘I am delighted to be working with the Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv again after the huge success of the spring 2023 tour. I started working with Ukraine in 2000 and have continued these strong relationships ever since, working with the Odessa National Opera for which I was awarded The Golden Fortune Honorary Medal from the President of the Ukraine, as well as the Kharkiv National Opera and for the last couple of years with the brilliant Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv.’

Tickets for Carmen (17 January 2024) and Madama Butterfly (18 January 2024) at Oxford’s New Theatre are available here.

New year clothes swap in Abingdon

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Bring along items you no longer wear & exchange them for something new to you!

New year, so how about a ‘new to you’ wardrobe? Let someone else love your unwanted clothes and take home some new ones for yourself.

The clothes swap on Friday, 2nd February, 7pm, Northcourt Centre, Northcourt Road OX14 1NS, is exactly what it says – bring items you don’t wear and swap them. It is the most sustainable way to update your wardrobe!

You can drop off up to 10 items of adult clothing (no children’s please) from 7pm and then relax to allow time to sort into size order and type for easy swapping before doors open officially at 7.30pm. See what takes your fancy, try it on, and take it home – it’s that easy.

Between 7-7.30pm, refreshments will be available to purchase and there will be stalls from local, sustainable businesses.

Please only bring freshly washed items in good condition. Ask yourself ‘would you give this to your best friend?’ – if the answer is yes, please bring it along!

Tickets just £5.

Also, if there’s any suitable workwear items still looking for a home, organisers willl take them to Smart Works Reading, a charity that provides women with the clothing, coaching and confidence they need to succeed in interviews and get the job. 10% of the profits will go to Smart Works, Reading.

All other left over items will be donated to local charity shops or kept for the next swap! More datils & to buy tickets, visit Clothes Swap!

WalkWithMe 2024

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If the start of a new year has prompted you to get out and do something about your fitness, then how about doing it while raising funds for a fabulous cause in 2024.

Come and join WalkWithMe, a charity fundraising 26-mile walk being held on Sunday, 5th May.
We start and finish in the beautiful grounds of Moulsford School, Moulsford-on-Thames. The route winds through some stunning South Oxfordshire and West Berkshire countryside, including a section of the historic Ridgeway and the River Thames. Registration is £65 per person plus sponsorship fundraising (enter before 15th January for a reduced registration of £55).

WalkWithMe was established in 2011 by a group of friends with the simple concept of ‘walking together to make a difference’. Over the last 12 years we have raised more than £520,000 for a variety of local and national charities. This year we are fundraising for Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in Oxford which provides invaluable support for cancer patients and their families.

We hold organised training walks between February and May in the local area to get you ready for your challenge slowly building up the distance walked each session.

For all the information you need about the event and Maggie’s and to register visit the website here.

If you need to get in touch, email [email protected]. Come along and help raise loads of money for our fantastic charity and let’s get together, get fit, make a difference!

David Melling Paints Ox In Oxford

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Not as strange as it sounds (honest), the brains behind Hugless Douglas kicks off OxTrail 2024 in the Westgate next week.

Oxford is bracing itself for a stampede of brightly coloured bovine masterpieces next year.

OxTrail is an exciting new project from Sobell House and Wild in Art and will be Oxford’s first ever sculpture trail. Starting in July 2024, you can expect to see delightfully decorated bulls adorning the streets of Oxford. The idea will not only brighten up the city but will help to fund Sobell House which is an important part of life in Oxford and has provided compassionate care to adults with a life-limiting illness and supported their loved ones since 1976.

As a precursor to the start of OxTrail, leading Oxford artist and author behind the famous Hugless Douglas children’s book series, David Melling, will be painting one of the first oxen in a special space that will be available for the public to view. 

You will be able to see the highly accredited artist at work on a special ox that will form part of the trail at the Westgate Shopping Centre from 18th – 21st December. 

David’s ox that will be taking centre stage at Sobell House Hospice until the event next summer. 

Amelia Foster, CEO at Sobell House Hospice Charity, said: “OxTrail aims to inspire creativity across Oxfordshire and what better way to kickstart that than being able to see such a recognised, local creative at work.

“In yet another huge show of support from local businesses for OxTrail, Westgate Shopping Centre has kindly provided us with a space during the key Christmas shopping period where people can visit and take a sneak peek of the amazing life-size ox sculptures that will form OxTrail.”

David Melling said: “I’m honoured to be part of the OxTrail project here in Oxon. As a book illustrator, used to working on flat surfaces, the idea of painting a life-size sculpted ox sounds challenging and fun. Of course, this wonderful project is about sharing the incredibly important work by the hospice, Sobell House, and to help raise funds to support its work in the local community.”

The OxTrail event pop-up space will be at Westgate Shopping Centre on the upper level, near John Lewis and Next, between 8am and 6pm from Monday 18th to Thursday 21st December. 

Shoppers at Westgate will also be able to support Sobell House Hospice by visiting the Charity Super.Mkt pop-up store which is open now until 23rd December. Sobell House Hospice is one of the three chosen charities that will receive support from the temporary department store that only sells second-hand clothes. 

For more information on OxTrail visit www.oxtrail2024.co.uk 

What does Christmas mean to you?

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Churches in Abingdon have a variety of services in Advent and Christmastide for you to attend

Well, the Christmas season is officially upon us. You may (or may not) have noticed the decorations already up in the shops by now. Personally, when I think of Christmas, I tend to remember my younger years and those exciting times of waiting until Christmas morning to open presents under the tree. Looking back, when I was a seven-year-old boy the Advent season and countdown to Christmas seemed to take forever.

But, what does Christmas mean to me now? For me, Christmas means far more than just physical gifts under a tree, but that the king of heaven and earth had left heaven to be with his people. The good news of Christmas is that Jesus came to save you and me.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.   John 1:14 NIV

Let us remember this holiday season that the baby born in a manger is so much more than any ordinary baby. That baby born in a manger is God himself who came to be with his people. The king had come and through his coming, his life, his death and his resurrection, we too can find hope and peace not just during Christmas, but in and out of every season.

 Merry Christmas to you and yours.

 Pastor Michael Ivey

Abingdon Community Church


Churches in Abingdon: Services in Advent and Christmastide 2023

Abingdon Baptist Church (OX14 5AG)

17 December 2023, 6 pm – Carol service followed by mince pies and mulled wine

24 December 2023
     10.30 am – Interactive nativity service for All-Ages

     11.30 pm – Midnight Communion

25 December 2023, 10 am – Christmas morning celebration

Abingdon Community Church (Thameside Primary School, OX14 5NL)

24 December 2023, 10.30 am – Christingle service

Abingdon Vineyard Church (Preston Road Community Centre, OX14 5NR)

17 December 2023, 10.30 am – Christmas café with family Christmas craft activities

24 December 2023, 10.30 am – Family Christmas celebration with Carols and nativity

25 December 2023, 10.30 am – Christmas Day celebration

All Saints (OX14 2AQ)
3 December 2023, 10.30 am – Advent Communion
10 December 2023,3.30 pm – Family Carols
16 December 2023, 10.30 am – Christmas tree festival                        
17 December 2023, 3 pm – Carol service
24 December 2023, 10.30 am – Morning worship
25 December 2023, 10 am – Christmas Day service

Christ Church

17 December 2023 (Northcourt Road, OX14 1PL)

     4 pm – Carol service

     7 pm – Carol service

24 December 2023

     3 pm – Christingle service (Northcourt Road)

     4 pm – Christingle service (Long Furlong, OX14 1XP)

     4.30 pm – Christingle service (Northcourt Road)

     11 pm – Midnight Communion (Northcourt Road)

25 December 2023

     8 am – BCP Christmas Communion (Northcourt Road)

     10 am – Christmas Day services at Long Furlong and Northcourt Road

Parish of Our Lady and St Edmund (OX14 3PL)

24 December 2023

     8.45 am – Mass

    10.15 am – Mass
    6.30 pm – First Mass of Christmas

  8.30 pm – Christmas vigil with Carols
     9 pm – Mass

25 December 2023   
     8 am – Mass
     9.30 am – Mass
     11.30 am – Mass

     2 pm – Polish Mass
26 December 2023 – Feast of St Stephen

     10 am – Mass

     2 pm – Polish Mass

Peachcroft Christian Centre (OX14 2RT)

17 December 2023

     10 am – Nativity service

     7 pm – Carol service

24 December 2023

     10 am – Christmas worship

     3 pm – Christingle service

     5 pm – Christingle service

25 December 2023, 10 am – Christmas celebration

Salvation Army (OX14 5BL)
10 December 2023, 10.30 am– Toy service
17 December 2023, 10.30 am – Christingle service
20 December 2023, 11 am – Community Carol service
24 December 2023, 4 pm – Candle-lit Carol service
25 December 2023, 10.30 am – Christmas morning service


St Helen’s Church (OX14 5BS)
3 December 5.30 pm – Music and readings for Advent                                            
22 December 6.30 pm – Lessons and Carols for Christmas                                   
24 December 4.30 pm – Christingle 11 pm – First Eucharist of Christmas
25 December 2023
     8 am – Holy Communion (1662)
     10.30 am – Family service with address

St Michael’s Church (OX14 1DB)
17 December 2023, 9.30 am – Sung Mass
24 December 2023
     9.30 am – Sung Mass
     3 pm – Crib service
     6.30 pm – Carols and readings
25 December 2023, 10 am – Sung Mass

St Nicolas’ Church (OX14 3NZ)
10 December 2023

     11.15 am – Holy Communion
     5.30 pm – Patronal Evensong

17 December 2023

     11.15 am – Third Sunday service

     5.30 pm – Carol service       

24 December 2023

     11.15 am – Holy Communion

     4 pm – Crib service

 25 December 2023, 10 am – Holy Communion

Trinity Church (OX14 1DB)
3 December 2023, 10.30 am – Gift service and Baptism
10 December 2023, 10.30 am – Civic service
17 December 2023
     10.30 am – Advent Communion
     4 pm – Carol service
24 December 2023, 4 pm – Christingle service
25 December 2023, 10 am – Christmas Day service

Details of all the churches can be found on the Church in Abingdon website:
www.church-in-abingdon.org.uk