Reducing Floor Risk in a Natural Way

Flooding has been such a huge problem in our area in recent times and I wanted to summarise a very interesting talk entitled “Real-World examples of reducing Flood Risk” by Adam Bowes on 30^th April who is Project Manager of the Freshwater Habitats Trust which, I hope, conveys Adam’s rays of hope to all those who have suffered this terrible flooding.  His main message was that, although most think it important to dredge rivers and streams, actually the contrary is necessary - to hold back the water upstream in a natural way, using the flood plains and returning to pre-drainage times.

He was quite optimistic - if lots of people do small things, it can be more effective than major dredging or engineering works which can be very expensive especially when there is so little money available!

Read more in our paper newsletter..........

NFM

https://thefloodhub.co.uk/nfm/

 

EA

https://skyview-systems.co.uk/pages/environment-agency-national-flood-prevention-project?gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=22395461445&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsvTP-NWnjQMVYZSDBx1rXgCWEAAYASAAEgK3AvD_BwE

 

SESRO

https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/news/thames-water-sesro-and-thames-valley-flood-alleviation-scheme-abingdon-concerns

 

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY PROJECT

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/landscape-recovery-more-information-on-how-the-scheme-will-work/landscape-recovery-more-information-on-how-the-scheme-will-work

 

OCK CATCHMENT PARTNERSHIP

https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/our-work/conservation-and-practical-delivery/catchment-partnerships/ock-catchment-partnership/

Plant Swap

There will be another plant swap this Sunday 1st June on the driveway at 39 Masefield Crescent, between 2pm and 4pm. Bring your extra plants or seedlings or cuttings and take something else away with you. Houseplants also welcome. No payments involved - all free. If you don't have anything to swap, come anyway as there is usually a surplus of plants on offer.

Military Grave Restorer ... by Peter Brown (taken from the TFLRA Winter Newsletter 2023)

I was in the Army with Steve Davies who is the Military Grave Restorer, and after seeing the work he does, see his website at: https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/stories/grant-stories/steve-davies-grant-sep-22/ I was inspired to set up an Oxfordshire Group.  When I unfortunately lost my mother and was at the church to arrange the funeral, I asked the Vicar if he had any military graves, to which he said yes, and showed me 15 Crimean crosses that were covered with weed.

 

During the hard gardening task of cleaning these, we came across syringes, old bottles and even an animal skull, but the crosses can now be seen and read, and we will be returning to make sure this doesn’t happen again.  You might recognise residents Jules and Denise who are veterans and help veteran’s organisations all over the country.

 

Our second task was at Spring Road Cemetery where I was joined by the Military Grave Restorer Steve along with other veterans including Terry.  We were shown how to clean Marble graves and cleaned 6 graves including two old Lord Majors of Oxford.  We use washing up liquid and water to scrub the lichen off, then we use an environmentally friendly chemical to get the rest off, leaving them clean, and then spray them to keep them from getting dirty again for a while.

 

All the labour is voluntary - we do have a Just Giving page to help pay for tools and chemicals used, so if anyone would like to donate towards this please see this link:

 

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/peter-brown-867?utm_id=107&utm_term=dvXAXwqeQ&fbclid=IwAR0W1KHA5VpVs

Next Meeting and AGM

The next meeting and AGM will be held on Tuesday 7th November at 7.30pm in the Stonewater flats Common Room, Bridges Close.

Biffa Food Waste Collections number

 

TFLRA Meetings

We have recently welcomed another resident to our meetings - do let us know if you're a resident and would like to come along too.  We usually meet every month on either a Monday or Tuesday evening at 7.30pm in the common room of the Jephson Flats off Bridges Close.  Not everybody can come to each meeting, but there are usually between seven and twelve of us from all over Tithe Farm and Ladygrove.  We talk about our next newsletter and what has been happening and may happen around our estates, as well as events in wider Abingdon.  If you would like to know more, contact us on either the email address or telephone number at the end of this newsletter (dates of meetings are normally agreed a few weeks beforehand).

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The Spring 2023 newsletter covered the articles listed below - if you'd like to read more of them on the paper copy, please go to our Contact page at https://tflra.weebly.com/contact.html and let us know.

• Abingdon’s Repair Cafe
• Voter Identification
• Who Else Remembers?
• Some History of Preston Road Community Centre
• More About Preston Road Community Centre
• Spring Quiz
• Gardening in Challenging Weather
• Plant Swap
• Ock Bridge and the Chaunterell / Tesco Path
• Helping Hegehogs
• The ‘Living’ Green Man - Walk on the Wildside
• Freebie Days Again?
• Teabooks
• Making a Will?
• Missed Bin Collections
• How we Hope to Save on our Energy Bills and do a bit for the Planet
• Saving Water and Electricity
• Town Council an a New Cemetery
• Bun Throwing in May
• 20mph Speed Limits in Abingdon?
• For Sale
• Street Light Out?

Masefield Crescent 1970

 

Queen Elizabeth II

New Highway Code Changes

Are you aware of the changes to the Highway Code that came into force on 29^thJanuary?  It aims to protect cyclists and pedestrians from road accidents, and one of the major changes is the introduction of a road user hierarchy which puts pedestrians and cyclists at the top, and drivers of cars, vans and heavy goods vehicles at the bottom.  This is because pedestrians and cyclists are considered the most ‘at risk’ of being injured in a collision, whereas drivers of vehicles are considered more dangerous to other road users.  This is no doubt going to take patience and common sense from all road users to become the ‘new norm’.

Winner's of the Children's Christmas Colouring Competition 2021

We had some wonderful entries for the Children's Christmas Colouring Competition, and it was very hard to choose a winner.

The winner from the 6 and over category is Josie and the winner from the under 5 category is Joey.  Well done to you both and also well done to everybody who sent in their beautiful artwork!!