Category Archives: England

J-Fest 2022

Leave a reply


This year’s J-FEST was in a field a few miles from Abingdon. Organisers had laid tracks across and around the side of the field to help wheelchairs.

On the main stage were some excellent local bands. In addition, there were signers to translate the lyrics and dance out the rhythm.

There was a wheelchair dancing stage nearby.

The J-Fest is a music festival accessible to all. There were lots of stalls, and activities, including people painting murals. Many people there knew Jodi, and Jodi’s mum and friends organised the festival in Jodi’s memory.

Demolition of the Westgate Centre Car Park in Oxford

Leave a reply

The multi-storey car park at the Westgate shopping crentre is being demolished as part of a redevelopment that will see a lot more shops, including a John Lewis.

Tom Tower can be seen behind the demolition excavator.

Demolition began in February.

A temporary multi-storey carpark has been fabricated the other side of the Oxpens Road to take some of the cars.

Harwell Feast

Leave a reply

The English Civil War Society were one of the features at this year’s Harwell Feast. The event began with a Parade of vintage vehicles and floats. There were crafts, a car boot sale, all the fun of the fair, and a couple of arenas with entertainment. The Winchester Regiment, of the English Civil War Society,  had set up camp in a field adjoining the show area, and marched in to give a display of pikes and musketry. Despite rain through much of the day there were still a lot of people enjoying the event.

A walk done many times before

Leave a reply

This morning we walked up to Birkrigg to the limestone common that rises up above the town. At the stone circle somebody had performed some sort of ceremony and left  crystals, flowers, and ashes near one of the stones.

We then descended by farm tracks to Morcambe Bay by way of Bardsea.

At the Holy Trinity Church my wife’s Grandmother, formerly of Hull, is buried, aged 100 years. That funeral was 22 years ago. We remembered how hot it had been that early April and how Cindy who was then new to the family had been very emotional. We said goodbye to Cindy at the Crematorium in Warrington just 2 months ago.

Then we had an ice cream by the shore having peeped in at the Restaurant where we had our wedding reception almost 30 years ago. The same priest still serves at the catholic church in Ulverston, although he is now a canon. He won’t remember us as he offers us a basket with small chocolate eggs after the Easter Day service like so many times before. We may also go to the 6am service on Birkrigg but have said that many times before and not done it yet.

Good Friday at the Market Cross in Ulverston

Leave a reply

About 60 members of the Churches Together in Ulverston met at the Market Cross on Good Friday at 10:30 for a short service.
 
They were led by a band in singing the three hymns:

  • There is a Green Hill Far Away 
  • Were you there when they crucified my Lord 
  • There is a Redeemer It was a lovely summer morning. 

 Only about half the shops were open.
 
After the service we went for a walk up Gill Bank, and then through some woodland, and out towards Hode.

Demolition Row in Bracknell

Leave a reply

Demolition Row in Bracknell Town Centre. 550,000 square foot of low quality shopping centre to be replaced by something better including a Cineworld, an M&S, and new shops. Demolition will start in July and carry on until October.

Some shop keepers told customers, before closing, that rents are going up a lot. So some of them won’t be back.

I could not believe there was such a desolate area when I started working nearby last year – not knowing that shops were being cleared as leases came up for renewal, and so more and more were empty or short term let. Now they are all empty. Upstairs walkways are cordoned off and workmen have started the process . I guess there is lot of asbestos that needs removing first.

Bracknell Town Centre Tree Sculptures

Leave a reply


My six months working at Bracknell has come to an end. About halfway through my time there I saw the plans to redevelop some of the town centre. This included a cinema and M & S in a prominent position. But what I did not see talked about was the fate of all the small trees that lined the precincts.

They all had ther branches chopped off last autumn.
Then yesterday two of them were getting carved into street art.

One had an owl on top. The other was a swirly stick.

Didcot A Final Steam Day

Leave a reply


Didcot A Coal Fire Power Station with its six large cooling towers will stop generating electricity within the next 24 hours. The more efficient Didcot B Gas powered station will carry on, but their mini cooling towers don’t dominate the landscape for miles around.

Ulverston – St George Day Pageant 2011

Leave a reply

We are up in Ulverston in Cumbria for Easter and saw St George come into town.

A young damsel watching from a balcony was kidnapped and tied up by an evil baron.

All this happened while a jester was entertaining the crowds.

A few jokes later and two damsels were kidnapped. St George arrived to deal with the dragon.

and the evil baron got caught with his pants down. Audience participation was taken a little too far on this occasion