It really was tremendous to see so many people at the Soirée on Sunday evening.  On behalf of the Committee, I’d like to thank all of the AMRA and Friends of AMRA members who were able to be there. It was particularly nice not just to welcome members of long standing, but also those recently joined. It’s fantastic to see the evolution AMRA is going through, not just the increase in membership and the growing number of younger people but also as one of the newly joined members has volunteered to join the committee. We hope you all enjoyed your evening and look forward to seeing you at a forthcoming event.

Most of AMRA’s activities revolve around social events and the Soirée is usually the highlight of our social calendar. As ever with an occasion on this scale, there are many people who have worked very hard in the preparation and the delivery of the event and I’d like to thank, as far as I can, each of them for their contributions without which we couldn’t even have contemplated the Soirée.

No less than 15 people prepared the food, all of which was superb and they are:

Ruth Katz, Daphne Hill, Viv Boormann, Yvonne Ryan, Clare Bass, Pam Pattenden, Brenda Standen, Daphne Peile, Sue Cutler, Susie Hogben, Janet Down, Gail Viney, Linda Boston, Caroline Bryan & Sue Dixon. Sue was also the prime mover in making most of the arrangements. I am very grateful to all of them for presenting us with such a wonderful array of delicious food.

Lots of other people helped with the planning, preparations and clearing up and they are:

Richard Dixon, Sue Cutler, Clare Bass, Caroline Bryan, Martin Cutler, Sue Dixon, Linda Boston, Gail & Paddy Viney & Janet Down. A great big THANK YOU to all of them and of course to anyone I’ve failed to name who also helped.

Naturally, we thanked our entertainer, Robin, who provided the perfect musical back drop to our nattering and chattering and I will write to Abingdon School to thank them for allowing us to use their boathouse again.

As you are no doubt aware, the Vale is changing the waste collection service from 4 October and suppying us all with large wheelie bins for our waste.  A number of residents have expressed concern about having to store these somewhat unattractive bins, possibly at the front of their properties.

While we can't do anything about the requirement for the bins, Daphne Hill has brought to our attention a way of making them a lot less unsightly, namely by disguising them inside a wooden cover or cupboard.  The Pathway Workshop supplies all sorts of wooden products including suitable covers.  The Pathway Workshop is an Oxford-based charity providing work for disadvantaged people and those with disabilities.  See either this leaflet or their website for more details.

On Sunday 13th June, a flotilla of five boats, carrying over twenty AMRA members, set sail down the Thames to Day's Lock, where we enjoyed a picnic meal together.  The event was superbly oranised by Sue and Rishard Dixon, even down to laying on some fabulous weather!  Out photo gallery has a selection of pictures from the day.

The Spring Newsletter has been published and has been delivered to households in the area. If you don't have a copy (or the dog ate it, or whatever!) you can always download it from our Newsletters page. Previous issues are available too.

A pair of coots have built a nest on a floating piece of wood attached to one of the mooring posts by North Quay.  Update Five baby coots have now hatched and are growing quickly.  See the pictures in the Wildlife section of the photo gallery.

We have sent £176 on behalf of AMRA to New Futures Nepal (www.newfuturesnepal.org). This money was the profit from the Pete Morton gig at the Abingdon Rugby Club. New Futures Nepal is a small UK based charity, which supports 2 orphanages for in Nepal and Northern India. Many of the children are also handicapped.

We felt the evening at the rugby club went very well and eveyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  There are some photos of the event.

 

Antonya took some pictures of two magnificent black swans which visited the marina on Saturday.

 

On Wednesday 13 January, despite the snowy conditions, 26 booted AMRA members and friends gathered at the home of Neil and Linda Boston clutching their slippers. The gathering was conducted by Jill Carver who owns a shop called Added Ingredients in Stert Street. She had brought, for our delectation, 4 wines and accompanying finger food from her stores and proceeded to explain the provenance of the provender as we enthusiastically worked our way through the range of delicious offerings.

There were Little Gem lettuce leaves topped with Kitson's fish terrine and smoked mackerel on rye bread to accompany a white Milton Vinyard's Te Arai Chenin Blanc. Smoked chicken breast with pesto on olive focaccia partnered the white Miltons Vineyard's Viognier as well as Parma ham with sun-blushed tomatoes on spinach ciabatta. The following Jean Bousquet Malbec red also enhanced the taste of the latter plus some smoked mozzarella with chorizo and finally, as if we had not been spoiled enough, there was a fortified Jean Bousquet Malbec to complement the heavenly Kitson's sticky toffee pudding! We all were very well fed, well drunk (in the sense of supply) and extremely well informed of the wonderful array of gourmet foods and wine all available at the delicatessen.

Last year we held our first Marina in Bloom event with a variety of categories, you could participate in the front and back gardens, window sills or simply pots. There were some lovely entries and the sharp-eyed amongst you will have seen the winners’ plaques outside Gail & Paddy Viney’s and Dee & Richard Whitfield’s houses. Following that success, we are asking the marina residents’ to get their green fingers working & make it an even bigger and better event this year.

The judging will take place in mid-summer (date to be announced) and if you wish to enter please place the Marina in Bloom logo, which you will receive with the next newsletter, in a prominent place where the judges can see it when they are doing their rounds.

We wish a warm welcome to Paul Burnett as AMRA’s treasurer since the AGM. He will be an asset to the committee.