Vale council officers will be on Abingdon Market from 8am to 3pm on Monday 7 September, with help on bins, disability grants and low-cost activities.

Officers from Vale of White Horse District Council will run an advice stall on Abingdon Market from 8am to 3pm on Monday 7 September.

It is the first stop on the councils’ second annual equalities roadshow, which visits seven market towns this autumn. Three of the seven are in the Vale:

  • Abingdon Market, Monday 7 September, 8am to 3pm
  • Wantage Market, Wednesday 16 September, 8am to 3pm
  • Faringdon Market, Tuesday 6 October, 8.30am to 1pm

The other four are in the neighbouring district of South Oxfordshire, not the Vale: Didcot on 12 September, Wallingford on 25 September, Thame on 13 October and Henley on 22 October.

What you can actually ask about

The council’s announcement says officers will cover how to get more active, who to contact for help with bin collections, and financial help for people with disabilities. Those are all existing services, and you do not have to wait for the stall to use them:

  • Assisted bin collections. If you cannot put your bins out because of age, disability or illness, and nobody else can help, the council will collect them from your property. It sends someone to assess first. The waste team is on 01235 422406, or see the assisted collections page.
  • Disabled facilities grants for adaptations at home, through the council’s housing pages.
  • Low-cost sport. The Active Communities team already runs weekly sessions across the district. Two of them are in Abingdon:
Session Where When Cost
Walking football Tilsley Park Tuesdays and Fridays, 10.30am to noon £4, first session free
Pickleball White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 2pm to 4pm £4.50

Walking basketball runs at the same leisure centre on Mondays, 1pm to 2pm, at £5 with the first session free. Faringdon has table tennis at the Pump House Project on Mondays, 2pm to 3pm, at £2, and walking football at Faringdon Leisure Centre on Tuesdays, 8pm to 9pm, at £5. Booking is by email to the Active Communities team, and the full list is on the council’s sports for all page.

Cllr Lucy Edwards, the Vale’s cabinet member for corporate services, said the roadshow follows the success of last year’s, and that it is “not only about us talking but also listening”.

What it means for you

The stall is a market pitch, not an appointment. The council’s release mentions no booking and asks people simply to “come along and chat to our officers”. If you cannot make Monday, the services above are all live now, and general enquiries go to 01235 422422.

The roadshow follows motions both councils passed in July reaffirming a commitment to being welcoming and inclusive organisations, after the Equality and Human Rights Commission published a revised code of practice. The councils say they are delivering an action plan that includes auditing buildings and briefing staff on how to answer queries.

If you are heading into town that morning, our Abingdon roadworks and travel page has what is closed this week, and things to do in Abingdon has the rest of what is on.