Category: Missed a ThameNews story?

FOR several years, the twinning between Montesson and Thame has seen much sporting action between some of its more dynamic members, including days of hiking and cycling on both sides of the channel.

 

This year, one English couple who have remained faithful to twinning since its creation 15 years ago, were invited to cycle through the canals of Burgundy for a week.

“500 km under a burning sun, along these magnificent waterways; a quiet journey punctuated by the 200 locks on the Canal de Bourgogne and the 116 locks of the Canal du Nivernais, as well the old lock houses that compete with each other with their charm,” said Elisabeth Charrière, Vice-president of the MontessonTwinning Committee.

After the effort of cycling, the group of seven – five French and the two English – were rewarded with periodic rests, often under the shade of the trees of the ‘Burgundy terroir’.

Elisabeth continued her description: “It is a ribbon of water, full of discreet life: ducks, grey herons, swans and many song birds; fish that we saw jumping from time to time. A human presence is also retained with fishermen, walkers, and quiet, recreational boats. On each side of the canal, we experienced a succession of all types of landscape: limestone coast, vineyards, groves, meadows and forests.

“The English couple, John and Sonja Francis, enjoyed the rich Burgundian terroir, tasting snails, local cheeses Epoisses and Saint-Florentin, and of course after the effort of the day came the comfort of the evening with some good bottles of Burgundy.

“The unusual heat of the season prompted us first to dip our feet in the canal and then, on the very hottest day with 35 degree F, to a real improvised bath in the beautiful refreshing waters of the river Yonne.

A few adventures slowed down the journey,” explained Elisabeth: “Just two punctures, and a tick bite that was complicated because the pharmacist did not succeed in removing the head of the insect, requiring us all to accompany the victim to the local doctor.

Summing up the adventure, Elisabeth said: “We have all improved our English and our English friends have progressed in their French. Effort, laughter and incidents have only strengthened our already faithful friendship.”

Contributed by Jehan-Jacques Peyre, Correspondent for Le Courrier des Yvelines, from an original report by Elisabeth Charrière
Translated by Google and Sonja Francis !

See more images HERE (copyright Sonja Francis)

NB For those of you interested in reading the original French version of the article that appeared in Le Courrier des Yvelines (the local paper for Montesson, Thame’s twin town), here it is:

L’amitié franco-anglaise se construit aussi à vélo au fil des canaux.

Depuis plusieurs années, le jumelage entre Montesson et la ville Anglaise de Thame se vit sportivement par l’action de quelques membres dynamiques. Cette année un couple d’Anglais, fidèles du jumelage depuis sa création, a été invité à randonner à vélo sur les canaux de Bourgogne durant une semaine. « 500 km sous un soleil ardent, le long de ces magnifiques voies d’eau, trajet tranquille rythmé par les 200 écluses du Canal de Bourgogne et les 116 écluses du Canal du Nivernais et les anciennes maisons éclusières qui rivalisent de coquetterie et invitent à la pause » témoigne Elisabeth Charrière, vice-présidente du Comité de Jumelage.  Après l’effort, le riche terroir bourguignon au menu
C’est un ruban d’eau plein de vie discrète : canards, hérons cendrés, cygnes et nombreux oiseaux ; poissons que l’on voit sauter de temps en temps. La présence humaine y est aussi retenue : pêcheurs, promeneurs, tranquilles bateaux de plaisance. De chaque côté du Canal c’est une succession de tous types de paysage : côtes calcaires, vignobles, bocages, prairies, forêts. Le couple Anglais a pu apprécier le riche terroir bourguignon, avec dégustation d’escargots, de fromages locaux Epoisses et Saint-Florentin, et bien sûr après l’effort le réconfort du soir avec quelques bonnes bouteilles de Bourgogne.
« La grosse chaleur inhabituelle pour la saison nous a incités d’abord à des bains de pied dans le canal puis à un vrai bain improvisé dans les belles eaux rafraîchissantes de l’Yonne », raconte Elisabeth. Quelques péripéties ont un peu ralenti le périple : deux crevaisons, une piqûre de tique qui s’est compliquée car le pharmacien n’ayant pas réussi à enlever la tête de l’insecte, tous ont accompagné la victime chez le docteur.

« Nous avons tous amélioré notre anglais et nos amis anglais ont progressé en français. L’effort, le rire et les incidents n’ont fait que renforcer notre déjà fidèle amitié ».
Jehan-Jacques Peyre

 

THE Thame Store Net scheme, the system whereby shops can speak to each other and the police, has saved just under £1000 worth of stock being stolen through shopliftings.

The first batch of offenders since the scheme was launched, have been placed on the Shop Watch scheme and are now banned from all the Thame shops involved. This, say the Thame Community Policing team in its latest newsletter, has reduced the amount of calls for Anti-Social Behaviour and shopliftings from the town.

You can reach the full report HERE

A General Election Forum, held in Thame last night (Monday), attracted so many local people that the event had to be reconvened in the Church next door. The hustings was organised by the combined churches of Thame, and was booked to be held in St Joseph’s church hall.

But the sheer number of local people who wanted to see and hear their candidates talk about the issues that would help them decide where they would mark their cross on polling day, surprised many people.

Four of the five candidates standing in the Henley Constituency (which includes Thame) attended, Robin Bennett – Green Party, Laura Coyle – Liberal Democrats, Patrick Gray – Radical Party, John Howell – Conservative and Oliver Kavanagh – Labour Party. UKIP’s candidate, Tim Scott, did not show up.

The candidates were asked a variety of questions, including subjects such as the lack of affordable housing in Thame, funding for Education, how the country should treat immigrants and asylum seekers, Children’s health services and freedom of movement for EU citizens. Thame.Net tweeted live from the forum and for those unable to follow our twitter stream, here is a flavour of the main questions discussed:

Education

The first question of the evening came from a teacher at Lord Williams’s School, who asked John Howell about education funding, saying that her school was due to lose hundreds of thousands of pounds in the proposed Education Funding Formula. She invited him to visit her school and help them ‘choose the 25 teachers that will need to go!’

The Lib Dem candidate, Laura Coyle, refuted his reply that there will be a real-terms increase for all schools, adding that under her party, what she called ‘the vanity project’ of more grammar schools would not happen.

For Labour, Oliver Kavanagh promised a programme of investment in education. An audience member said directly to John Howell that one Thame primary school had spent time and money building a kitchen to provide school lunches for pupils, only to now have to scrap it as the free school lunch policy was being abandoned by the government.

The Radical Party candidate, Patrick Gray, said that ‘current policies are strangling the futures of our young people’. He said that his party wants power ‘back in the hands of people, meeting locally and saying what they want’.

There was a rumble of derision from some sections of the audience as John Howell blamed the previous Labour government for the state of economy and said that ‘a strong economy’ was what his party had to offer.

When asked about cuts to Policing and fighting terrorism, John Howell said that more surveillance officers had in fact been employed. While for the Greens, Robin Bennett talked about suggestions of a report on terrorism funding which is expected to criticise Saudi Arabia, bring ‘suppressed’ until after the general election.

Immigrants and asylum-seekers

In response to a Thame resident’s question about what each party would do to help immigrants and asylum seekers, International cooperation is the only way to solve the fundamental causes of refugees, suggested the Radical Party’s Patrick Gray.

John Howell said the government had helped 3000 children from the immigration camps. This was not enough, said Liberal Democrat, Laura Coyle. “We should welcome refugees and asylum seekers with open arms.”

The Green candidate said that only 350 children had been taken in by the UK last year. The Lib dem candidate said that her party would limit detention in asylum centres to 28 days, calling the current system of inderminate lengths of stay as ‘inhuman’ and ‘barbaric’.

Housing

A member of the audience said that despite earning a reasonable salary, she had looked into several schemes to help her get on the housing ladder in the area, but £330,000 for a two bedroom house is not ‘affordable’!

Abandonment of a national consensus after the war, that everyone should have a decent home, is what is at the root of the housing shortage and high prices, said the Radical party’s Patrick Gray.

John Howell mentioned Neighbourhood planning as the way for local people to influence housing development in their areas, a policy he helped introduce. He suggested that the proposed completely new, settlement at Chalgrove was an opportunity to put infrastructure in first, before any houses were put in.

On the subject of free movement of workers between the UK and the EU, the Radical party’s Patrick Gray said that it was ‘folly’ to restrict immigration from the EU. “We need their skills in many occupations” he said, and that we would be “shooting ourselves in the foot” if it were curbed.

John Howell said that be believed that a reciprocal agreement on EU workers would be made during the Brexit negotiations.

Candidates’ final statements

Winding up at the end, the Green candidate, Robin Bennett, said: “We will work for environment and the most vulnerable in our society.”

In his final statement, Patrick Gray said: “Vote for the Radical Party for a more equal and optimistic future.”

Seeming to concede that a Labour win was unlikely in Henley, Oliver Kavanagh suggested that a vote for his party would nevertheless “send a strong message to Teresa May” that her party would not have things all their own way in a future parliament.

Laura Coyle for the Lib Dems said in conclusion: “We certainly did not vote to leave the EU in the way she (Theresa May) is preparing us to. We want Britain to remain open and tolerant.”

John Howell, the sitting Conservative MP, after criticism from the floor of the government cuts to Education, the NHS, the police etc, said that only a strong economy could support such services, and that he was proud of what his government has done for the country. This evoked some noisy, negative responses from some members of the audience.

Conclusion

It cannot be denied that the general feeling among the audience at this Thame General Election Forum was one of hostility toward the sitting MP, John Howell (who made a hasty retreat at the end) and the Conservative government in general, which perhaps is to be expected after seven years of austerity and cuts, whether one believes them to have been necessary or not. But an observer could not fail to have been surprised at the lack of apparent support for the Conservative party that has dominated the Henley constituency for so long.

But to jump to any conclusions about an earth shattering routing of John Howell’s party, would be unwise – those dyed-in-the-wool Conservatives ‘who would vote for a toy, blue bunny if it were put up’ as they say around Thame, would probably not have felt the need to come to a forum and hear alternative views. Also, it was raining last evening and there were very few young people attending which, if the pundits are to be believed, could make a difference if they are moved to come out and vote.

Listening to the questioning and the response to replies from the politicians, the over-riding impression was that those who had taken the trouble to come, had decided that they want to vote for an alternative, and had come along to size up the alternatives before making up their minds – whether they intend to vote tactically or not.

Only in the early hours of Friday morning, June 9, will we and the candidates discover whether or not the Henley Constituency has been rocked at its political foundations – or just shaken up a bit.

A charity Gig and BBQ held at The Three Horsehoes pub in Towersey on May 27, raised £1,020, which is going to be split between two charities, the British Legion and the drop in Cancer centre. Tay o’Lay provided the music and Master Chef contestant, Ashley Byrne cooked the BBQ.

RYCOTE Park and Gardens will be opened to the public to raise funds for Thames Valley Air Ambulance. Rycote Park opens its historic doors on Wednesday, June 7, for the first time as part of Thames Valley Air Ambulance’s Open Gardens programme. Visitors will get a rare opportunity to explore the magnificent grounds and gardens, which date back to the 16th Century, whilst helping to raise funds for the charity.

Situated on the outskirts of Thame, Rycote Park is steeped in history. Once a great Tudor mansion, it was almost completely demolished in 1807 and all that remains today is part of the south-west tower. The 14th Century Rycote Chapel, which pre-dates the house, was built for the medieval owners of the estate and has survived with many of its original medieval fittings. The Tudor mansion at Rycote was arguably the dominant country house in early modern Oxfordshire and played host to six English kings and queens, including Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

Kate Martin, Event Fundraising Manager for Thames Valley Air Ambulance, says: “We are extremely lucky to be able to give our supporters a rare insight and guided tour of this magnificent estate, which features for the first time in our annual Open Gardens programme. We hope this extra special event will raise lots of money for the Charity and help make this year’s scheme one of the most successful yet!”

The visit to Rycote Park will begin with an introductory talk on the estate’s history by owner Sarah Taylor, before visitors are led on a tour of the Chapel, historic grounds and gardens of Rycote, taking in the research done by Time Team, amongst others.

The morning event will run between 10.30-12.30pm at Rycote Park, Thame, OX9 2PE. Tickets are £30 and only available in advance. Visit TVAA’s website www.tvairambulance.org.uk/rycote or call 0300 999 0135

THAME Equipment Bank – volunteer manager – Thame Equipment Bank is one of the 21st Century Thame initiatives, in conjunction with Thame Town Council, and aims to provide low-cost equipment for hire to community organisations & groups, as well as private not-for-profit hire in the Thame area. They are currently looking for a Volunteer Manager to ensure the Equipment Bank is fully utilised, facilitate bookings, stock check and administrate the finances. Download the job role and description or email Sue, Chair of 21st Century Thame, suedownhill@gmail.com for further information and an informal discussion.

BOOK your place in the duck race! – This year’s Thame Duck Race will take place on Sunday, June 11, at Thame Bridge (Priest End), with gates opening at 10:45am. Purchase your duck race ticket from the Town Hall now for just £2, with all proceeds going to local charities, causes and sports clubs. If your duck is one of the first three across the finish line, you could win a prize voucher worth up to £50! The event is being organised Thame Round Table.

FUNDING available for innovative projects promoting walking and cycling – don’t miss out! Exciting opportunity to apply for funding for new projects promoting walking and cycling.

The Department for Transport will fund up to £470,000 for innovative projects that lead to more walking and cycling. Proposals will tackle current barriers and encourage more journey stages to be made by bicycle or on foot. Innovations may include, for example, technology, infrastructure, manufacturing or behavioural change.

The competition is open to individuals, groups and organisations. It is particularly suitable for early-stage, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Industry partners such as local government, independent and third sectors can carry out the project on their own or with others.

This competition has two phases. Up to £170,000 is allocated for phase one, and up to £300,000 for phase two.
phase 1: proof of concept. Projects should last up to 15 weeks and range in size up to a total cost of £25,000 each
phase 2: demonstrator projects. Projects should last up to 9 months. They can range in size up to a total cost of £100,000 per project

The deadline to register for this competition is June 7, 2017. The deadline for submission of applications is 14 June 2017
LINK HERE for full details.

Time is short so if you are interested, register now!

BEES are in trouble – can you help? Join the Friends of the Earth’s Great British Bee Count until June 30, 2017. There’s a free app to help you get started in identifying and recording different species. By taking part, you’ll learn more about our brilliant bees and easy ways to help them. It’s also a great nature activity to do with children – encouraging them to get up close with these wonderful insects. Over 15,000 people took part in last year’s count.

 

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following an attempted burglary in Thame.

On 26.05.17 at 12:00 a property in Brookside was the target for an attempted burglary. No entry was gained.

If you have seen any suspicious looking vehicles or people in the area or have any information relating to this message, please call the police via the 24 hour non- emergency telephone number 101.

Alternatively, if you have any information but wish to remain anonymous, please call crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.