THE Co-ordinator behind the team that organised the The Thame Carnival and fete this year, Sue Martin Downhill, dropped into a recent assembly at Barley Hill School, to thank the school for its participation in the Thame Carnival 2016, and present special certificates to the children.
Sue Martin Downhill (right) with Headteacher Mrs Stopforth with pupil representatives
Barley Hill’s float in the Carnival parade was a riot of British weather, from sunshine and wind to rain, with all the children and adults taking part dressed in bright yellow, plastic ponchos.
The school’s PTFA had previously received £300 from the money raised from the carnival.
Other organisation that took part in the Carnival will soon be receiving their certificates. These include Kubota, for ‘Best float’, Thame Town Council, and the other two primary schools in Thame.
THAME’S award-winning High Street, a Rising Star winner in last year’s Great British High Street competion, has a chance to do even better this year – and win The Great British High Street of the Year 2016.
The competition is back and it is bigger and better. Once again judges will be looking for the nation’s best high streets and asking the public to help by voting for their winners. As well as the Rising Star Award for high streets that are taking their first steps turning around their fortunes, the organisers, the Association of Town and City Management, have introduced new categories seeking out the country’s High Street Heroes – examples of local business owners and store managers that are working hard for their towns and high streets.
Work on Thame’s application for The Great British High Street of the Year 2016, is already way and anyone who would like to nominate their own ‘High Street hero’ – examples of local business owners and store managers that are working hard for your towns and high street, can find the details and application forms HERE http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk/high-street-of-the-year-award
The Great British High Street’s purpose is to support those working to revive, adapt and diversify high streets. It is a Not for profit organisation which is government funded which aims to provide resources for high street regeneration, and ‘to celebrate innovative work going on in high streets across Britain’.
Everyone can get involved by using social media to share the good things about your town, share pictures and events etc, using the hashtag #gbhighst
The deadline for applications is September 9, 2016.
CARRIAGEWAY Maintenance will take place by Oxfordshire County Council Highways from Monday, August 8, 2016 with an anticipated completion date of Thursda,y August 11, 2016.
Limited access will be maintained for emergency services and for frontages within the closed section of road.
Suggested alternative route via A40, A418.
PREPARE for an ocean of fun at Thame Leisure Centre’s swimming sessions this summer and grab the chance to win some ‘Finding Dory’ goodies.
Disney, the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and Change4Life want your family to ‘Just Keep Moving…’ as they dive into a summer of activity inspired by the new Disney Pixar film, Finding Dory.
Families will have a whale of a time as they dive like Dory, splash like sea lions, and hide like Hank in a series of Finding Dory inspired activities based on core aquatic skills and led by a trained pool activator.
Better, the UK’s largest provider of public swimming pools, are delivering these sessions in 57 Better facilities across the UK including in the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse areas, Thame Leisure Centre, Didcot Wave Leisure Pool and Gym, Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool and Wantage Leisure Centre.
The bookable sessions, open to families of all ages and abilities, will be available betweem July 26 to September 4. Sessions are priced at £3 for adults and £2 for children, and will be held at Thame Leisure Centre on Tuesdays 9.15-10.00; Didcot Wave on Fridays from 9.30 to 10.30; Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool on Tuesdays 11.30-12.00 and Fridays 10.00-10.30/10.30-11.00 and Wantage Leisure Centre on Tuesdays from 14.00-15.00 and 15.00-16.00.
The first 50,000 children across the UK that attend three sessions will receive a Finding Dory branded swimming bag from reception. All you need to do is collect a loyalty card from reception at your first session which must then be stamped on three separate occasions to qualify for the bag.
You could also win a Finding Dory prize bundle worth £250 when you upload a photo via Instagram using #JustKeepMoving. The competition will have 10 winners selected every week, winning a prize bundle of £250 value of Finding Dory products.
Full terms and conditions of the offer and competition are available on the ASA and Disney link here: www.disney.co.uk/justkeepmoving
FORGET about Brexit! Thame and District Twinning Association’s 15-year friendship with Montesson, France, is as strong and enduring as ever. The group is currently taking bookings for it’s annual weekend away in Thame’s twin town, and has some spaces still available on the coach.
Members of Thame & district twinning Association man their stall at Thame Food Festival 2015
The weekend is from Friday, September 16, to Sunday, September 18, and costs just £100 per person – which includes all travel costs, accommodation, meals and a Saturday trip to somewhere really special in France.
If you would like to know more, contact Linda Emery via: Lindaemery@btinternet.com
THAME Town cricket club is preparing to throw open its ground and pavilion doors on Sunday, August 7, from 11am to 7pm, as part of a nationwide initiative, supported by Waitrose as part of national ECB campaign to help boost grassroots cricket participation and reach the broader community of Thame.
The club is inviting all local cricket fans and people who are interested in finding out more about the club, to head along to the ground for the day to watch some cricket, get involved in a range of taster sessions and enjoy some food and drink, in a bid to entice new members and volunteers to sign-up.
Matt Swain (TTCC Vice Chairman) “We are inviting people to come and join us at one of the most idyllic Cricket settings in the county, which is right on their doorstep. From 11am-6pm there will be a six- aside tournament, BBQ, drinks, Music and Bouncy Castle. From 1pm to 3pm we will have a FREE Cricket taster session in our three bay net facility for Girls and Boys of 6 to 16 years old plus adult Women.
“From 3pm to 5pm Chinnor Rugby Club will be having an open Rugby Tots session for 2 to 5 years old and at 6pm there will be a Hot Air Balloon ride. The event is for everyone. Come and join us in the heart of Thame next to St Mary’s Church, you will be most welcome.”
Former England captain and ECB Cricket Partnership Ambassador Mike Gatting, added: “Club Open Days have proven to be a fantastic way for cricket clubs to capitalise on the nation’s fervour for cricket during the summer. By opening their pavilion doors and showcasing what they have to offer to their local community, clubs will hopefully be able to inspire newcomers to come and join them. We want to inspire more players, volunteers and social members to come together and get into cricket.”
Thame Town CC runs three adult teams every weekend during the cricket season. The club also has a women’s team that plays on a Wednesday and Thursday evening and five junior sections that run on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. The club is a voluntary organisation which has ECB accreditation and 12 ECB qualified coaches plus a child welfare officer and a management committee.
SHOW homes up at the new Bloor Homes development in Oxford Road, Thame, known as Thame Meadows, will be open to the public on Saturday, August 6.
Computer-generated image of Bloor Homes’ Thame Meadows development
Bloor Homes report that a number of homes, which include two, three, four, and five bedroom properties, have already been reserved through its sales team based at testate agents, Connells and some further plots are due to be released for sale on the day of the site opening.
Visitors will be invited to explore the two, four-bedroom showhomes on the opening day, on what is Site F in Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan, a former pig farm.
Vanessa Macnee, Regional Sales Director at Bloor Homes South Midlands, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the response to our Thame Meadows development so far and we’re delighted to be opening our showhomes to the public.
“Demand for homes in this area is extremely high and that has been reflected in the number of enquiries we have received from prospective buyers. Thame Meadows is in an extremely attractive location and offers the perfect blend of town and country living, with excellent road links to Oxford, Aylesbury and Bicester, and direct trains to London in around 40 minutes.
“The homes at Thame Meadows have been carefully designed to complement their surroundings and offer the very best in modern open-plan living, and I would encourage house hunters to visit the development and see for themselves what this superb collection of homes has to offer.”
The development at Thame Meadows had already generated a great amount of interest even before construction work began, as a seven-month excavation of the site uncovered rare finds of artefacts dating back around 6,000 years to the Neolithic period (See news of an exhibition of these at Thame museum).
In addition to the 203 homes at the development, Bloor Homes will be providing financial contributions of more than £3 million for local services and infrastructure which will be paid over the lifecycle of the site.
The marketing suite at Thame Meadows will open at 10am on Saturday, August 6, at Oxford Road, Thame, 0X9 2DA. For more information call 01844 318553 or visit www.bloorhomes.com.
THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a burglary in Thame, Between 09:00 – 12:00 on Wednesday (20/7).
(Image for illustrative purposes only)
A property in Churchill Crescent was burgled. Entry was gained by smashing a window on the back door.
Offenders stole a camera and purse.
If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles 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 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.
OXFORDSHIRE’S council leaders, who have been in discussion about a possible unitary local authority, have issued a joint statement in the light of the new national government. The statement reads:
John Cotton, the current Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council
“With a new Prime Minister and new Secretary of State now in place and a number of pressing economic and policy issues to work through at national level, we recognise that it is sensible to take the time to understand how the government intends to take forward devolution and local government reorganisation in Oxfordshire and other areas, before presenting further proposals for reforming public services and changes to council structures in the county.
“Following discussions with civil servants last week, all the Oxfordshire councils have agreed to work together to discuss areas of common ground, assess potential options and establish whether we can agree a way forward building on the work we have both done to date. We have agreed to postpone publication of both the Grant Thornton and PWC studies, and to pause plans for consultation until these plans have been jointly developed.
Our aim has always been to seek investment in housing and transport infrastructure; to improves skills training and develop the local economy. This investment is needed if we are to reach our potential, and therefore agreeing a way forward with government is a high priority for all of us.”
OLLIE Dudley-Heidkamp, a Year 10, Lord Williams’s School student, finally showed his class by winning all his matches at the Racquets Junior One-Day Squash Tournament which took place on Saturday, (July 16) at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame.
Ollie was in a group of seven teenagers in the top grade ranging in age from 10 to 16, some from Racquets and some from other local clubs. Ollie just pipped Molly Woods by one point to win the grade. The match between Ollie and Molly showed how much the regular squash training sessions has improved the quality of their shots and their fitness. Previous winner, James Portsmouth, showed strength-of-mind staying focussed and calm while still recovering from surgery in the last four months.
In the lower grade, another seven players fought hard to try to bring down Chris Watts. Sue Martin-Downhill, coach of many of the juniors in the tournament, said: “Chris was too strong and will be moving up to the higher grade next tournament. He played all the matches in a fun and friendly manner making the tournament enjoyable for everyone.”
New comers to the game, Colm and Cameron Lambert, did extremely well. They both grasped all the concepts of returning to the T between shots and hitting down the line to keep the ball tight to the side walls. Cameron Law, a young player from Racquets, showed great confidence in his matches. Despite being much smaller than Colm and Cameron he managed to come out on top in very close matches.
Sue made special mention of young Cameron Law (bottom left) who overcame his initial nervousness before his match to go out there and play, and visibly grew in confidence as he took on older players in his matches that followed.
Sue concluded: “All the players joined in the spirit of the tournament with everyone competing strongly and having great fun. Every one learnt how to referee the games and made the job of the organiser, 12 year old Ollie Cartwright, much easier.”
Racquets is offering coaching,playing and training every weekday morning throughout the summer holidays. Give Sue or Simon Martin a call at the club on 01844 261754 if you would like to get involved in this great indoor sport.
The school’s PTFA had previously received £300 from the money raised from the carnival.
