Category: Missed a ThameNews story?

ONE of Thame’s longest running pre-schools, First Steps Pre-school, celebrated its 30th anniversary at Christmas.

Father Christmas and the parents joined in the celebrations at the party, held on December16. The current owners, Sheena Beard and Tracey Daubney, have been in charge for the best part of 20 years and hope to continue for many more.

Sheena explained: “During that time, the group must have had at least 1000 children through the doors. We meet at the Guide Head Quarters in Southern Road, Thame, Monday – Friday mornings 9.15-12.15 during term time, and also run three lunch club sessions.

Sheena added: “We have seen many groups come and go and we are proud to have been educating children for so long.”

To contact the group for further information, ring 01844 261335.

A leaving party for the departing manager of the Thame Oxfam Bookshop, was held at The Swan Hotel in Thame just before Christmas, with almost 80 volunteers and special guests.

Dick Jennens, who has managed the shop for 15 years, was visibly moved by the many presents he was given, including a book of comments and memories, filled in by most of those who have worked with Dick over the years.

Afterwards, Dick said: “My lasting memory of Thame Oxfam bookshop over the fifteen years is simply, people’s overwhelming generosity. Whether it is the 20 thousand people who willing gave us lots and lots of books, often, knowingly – valuable ones and then gift aided the donation, or the hundreds of volunteers who gave there time, worked hard [despite the tea breaks!] put up with the grumpy manager – but give enormous effort, or the donors who gave lots of cash in times of emergency. So a big thank you to them all.

THE NHS 111 non-emergency telephone service in the Thames Valley area reports experiencing an extremely high volume of calls over the last 24 hours with up to 1,000 calls an hour at peak times.

Members of the public needing urgent health advice are asked not to abandon their call but to continue trying the service or to check availability of other services such as pharmacies and GP out of hours (details of which can be found on http://www.nhs.uk/service-search).

Peak times for NHS 111 are mid-morning and early evening and callers may find they get through to the service more quickly if they try at other times if they are seeking advice and reassurance for a health condition.

A flood alert has this evening been issued by The Environment Agency, for the River Thame, which has continued to rise at Thame Bridge and Dorchester and is expected to continue to rise overnight.

Flood water may flow out into some low lying areas, warns the agency, but no property flooding is expected.  The weather forecast is for further rain over the next few days. LINK HERE

A ‘Flood Alert’ means that flooding is possible and so, ‘be prepared’.

To see a map covering the area of this warning, and for more information, visit: https://flood-warning-information.service

THAME market is in line for a Market of the Year Award, and there are only 10 days left for voting in this National competition!

The market has been nominated for the prestigious Small Market of the Year Award (a market with less than 50 stalls). Chris Hurdman, who is Secretary of the Thame Market Traders Cooperative, said: ” There is no doubt in my mind that Thame Market is the Best Small Outdoor Market in the country. With innovations such as the Community Day and the Community and Producers stalls, I think we have a great chance of winning.

“The support we receive from the community every week proves to us that Thame Market is loved and valued by the community it serves. Having traded on all of Oxfordshires and many other markets over the last 30 years, I am always humbled and proud of the support of the local community in and around Thame for THIER market.’’

Thame Market has been an industry leader for many years being the first trader operated market in the country with innovations such as the yearly Community Day, free stalls for community groups and its very own producers stall. This year Thame Market Traders Cooperative, in partnership with Bucks recycling, reached its goal of recycling an impressive 98% of all waste generated on the market.

Simply go to www.nabma.com/britainsfavouritemarket/ and vote for Thame Market.

Previously on Thame.Net

A plaque on the wall in St Mary’s Church, Thame, commemorates Warrant Officer Joseph Arthur Castle, who died in 1957 whilst serving in the Cyprus Conflict, and on Sunday morning (December 20) a cross was placed at his grave on behalf of the Thame Remembers project, by Ann & Adrian Dite from Thame.

The original plan had been to deliver a wreath at the Cyprus Memorial in Kyrenia but, with a little more research, Thame Remembers found Joe’s grave is in the Old Christian Cemetery in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.

News spread through the ex-pat community in Bahrain when Gulf Weekly magazine ran a superb two page spread about Thame Remembers and the impending cross delivery, perhaps partly inspired by the editor’s early career as a reporter in Thame. Local media also featured the story which was somehow seen by Joe’s nephew, currently living in Australia, who made contact with the project and has helped with more background information and a photograph.