A charity match between local pubs involving dolls, legs, blobs, sticks and irons has raised £1,525 in aid of Leukaemia CARE.
The Rising Sun in Ickford hosted the special Aunt Sally event, where two teams throw sticks at a wooden ‘doll’ to try and knock it off its iron post over three legs (innings). The opposing team was from The Pheasant at Brill, which held the inaugural match last year and raised £1,800 for SIDS research (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Both pubs play in local leagues, and the Aunt Sally Charity Challenge is now an annual fixture between them to round off the season.
The idea came from the team captains Mick Glover (Pheasant) and Keith Child (Rising Sun), who said: “It was a great evening with up to 16 people in each team which would usually only field eight! We held an auction after the match but we added to the funds by fining players who ‘blobbed’ (failed to score) during each of the three legs.”
Aunt Sally is predominantly played in Oxfordshire, so it is unusual that both The Rising Sun and The Pheasant are in Bucks. The Rising Sun was the winner of the Aylesbury Vale Village Pub Competition last year, and runner-up Best Family Pub.
This year the chosen charity was Leukaemia CARE which provides information and support services to those affected by blood and lymphatic cancers. The picture shows Carole Hickman from Thame (right) whose daughter suffered with the disorder earlier this year. Carol accepted the cheque on behalf of the charity from Jan Thomas of The Rising Sun.
THAME’S independent Opticians, Ivan R Cammack Optometrist, is supporting Oxford-based charity Helen & Douglas House in the run-up to Christmas. The practice is asking members of the public to bring a gift to the Greyhound Walk branch in Thame from December 3.
The gifts will be collected until December 19, and given to seriously ill children and young adults and their carers, many of whom will be spending some of the festive season in hospice care.
Image courtesy of Bicester Innovation Centre
Ivan R Cammack Optometrist are looking for unwrapped gifts of all varieties, including makeup and toiletries, DVDs, arts and crafts equipment and cash donations. For every gift that is collected, the practice will also make a financial donation to Fight for Sight, a charity that aims to stop sight loss through pioneering research and fundraising.
“Many families will spend time in the hospice during the Christmas period and we want to make sure that their Christmases are still magical,” said Ivan Cammack, owner and Optometrist at Ivan R Cammack Optometrist. “When you’re doing your Christmas shopping this year, please consider adding an extra item to your shopping basket and bringing it along to the practice so we can help Helen & Douglas House with their fantastic work.”
“Helen & Douglas House offer medical, emotional and practical support to families and children with life limiting illnesses who need respite and hospice care,” said Helen Archer, Community Fundraiser for Helen & Douglas House. “We would like to encourage local residents to support us by donating whatever they can afford to the collection point at Ivan R Cammack Optometrist in Thame; every donation will go directly to a family in need.”
THE popular Beatles tribute band, The Dung Beatles will be the 10pm Feature Act at the next First Thursday Music Club in Thame, at The Stables, on the evening of December 3 – and its FREE!
According to Terry Bloxham of The British Beatles Fan Club: “The Dung Beatles are pure unadulterated fun….definitely not your average Beatles tribute band.” Since they formed in early 2013, The Dung Beatles have played extensively at festivals – including Towersey, theatres, clubs, corporate and private events. The same year, they played live on BBC Radio and in 2014 performed at Liverpool’s world famous Cavern Club. Recently this year they were the closing act on the main stage at the Cambridge Trinity Hall June Event 2015, playing to a packed house of over a thousand students, on the same bill as Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac.
Last month, out of a total of 15 acts during the course of the evening, six artists made their debut at FTMC whilst local news hound, Hayley O’Keeffe, sang and played in public for the first time ever!
Entrance, as always is completely FREE! First time amateurs through to full time professionals, and any genre of music, are welcome. The club has a full house PA system with keyboard, bass amp, guitar amp, cocktail drum kit all set up. Just turn up and plug in! Player sign up is between 7.30 pm and 7.45pm.
OPERATION Christmas Child, which is a charitable campaign run by Samaritan’s Purse, collects and sends Christmas wrapped shoe boxes filled with goodies for needy children aged 2 – 14 years, living in parts of Africa, Asia & Eastern Europe.
Volunteers at the Thame warehouse of Operation Christmas Child
The charity now has a local warehouse in Thame, at Gregory Distribution, in Rycote Lane. Boxes are donated by churches, schools, local businesses, community groups and individuals, all of whom give up a little time, effort and money to contribute to this cause. Volunteers help out in many ways by working at the warehouse, collecting boxes, wrapping and filling shoe boxes, knitting, sewing and making other useful things at home.
For anyone who would like to contribute a Christmas box, the empty shoeboxes can be collected from most shoe shops. They are then wrapped in Christmas paper and filled with all sorts of lovely gifts ranging from toiletries (toothbrush & paste, soap, flannel, wash-bag), woollies (hat, scarf, gloves, socks), stationery (paper, writing/drawing pads, pens, pencils, chalk, crayons, felts, case, ruler, eraser and sharpener), sweets (with sell by date beyond March 2016), toys (balls, doll, car), puzzles, skipping rope, hand puppet, musical toy, figures, picture books, etc and of course a cuddly toy.
Every box has to be checked at the warehouse and a small percentage of boxes need to be topped up with ‘fillers’ when necessary. In order to do this we rely on donations of all of the above and would be so grateful to any individuals or local businesses who are able to provide us with these.
Anyone wishing to donate fillers or become a volunteer should contact the warehouse or to find out more please visit www.operationshristmaschild.org.uk The warehouse can be found as you leave Thame on the Oxford Road, you take the first exit from the big roundabout going towards Great Milton. You pass the Ford Garage on the right, then ASM after the bend in the road is Gregory’s.
This year the charity is aiming to send 10,000 boxes to children in Zambia but are also distributing up to 25,000 to help neighbouring districts out as they have not been lucky enough to find a warehouse this year.
A rise in car parking charges across the district are to be considered by the Cabinet of South Oxfordshire District Council, at its meeting on Thursday, December 3.
Officers have calculated that car parking is likely to be running at a loss in a few of years as car park running costs are rising faster than income.
Since there has been no rise in car parking fees since 2007, a modest rise of 10p or 20p across all tariffs is being recommended which would increase the income from car parks by up to £98,000 per year. The Cabinet will also consider installing two electric car charging points, one in Henley and one in Wallingford, for which no charge would be made for the time spent recharging electric vehicles. This move would be consistant with SODC’s low emissions policy, particularly in the two towns which have been designated as ‘Air Quality Management Areas’ after very high levels of noxious fumes from vehicles have been identified in them.
To read the full report to be presented to Cabinet on December 3, LINK HERE
John and Tess Davie demonstrate the games they have invented
FOLLOWING the news that nine year-old Alice Grapes from Chearsley, has reached the final stage of a national competition to invent a new game (SEE LINK), it seems that there are more young games inventors in the Thame area.
John and Tess Davie from Thame have both also been shortlisted for the Brainbox games Young Games Designer of the year award.
The siblings love playing board and card games, and both came up with imaginative, fun games for the whole family to play. Tess, whose game, Gold Rush, is an exciting chase game, said being on the national shortlist was ‘brilliant’. Her older brother John said: “I’m really pleased that people might get to play our games and enjoy the ideas we’ve had.” John’s game is a card game in which players make different potions, and it’s his second game to be shortlisted for the prize.
The competition winner gets to have their game manufactured by Brainbox Games, and will win a pile of games as high as they are! If either of the siblings wins this prize, they will donate the games to their school, John Hampden Primary in Thame.
CHINNOR RFC recorded their first home victory of the season on Saturday (21/11), scoring five tries in a 31-17 defeat of Clifton.
Solidarity with Paris shown before the match on Saturday at Chinnor Rugby Club
Clifton were first on the scoreboard with a converted try from Sam Harrison who came from deep behind dummy runners to find a hole in the Chinnor defence. Chinnor drew level on 24 minutes when debutant fly half Kieran Goss weaved through the visiting defence to put Jake Olley in under the posts for a converted try. Chinnor went into a 12-7 lead just four minutes later when a fine rapid handling move saw Lloret in at the corner. The conversion from Heath increased the Chinnor lead to 14-7. With most of the play in the Clifton half, a penalty goal from Clifton’s Barnes just before half time saw the visitors close the deficit to 14-10 at the break.
After 10 minutes of the second half, a neat line break from the visitors and an inside pass to To’oala saw the former Chinnor favourite put Clifton ahead 15-14. Barnes’ conversion put Clifton ahead 17-15. Chinnor began to play accurately at pace and came back through the increasingly influential Goss whose break led to a try for Goodfellow on 56 minutes. Heath’s conversion put Chinnor back in the lead 21-17 with 57 minutes played. Chinnor dominated the last quarter and Heath got on the end of a long miss pass to go in at the corner on 64 minutes to increase the home lead to 26-17. Chinnor then spent most of the remaining time battering a most resilient Clifton defence. However, despite their sustained endeavours, it took until the 80th minute for Chinnor’s last score when Heath again went over for a try from a quickly taken tap penalty to finish the match for a 31 -17 victory to Chinnor.
Clifton, particularly in the backs, played some accurate and pacey football but struggled to find territory and a forgiving defence. Chinnor’s victory was founded on a cohesive display from the forwards with the omnipresent Manning leading the charge. However, it was the backs who contributed all the points. Oscar Heath, back after a long time out, showed how much the club has missed him, contributing 16 points on the day. It took a most impressive debut to shade Oscar Heath’s comprehensive performance but new boy Kieran Goss at fly half pulled all the strings and kept Chinnor on the front foot throughout and is deservedly man of the match.
Chinnor
Oscar Heath, Salva Lloret, Junior Fatialofa, Jake Olley, Kieran Goss, Frank Jones, Samuel Fisher, Jamie Townsend, Andy Darlington, Daz Oliver, Ben Manning, Andy Tibbatts, Ryan Long, James Tyas (c)
Interchanges: Mark Darlington, Jay Tyack, Tom Burns, Greg Goodfellow, Alex Dancer
Clifton
Callum Roberts, Alan Wheller, Sam Harrison, Danny Wells, Elias Caven, Bradley Barnes, Mitch Spencer, Jordan Brodley, Jack Williams, Josh Ibuanokpe, Gavin Curry, Andy Cannock, Joe Quinn (c), Mike Uren, Alfie To’oala
Interchanges: Alex Giltrow, David Wheeler, Louis Wolfe, William Pomphrey, Sam Boyland
SMALL businesses in Thame (up to a £10 million turnover) are being offered the opportunity to meet and exchange information with other small businesses in the area, and for those thinking of starting a new business, to be inspired.
Nationally, Small Business Saturday 2015, is on Saturday, December 5, and throughout the day in Thame, tailor-made events and workshops, drop-in business surgeries, high street displays, and networking opportunities will be taking place.
The Mayor of Thame, Nichola Dixon and Thame’s MP, John Howell, will be at a special reception from 12 midday to toast Thame’s award as a Rising Star in the Great British High Streets competition 2015, including the cutting of a special celebration cake.
Many of the independent retailers in the town are getting behind Small Business Saturday with special activities going on in their shops throughout the day. What’s Cooking in Cornmarket will have a festive stall outside the shop with mulled cider, Christmas tastings, Gift inspiration, with examples of their bespoke gift hampers, Christmas cheeseboard ideas with top tips from ourtheir cheese expert (10am to 3pm) and hot soup.
My Sweet Art Creations in Swan Walk will be hosting a raffle from 10am, to win a sweetie Christmas hamper worth over £100. The winning ticket will be drawn at 3pm sharp. Tickets can be purchased in the shop and all proceeds will be going to Helen and Douglas House charity. Workshops and drop in sessions will be running thoughout the day. Booking not essential but for parties of four or more, do pop in to check availability.
Fitch and Fellows in East Street, Thame, (opposite the Cross Keys pub) will be making customised leather dog collars all day and demonstrating leatherwork.
For more information about the programme of events for this special day for small businesses, visit the Small Business Saturday Thame facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Thame.Smallbiz2015/
