QUEENS ROAD, Thame will be closed on October 18, 2017, Micro-Asphalt resurfacing, and Edgehill, Thame will be closed the following day, October 19, for resurfacing.
Here’s a link to useful map on Oxfordshire County Council’s website, show planned disruptions and roadworks for the next three months:
DOCTORS at The Rycote Practice in Thame, have voted to remain open to new patients, in a ballot currently circulating among GPS asking whether they would support industrial action.
A survey by the British Medical Association (BMA) last year revealed that the majority of GPs find their workload unsustainable, most surgeries are finding it difficult to recruit staff and that GPs are put off being partners (practice owners) by this workload. Last year NHS England published its strategy to support general practice over the next five years called The General Practice Forward View.
The Local Medical Committees (LMCs) from across the country debated the current pressures at its conference in May this year and proposed the following motion;
“That conference believes that the GP Forward View is failing to deliver the resources necessary to sustain general practice and demands that GPC ballot GPs as to whether they would be prepared to collectively close their lists in response to this crisis.”
As a result the BMA is currently undertaking a ballot asking practices whether GPs in England are willing to collectively close their practice lists or temporarily suspend new registrations.
Andy Jinman, Patient Participation Group Chair at The Rycote Practice, writing in the latest Patient Newsletter, explained why the GPs at the Rycote have made the decision to vote against the motion: “At the Rycote Practice we have very serious concerns about the funding for primary care and doubt whether the current strategy will be successful in averting a crisis. However we have voted NOT to take this action as we believe that it would be to the detriment of the population that we are here to serve. The Rycote Practice remains open to new registrations.”
CHINNOR’S last visit to Clifton back in March resulted in an unexpected victory for the home side; an outcome which Chinnor were determined not to be repeated. So, on a glorious day on Saturday, September 2, Chinnor went straight into the attack, driving forward from a five metre lineout and spinning out second phase possession for winger Phil Chesters to score in the corner for an unconverted try.
Clifton responded well but were tackled just short of the try line and were then awarded a penalty which was converted by fly half, Leversley.
Jonny Bentley’s astute kicking maintained Chinnor’s presence deep in the Clifton’s half, but unforced handling errors prevented Chinnor from scoring. The forwards’ pressure and drive took Ben Manning up to the try line where he was judged to be held up giving Chinnor a slender 3 – 5 point lead at half time.
Chinnor began the second half with both of their locks side-lined with injury. They played an expansive game allowing centre Nawaqaliva to penetrate the Clifton defence. The supporting pack drove forward switching the direction of play allowing skipper Danny Barnes to power himself over in the corner for an unconverted try. Minutes later, full back Kieran Goss counter-attacked with a 40 metre sprint down the right flank linking up with Barnes and Bentley who carried the ball up to the Clifton 22 metre line. The ball was then whipped out to the left wing for Phil Chesters to score his second try. Bentley converted to give Chinnor a convincing 3 – 17 lead.
Props Bingham and Price put in some impressive drives but Chinnor lost their dominance in the line out and lacked the possession required for further tries. Clifton’s Leversley made an outside break and took play up to Chinnor’s line where their skipper, No 8, Andy Chesters drove over for their first try converted by Leversley. This gave Clifton the confidence to attack with scrum half Spencer taking a quick penalty and exploiting gaps in Chinnor’s defence. He linked with his forwards who put lock, Harper, over for a try converted by Leversley and bringing the scores level at 17 each.
Clifton deprived Chinnor of possession and a deft grubber kick by Spencer put the ball bouncing into Chinnor’s 22 metre area where Clifton collected the ball to put full back Roberts over for their third try in 13 minutes. Leversley converted for a 24 – 17 lead.
With six minutes to go, Chinnor threw everything into attack with another Nawaqaliva break fuelling a forward drive towards Clifton’s try line where No 8, Alex Bradley, was dispossessed. Chinnor’s determination and swift handling eventually allowed Nawaqaliva to squeeze through Clifton’s defence for a last minute, bonus point try which Bentley converted to draw the game CLIFTON 24 – CHINNOR 24
Next week Chinnor face Henley at home in what promises to be an exciting encounter between the two local rivals at ‘fortress Chinnor’.
THAME Choral Society and its Director, Helen Swift, welcome new and returning singers to join them for the new season, which starts on Wednesday, September 6, when rehearsals for TCS’s Christmas Concert begin.
This year, as well as the usual carols and Christmas songs, the Christmas concert will include works by Handel, Mozart and Vaughan Williams. The Spring Term 2018, will be dedicated to Mendelssohn’s great oratorio, Elijah, culminating with a full performance with orchestra and soloists in April.
Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from 7.30 pm until 9.30 pm at the Methodist Church, Haddenham, and full details can be found on the TCS website at www.thamechoralsociety.org.uk.
Everyone is welcome and you won’t be asked to audition.
THE following road works in the Thame area are expected to cause ‘severe’ delays over the next few days:
PARK STREET,THAME – PARK STREET junc with EAST ST THAME OX93EG –
04/09/2017 00:00 08/09/2017 23:59 – Severe
PARK STREET, THAME – EAST ST junc with PARK ST THAME OX93EG PARK STREET THAME
04/09/2017 00:00 08/09/2017 23:59 – Severe
PARK STREET, THAME – OPP 49A PARK STREET THAME –
07/09/2017 00:00 11/09/2017 23:59 – Severe
KINGSTON HILL, CHINNOR – Kingston Hill, Kingston Blount KINGSTON HILL CHINNOR
04/09/2017 00:00 08/09/2017 23:59 – Severe
DELAYS can be expected in Wellington Street, Thame, for a couple of days due to temporary traffic lights in operation.
The pot holes in Wellington Street are being repaired !
AN inquest into the death of 18 year-old Luke Portsmouth, who was pronounced dead at the scene when the motorbike he was driving crashed in Thame, will be opened next Tuesday, September 5, 2017.
Luke was driving a black Kawasaki ZX Series motorbike along the A4129 Tythrop Way in Thame on August 28, when, according to the police, he is believed to have collided with a lamp post near the skate park at about 4.35pm.
IN a beautiful English garden in Thame this afternoon, a typical scene of friends enjoying scones with jam and cream on bone china plates, with pots of steaming tea. Nothing particularly unusual in that, but this afternoon was special for members of Thame and District Twinning Association.
For this afternoon was, what has become a regular late summer get-together, to discuss the passing of the year and to hear plans for the group’s annual visit to Thame’s twin town of Montesson, near Paris in two weeks’ time. News of future fund-raising activities, like the Montesson Christmas Market in late November, and Thame Twinning’s quiz with quizmaster Sue Boyle, on November 3, was received with great enthusiasm.
Despite the shock of the Brexit vote in June 2015, the twinning between Thame and Montesson remains strong, and the Thame ‘twinners’ were pleased to welcome Phillipa Tawn from the recently formed Thame for Europe Group and her two young daughters.
Thame District and Twinning Associations Chairperson, Linda Emery, thanked David and Cynthia Jackson for hosting the afternoon in their stunning garden, and particularly Cynthia for baking dozens of scones! Linda then presented the Jacksons with a very unusual potted Cyclamen plant as a token of the group’s appreciation.
Anyone interested in finding out more about Thame and Montesson twinning, can contact Linda Emery via: lindaemery@btinternet.com
OVER 60’s living in the Thame area are being invited to take a FREE ‘Functional Fitness MOT’ with a team of professionals, to test how fit they are compared to others of the same age.
The tests are very straight forward and include things like standing up from a seated position with your arms folded, seeing how far down your own back you can reach with each arm, hand grip strength, and how long you can stand on one leg! The results will give you an idea of whether you are ‘doing well’ compared to your peers or whether you could benefit from being a little more active. A pack given at the end of the MOT lists some local activity opportunities that you might like to join in with and some online websites for more information.
There will also be stalls from the following organisations to give information and advice:
AGE UK Oxford including the Community Information Network
Thame Leisure Centre including GO ACTIVE
The British Heart Foundation
Diabetes UK
Dementia Oxfordshire
Occupational Therapy
Local activity opportunities for the over 60s include Tai Chi at Christchurch, Thame, Chair-based activities at St Joseph’s Church, Thame, Health Walks from the Thame Barns Centre and Healthy Heart Circuit Classes for the Older Generation at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame.
Thame.Net’s Editor, Sonja Francis, went along for a dummy run with local Physiotherapist, Anita Clayton, to see for herself how the MOT worked and to try some of the fitness tests herself.
“Anita was very friendly and reassuring and explained the tests clearly and what they were designed to test,” said Sonja. None of them were difficult – they’re not designed to test you to the limit or cause any pain, and I didn’t feel judged in any way. Of course, being a middle-aged, fit-ish walker and cyclist I expected to pass with flying colours – which I did mainly, though one of the tests did show a bit of stiffness in my back which I shall now go away and work on. Anita recommended a spot of yoga or pilates.”
The purpose of maintaining as high a level of fitness as possible, and remaining as active as possible as we age, is of course to prevent health problems into the future. Avoiding falls and other accidents caused by losing balance, muscle weakness or medical emergencies like stroke and heart-attack, means less visits and stays in hospital which, not only is good for us, but is good for the over-stretched NHS and the other support services.
The Functional Fitness MOT Day is at Thame Town Hall on Friday, September 15th, from 9.30am to 12.30pm. You can either book by phoning Anita Clayton on 01844 217646 or just turn up.
THAME CINEMA FOR ALL have published their Autumn programme of films – and there are some real treats in store for you film fans out there.
Sunday September 24 – Hidden Figures – Celebrates the untold story of three brilliant African-American women, and their crucial contribution to the NASA space mission. Certificate PG. View trailer here.
Saturday September 30 – Frantz – Sumptuous romantic drama set in Germany and France, in the immediate aftermath of WW1. Certificate 12A. View trailer here.
Saturday October 7 – Their Finest – Bill Nighy and Gemma Arterton lead an all-star cast in funny and moving crowd-pleaser, about the the Ministry of Information’s propaganda film unit. Certificate 12A. View trailer here.
Saturday October 14 -In association with Thame Arts and Literature Festival, we present A Monster Calls and A Quiet Passion. For details and to book visit www.talfestival.org.
Saturday October 21- Letters from Baghdad – Dramatised documentary based on the life and letters of the extraordinary Gertrude Bell, the most powerful woman in the British Empire, and her role in re-shaping the Middle East after WW1. Certificate U. View trailer here.
Friday October 27 – The Other Side of Hope – Hilariously deadpan comic take on the refugee crisis: a Syrian asylum seeker escapes from a Finnish detention centre and finds refuge with a dour poker playing restauranteur. Certificate 12A. View trailer here.