THAME Town Council’s annual Grant Award scheme is open to local organisations in the Thame area. The scheme aims to fund projects that ‘address the needs, aspirations and issues of the people in our community’.
This year a total of £14,750 was awarded to various community and non-for-profit projects, all of which will benefit the community of Thame. The following organisations received a grant as part of this year’s Grant Awards:
Lighthouse Thame, Life Education Thames Valley, Lord Williams’s School Day Nursery, Oxfordshire Association for the Blind, Thame & District Day Centre, Thame Sports Club, Thame Youth Projects Group, Thame Youth Theatre.
Free use of the Town Council’s facilities was awarded to Thame Arts & Literature Festival and Thame & District Twinning Association.
Applications for next year’s Grant Awards will open in Spring 2018. More information about the Grant Awards scheme can be found at www.thametowncouncil.gov.uk/grant-aid
FOLLOWING the news that ex Spandau Ballet vocalist, Tony Hadley, is no longer available to officially open the Thame Town Music Festival tomorow (July 8), Thame’s Mayor, Tom Wyse, will do the honours.
Tom is a big music fan himself, but has promised not to sing!
THAME Town Council is looking into the feasibility of developing a local, community-owned site for affordable homes by forming a Community Land Trust.
A group of councillors and the Town Clerk recently met a representative from the CLT Network to learn about the options open to it, eg whether to provide wholly for rent or a mixture of sales and rent, and how the scheme works. Usually, the land is either bought by the community, leased from a land owner or sometimes given by a local benefactor, and any homes remain in the community for the community, aimed at providing affordable home for people with a connection to the town.
A presentation about CLTs will be given to the whole town council in the next few weeks, to help it decide the next step for Thame.
More information about the National Community Land Trust Network HERE
See an example of how CLTs are working for communities in East Cambridgeshire HERE
AFTER losing the toss, Thame struggled to build any momentum against a very well disciplined Rowant attack. Only Callum Russell (86, pictured) and Hassam Mushtaq (51) made double figures as Thame managed 181-9 – their cause not aided by two run outs.
In response, Rowant’s openers came out firing and it took the introduction of spin to remove both with the score on 50. However, from there on Rowant captain Josh Smith and overseas, James McDougall, took control. Their two very well controlled innings saw Rowant home for the loss of just two wickets.
Callum Russell, top scorer for TTCC’s first XI
Nonetheless, a very encouraging first half of the season see’s Thame sit fifth, just three points off second place. They host Datchet next week looking to get back to winning ways.
A return to winning ways for the seconds
THAME’S second XI faced rivals Dinton in a ‘must win’ game. Winning the toss and electing to bat, Thame got off to a strong start with openers Harry Thomas (41) and George Patey (44) both playing excellently. Despite losing wickets, Thame never really lost momentum with runs coming from Matt Furness (29), Dan Patey (22) and Richard Carr (40*), helping the team to reach a competitive target of 220.
In reply, Dinton never looked like threatening Thame’s total. Excellent bowling from Peter Tervet (3-37), Alaistair Thomas (5-36) and George Patey (2-8) made light work of Dinton’s batting line up, leading them 117 all out.
Thame second XI look to capitalise on recent good form against a strong Stokenchurch side next week.
Third XI lose top-of-the-table clash
HAVING won the toss Thame thirds elected to bat on what looked like a good batting track. Sadly, batting first, Thame only managed to post a below par score of 131. Christian Warwick top scored with 25 and James McStay batted well down the order for a solid 20.
In repl, the Thame team applied some good early pressure, restricting the home side and managing to take two early wickets thanks to some accurate seam bowling from Ian McStay (two wickets) and Ben Warwick. Unfortunately, five dropped catches proved very costly as Oxford Downs managed to reach the target in 26 overs, only losing two wickets. The batting honours for Oxford were shared by H Gillam (61) and T Ling (51).
Thame thirds now drop down to fourth place and hope to pick up points in the next match is against Kimble seconds.
Warwick hundred leads Sunday XI to friendly victory
A Thame XI, made up of a select few firsts and seconds alongside their third XI and Youth players, made the short journey to Tiddington for a 40-over friendly. Opting to bat first, the Warwick brothers provided the majority of Thame’s total of 232, with Christian (108) scoring his second hundred for the Meadowmen, alongside Ben who hit 81, in an epic partnership.
Early wickets for Jamie Wiles and Rob Tomlin made it a good start for Thame, but huge hitting looked to take Tiddington to the total with ease. Ben Warwick took three wickets to fight back, plus an excellent caught and bowled by Ben Buckland swayed the game in Thame’s favour before Buckland again, Lewis Ludlam and Adam Phippen’s two wickets meant Thame won by 30 runs.
Youth round-up
THAME Town Under 13s continued their winning streak with victory over Tiddington U13 last Thursday night (June 29). Thame batted first and on a difficult wicket reached a score of 101-7. The main contributors were Muncaster (22), Pember (17) and Carr (11*). In reply, Tiddington were always behind the required rate and despite a late rally finished on 91-6. Wilkins finished the leading bowler taking 2 for 3.
Tiddington won the toss against Thame Town U11s and chose to bat and their innings was held together by an assured innings by Jake Mackay (27, retired), with a late flourish from Artie Shrimpton getting the home side up to 78 for 7 from their 20 overs. The wickets were shared equally by Huxley Davis, Theo Ransby, Sam Berry and Archie Jacobs, with a good fielding display bringing 3 run outs. In reply, Thame made a measured start against accurate bowling, before Archie Jacobs accelerated the innings with 14.
Thame were then knocked back by two wickets from Finn, but the skipper, Luke Haye,s guided the side almost to the target with a composed 25 (retired). With scores level, the last single was scrambled on the first ball of the 19th over, Thame reaching 79 for the loss of 7 wickets. The two sides meet again on Sunday, July 9, in the last round of league matches.
NEARLY 120 talented young athletes based in South Oxfordshire or Vale of White Horse, including several from Thame and Chinnor, will benefit from a fund worth over £60,000 – thanks to charitable social enterprise GLL.
The athletes will be supported through the ground breaking GLL Sport Foundation (GSF), the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK.
Rebecca Hussey – Image courtesy of UK Athletics
The athlete awards cover Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, Special Olympic and Commonwealth sporting disciplines. With a staggering 89% of award recipients receiving no other sport funding and 73% of recipients being aged under 21, the Sport Foundation has highlighted a vital funding gap for young talented athletes currently competing and National and international levels.
The local young athletes set to benefit from the awards are:
Thame
· Liam Hester (13) – Kickboxing
· Elspeth Jackson (17) – Gymnastics : Acrobatics
· Linsey Smith (21) – Cricket
· Rebecca Hussey (24) – Athletics : Sprints
· David Gain (26) – Athletics : Sprints
· Joshua Williams (14) – Swimming
· Joel Bullivant (18) – Rowing
· Marcus Birmingham (16) – Swimming
· Henry Seed (12) – Fencing: Foil
· Ian Carter (54) – Kickboxing
· Jane Bell (58) – Triathlon
Chinnor
· Alex Robert-Cook (17) – Badminton
Graeme Thomas Foundation-supported Team GB rower and Tokyo 2020 hopeful, said, “This will be my third successive year being supported by the GLL Sport Foundation and I cannot thank them enough for their continued support. In the past two years I have had both hips operated on and this has meant regular pool time to maintain my aerobic fitness. With the GLL award I was able to regularly and easily use my local pool. The GLL award also helped me to update my equipment, most recently with new ‘skinny’ oars, and this year I will be upgrading my stroke meter to the new GPS type, which I hope will positively impact my training. I am no stranger to making comebacks from setbacks and hopefully in a year’s time I will confirm that year one of my four-year plan was a success with the help of GLL Sport Foundation.”
THAME and District Day Centre, the independent local charity which has met at Thame Community Hospital in East Street for the past 30 years is launching a new website.
The Centre’s manager for the past 11 years, Gill Coleman, said: “Our work is about keeping people in contact and this is a way we can aim to keep in touch with our supporters, potential volunteers, and yes, especially those who would like to attend the Centre and those who may be in position to help them or advise them. A downloadable referral form can be found under the tab “Joining us” and a donation button has been added, should anyone wish to help us continue the good work that we do.
“With this launch we are keeping up with our town and we are keeping up with the times!”
The bright and beautifully designed website, created by Chinnor Website, details the work of the Centre which meets three days a week. The site’s statement of Welcome says: “We provide a day out with plenty of refreshments, a two-course hot meal and a variety of entertainment for people from Thame and some nearby villages, who are elderly, frail or perhaps isolated.”
Gill added: “Members and volunteers who have been involved with the Centre over the years will testify that it does what it says – on the Website.
One volunteer driver said: “This place contributes to everyone’s enjoyment of life, including mine.”
The Centre meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 till 3pm at the Thame Community Hospital site in East Street, Thame.
SPANDAU Ballet frontman, Tony Hadley, will not now be opening the first Thame Town Musical Festival on Saturday (July 8).
Tony Hadley
Tony notified the festival organisers yesterday and today they released the following statement explaining why he has had to cry off:
“It is with great disappointment that we have to announce that Tony Hadley will be unable to come and open Thame Town Festival on Saturday as last minute changes to his band’s travel schedule means that he will be unable to get back to Thame from Wales and on to his concert on Saturday night in Southampton. Tony is very sorry to have let us down as he is a great supporter of both Thame and, of course, live music. Tony wishes the festival great success.”
It has been reported by the BBC that Tony Hadley announced on social media that he has left 1980s pop group Spandau Ballet, and “will not be performing” with them in the future.
In a facebook post he said: “I am required to state that I am no longer a member of the band”. He didn’t say why he was leaving, but blamed “circumstances beyond my control.”
The group, who scored hits with True and Gold, broke up acrimoniously in the 1990s but had reformed in 2009.
The remaining members of the band, according to the BBC, have put the blame for the latest split on Hadley’s shoulders, stating on their official website: “Much to our frustration, Tony had made it clear in September 2016 that he didn’t want to work with the band anymore. This has not changed and 2015 was the last time we were able to perform or work with him. So we have now made the decision to move on as a band.”
The search is now on for a musical VIP to replace Tony Hadley and come along to Thame at mid-day on Saturday to launch the Thane Music festival. If anyone has any connections with a celebrity who might consider stepping into the breach, contact the organisers via John Litter
THAME Players present this heart-warming re-imagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling. This fully orchestrated musical tells the story of Ugly, an aesthetically challenged duck, who finds himself pushed out by the other members of the duck-yard, leading him into an adventure that will see him discover the true meaning of what it is to be different.
Winner of multiple awards, including the 2000 Olivier Award for Best Musical (beating both The Lion King and Mamma Mia), this touching celebration of being different is sure to delight audiences with its sparkling wit and memorable score.
The cast includes 14 adults and eight children who play a range of delightful and less delightful characters, from frogs and geese to turkeys and mandarin ducks. Tom Mackriell, director of the Thame Players’ production, said: ” ‘Honk! has been an exciting and fun experience for everyone involved. Each cast member has taken on all the challenges given to them with passion and confidence – their commitment and enthusiasm will ensure this production is a big success.
The Ugly Duckling (Kathryn Head) with Cat (Derek Witchell) in rehearsal
“This is my third time of being involved with Honk! and each time I find something new and exciting about it. The story carries such important messages about inclusion and diversity, especially important in today’s society, so I think that Honk! will always remain poignant and current. I can’t wait to see it on the stage here in Thame.”
The other works of British writing duo, Stiles and Drewe, have exploded around the UK over the last few years and include Mary Poppins, Half a Sixpence, Betty Blue Eyes (based on the film A Private Function) and the soon-to-open Wind in the Willows. Honk! is guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face – no matter how horrendously ugly that smile may be.
Tickets cost £9 (concessions £8) and are available from Spear Travels, 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk
THAME’S very own Champion Market Retailer finalist, Chris Hurdman, is well known for his generosity in helping raise funds for local charities through market events and the Community Stall at the Tuesday market. But his next, personal venture is a real step up (literally!) with his daughter, Evie.
Chris and Evie Hurdman
On August 9, Evie and Chris will be climbing from Paphos Harbour to the peak of Mount Olympus climbing to 1952 meters over some 80km. The journey will be taken over four days. You can sponsor Chris and Evie and all donations will go to Helen and Douglas House.
Each hour that Helen and Douglas is open, it needs to raise around £600 – that’s 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The father and daughter pair hope to raise a total of £2400 – one hours’ funds for every day they climb.
THAME Youth Theatre is looking for a committed and reliable Drama teacher from September, 2017.
The hours would be Monday’s, 4pm to 6pm directing members ages 10-12.5. There is potential of a second class 6.30pm to 8.30pm for ages 12.5- 14.5.
“Thame Youth Theatre is incredibly passionate about helping members grow in confidence and helping them create shows each term,” said Paige Fox! “We need enthusiasm and passion!”
