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Category: Thame news

  • Hell or High Water at Thame Cinema

    THAME Cinema 4 All will be showing HELL OR HIGH WATER on Saturday, March 18. This 15 Certificate film is Directed by David Mackenzie,  and stars Jeff Bridges Ben Foster, Chris Pine, Katy Mixon.

    Film notes
    This droll and satirical western / heist / thriller was a nominee for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars, and while it might have had a lower profile that some of the other contenders, it was no less deserving of its place on the shortlist. Texas brothers Toby (the smart one) and Tanner (the ex-con loose cannon) get together after a prolonged period apart to stage a series of bank robberies. They are targeting branches of one bank: the bank that persuaded their father to sign away the family farm, and are now threatening to foreclose following the death of their mother. Meanwhile, Marcus, a crusty and cynical Texas Ranger, on the verge of a reluctant retirement, (Jeff Bridges) is hot on their heels with his partner Alberto, taking a sort of bleak relish in this last case.

    This film does not depart from the demands of the heist genre – which is to say that things will not go according to plan, and a showdown between hunter and hunted will ensue. And it is also a Western, revelling in the vast hard-baked Texan landscape, and reminiscent of the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men in its contemplation of the values of the old West, versus the values of the present. It has been described as a Western for the Occupy generation, taking a swipe at the financial institutions and sustained reckless corporate greed that has robbed the brothers and so many of their generation of a reliable future.

    Laced with acidic humour, great performances, a Nick Cave soundtrack and magnificent cinematography, the film scored 98% approval on the review website, Rotten Tomatoes. Watch the trailer here; LINK HERE

    This Saturday 18th March 8pm
    Film tickets are available on the door or online- CLICK HERE
    Note: The Players Theatre has a capacity is 130 seats. Up to 100 seats for pre-booking online are allocated, reserving 30 for those who prefer to buy on the door. N.B. When buying online there is no need to print-out the ticket nor to have this sent to your mobile as there will be a list of ticket sales at the box office. All seats are unreserved.

    Doors open half an hour before film starts at 7.30pm, admission £5, licensed bar
    Thame Cinema 4 All at Thame Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame.

  • South Oxfordshire Local Plan consultation – Have your say

    SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council will shortly launch a public consultation on its draft plan to meet future needs for housing and employment in the district.

    Its new Local Plan will explain where, and why, it considers new houses and employment should be located up until the year 2033. The draft plan will also explain how the district council will raise money to provide infrastructure for things like roads, schools, leisure centres, parks and shops.

    The draft plan is expected to include SODC’s preferred option for additional employment land in Thame, new convenience food retail space in Thame of up to 1,500m2, and an additional 600 new homes. The draft plan is also expected to support the proposal for the Cattle Market site, identified in the Thame neighbourhood Plan for a mixed-use redevelopment to include retail and other town centres uses. This allocation specifically excludes a foodstore. It will also propose that a review of the Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan should consider whether a small-format foodstore would be appropriate in this location to meet the need for additional convenience floorspace in the town.

    You can read the draft Local Plan on SODC’s website from Wednesday, March 29, at www.southoxon.gov.uk/localplan. You’ll also be able to find out more information about the plan, including details on how to provide your feedback. Paper copies of the plan will be available at libraries across the district as well as at SODC’s office during usual opening hours.

    The Local Plan will be available for you to comment on for seven weeks until May 17m 2017. The standard consultation period has been extended by one week to allow for the Easter holiday.

    SODC will also be holding a series of drop-in events for the public to go to and view the plans for themselves and to ask any questions they may have about the plan. These drop-in events will be held at:

     Didcot – Cornerstone, 1pm – 7pm on Wednesday, April 5, 2017
     Wallingford – Regal Centre, 3pm – 7pm on Friday, April 7, 2017
    Thame – Barns Centre, 10am – 4pm on Saturday, April 8, 2017
     Henley – The Christ Church Centre, 10am – 4pm on Saturday, April 22, 2017

    For more information, email SODC’s Planning department via policy@southoxon.gov.uk or call 01235 422600.

  • Primary Schools Tag Tournament

    CHINNOR RFC in Thame will be hosting a tag rugby tournament for local primary schools.

    Thirteen schools have taken up the club’s invitation to bring along teams of girls and boys in Years 5 & 6 (Unders 10s and Under 11s). The principles of Rugby will be at the core of this tournament: Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship. And fun of course!

    Contact Chinnor RFC’s Community Officer Carol Bradbrook-Taylor for more information. Carolbt@btinternet.com

  • Five reasons to keep Thame tidy!

    DID you know that around 2.25m pieces of litter are dropped on the streets of the UK every day? Thirty million tonnes of rubbish are collected from England’s streets each year and it costs councils more than £1bn a year to clean up?

    Members of Grace Church, Thame, help tidy Thame, 2016

    We can all do our bit to help bring this figure down. Saturday, March 25, is an important day in the local calendar because it’s time for the annual Thame Tidy and Moreton Muck-Out Day. Rosemary Bryant, organiser on behalf of 21st Century Thame, said: “We need as many people as possible to come along to the Town Hall on the day and help us tidy Thame and Moreton. Anyone can join in – young or old, individuals or groups; families welcome. Just come along any time between 10 am and 3 pm and collect litter pickers, hi-vis jackets, recycling and rubbish bags from the Thame Lions gazebo outside the Town Hall and get litter-picking!”

    Rosemary continued: “There will be eight drop-off points around the town where litter can be left and the Fire Service will help with collecting heavy items. Litter will be collected from the drop-off points by ASM and taken to the Recreation Ground at Southern Road for Biffa to collect on the followingMonday. So come and join us and help keep Thame litter-free! We are also grateful to our sponsors Unicarriers for their support of this event.”

    Rosemary pointed to five good reasons (with kind acknowledgements to Litter Heroes http://www.litterheroes.co.uk ) why you should come along and help pick litter in Thame and Moreton on Saturday, March 25.

    1. It’s enjoyable and a great excuse to get out in the fresh air, get some exercise and do something useful.
    2. You’ll make a big difference – twenty minutes litter picking can really transform an area. Today’s litter is so in-your-face that removing it makes a big difference.
    3. You’ll feel good – litter picking is surprisingly rewarding. It’s very satisfying to look back on a clean, rubbish free street and know it’s down to your efforts.
    4. You’ll help prevent further littering – studies have shown that people are less likely to drop litter in areas which are litter-free. By helping keep somewhere clean, you’ll discourage
    littering.
    5. Your countryside needs you – we live on a smal,l overcrowded island. We do not have so much open space and countryside that we can afford to trash it with litter. Today’s litter is very long-lived, it doesn’t rot or degrade in a hurry. If we don’t pick this stuff up it will still be there for our great-great grandchildren.

    She added: “Thame is a delightful place to live and we need to feel proud of our place by keeping it litter-free! Please join us on Saturday, March 25, and make a vital difference.”

  • Theatre sponsor for food festival shuttle service

    VISITORS to Thame Food Festival will be able to take a FREE shuttle bus service from the town centre to Thame show ground, where this year’s festival will be held over the weekend, September 30 and October 1.

    Waterside Theatre, Thame

    The service will be sponsored by Aylesbury Waterside Theatre and will run back and forth to the show ground every half an hour.  Aylesbury Waterside Theatre will also have a stall at the event, where visitors will be able to pick up the latest brochure and find out more about forthcoming events and shows.

    Festival Patron and Director, Lotte Duncan, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Aylesbury Waterside Theatre are on board with us this year; a fabulous venue where you can see many stunning performances in some amazing shows.

    “We are so happy to be able to offer the FREE bus shuttle service to our Festival visitors. It means that no one need miss out on what is going to be the best TFF ever!”

    For more details, or to get involved by sponsoring or supporting this year’s festival, go to www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk.

  • Thame businesses shine in new business awards 2017

    THREE Thame Businesses have reached the final ten in the recent Southern Oxfordshire New Business Competition 2017, organised by Jennings, commercial property landlords and business mentors, and supported by Olympic rowing gold medalist, Tim Foster MBE.

    Thame Photographer, Mark Hewitson

    The Thame finalist are Mark Hewitson Photography Ltd, based in Thame, Tekat, and The Deli at No: 5, in Buttermarket, Thame. Mark Hewitson now has his own studio and is fulfilling is childhood dream, creating beautiful imagery of families, children and animals.

    Tekat started as a web design business but has grown to offer websites for mobile devices, alongside services including search engine optimisation, online security and branding advice.

    The Deli at No: 5, after taking the plunge and turning their love of quality foods into a business that offers a wide range of hand sourced produce from the UK, is a developing family business.

    SONBC Finalist, Mark Hewitson, added: “I am honoured and humbled to be a finalist in SONBC. Since our opening last year we have gone from strength to strength. Winning this award would provide recognition of our place among the finest South Oxfordshire businesses while the support provided in the prize package will no doubt assist with ensuring our continued future growth.”

     

     

    The eventual SONBC winner will be presented with an award by Tim Foster and his wife Joy (founder of digital start-up resource agency, Tech Pixies, and social enterprise Made with Joy) on April 7, 2017.

    The winner’s prize package, worth over £10,000, will include:
    * A free Jennings office or workshop for a year at Monument Park in Chalgrove (or virtual      office if better suited to the winner) in addition to a business mentoring package from         Jennings Business Mentors
    * Website, brand and marketing consultancy from Blooberry Design
    * Professional IT consultancy including Cloud set-up for all devices from Ask4Support Ltd
    * Social media mentoring from Mushroom Soufflé
    * Guidance from Clark Howes accountants and business advisors

    Chris Williams, commercial manager for organiser and sponsor, Jennings, said: “The SONBC 2017 finalists represent a diverse number of sectors, but all share a passion for making a success of their business. We would like to offer our congratulations to all finalists who should feel proud to have got this far on what we hope will be a long prosperous business journey. Whittling down our class of ten to just one winner and runner up will be a tough process for the SONBC judges.”

  • New Lib Dem candidates for Thame and Chinnor

    THE local Liberal Democrat party has two new candidates who will soon be out and about knocking on doors to hear what the people of Thame and Chinnor care about.

    Kate Gregory (L) and Gaby Oatway

    Kate Gregory and Gaby Oatway are standing in the Oxfordshire County Council elections on May 4. Both candidates are new to the party and politics. Kate lives in Thame with her husband and two children. She currently works as a Project Manager and feels her negotiating skills, and working within tight budgets will be useful if she were elected as councillor.

    Kate often catches the train from Haddenham and feels a cycle route between Thame and Haddenham is very important. “Every time I drive to the station and see cyclists making their way in the dark I am terrified for them – it’s so dangerous,” she said. Kate is an avid member of the PTFA at her children’s school and has helped organise a number of events throughout the school year.

    Kate feels very passionate about children centres and how important they are to new parents. She used the one in Thame weekly when her children were young and received a lot of support especially during those first few months.

    Gaby has lived in Chinnor for 16 years. She is married to Roy and they have one son. She worked in local government for a number of years and is now employed in financial admin and feels the need to work to tight deadlines and prioritise will be very useful if elected as councillor. She enjoyed six years as Chair and Treasurer of the Parent Teacher Association at her son’s school, leading fund raising activities for school improvements.

    Gaby is a keen and active Jazzerciser in Thame and Chinnor. “I regularly travel to my classes in the village and I am fully aware of the traffic problems within Chinnor and I am supportive of this being addressed in the Neighbourhood Plan,” she said.

    Both Kate & Gaby will be out knocking on doors and listening to what the people of Thame and Chinnor want.

    To learn more about the two candidates and their campaign, visit www.facebook.com/KateGabyMay4

  • Comedy fundraiser for Red Nose Day in Thame

    COMING to the Players Theatre, Thame soon! A double bill of fantastic up-and-coming comedians Robin Morgan and Glenn Moore with their hugely popular Edinburgh Fringe shows.

    MC for the evening will be local comedian, Andy Gleeks. Tickets are £12 (or £10 if four or more purchased) available from 01844 217228 or www.thameplayers.co.uk. It definitely promises to be a fun night and a great way to raise some money for a good cause!

    Online link for tickets is: http://thameplayers.co.uk/robin-morgan-glenn-moore/

  • Sunshine & Smiles at the CMK Swimming Club Spring Open Meet

    AS the sunshine filled Bletchley Leisure Centre, a squad of 23 Thame swimmers took to the water to compete in the annual CMKSC Spring Open Meet.

    Under the guidance of Head Coach Ian Blyth and Coach Iain Phillips, all the swimmers rose to the occasion and put in some fantastic performances. “It was so rewarding to see the smiles so wide and the genuine happiness of the swimmers after their races,” said club spokesperson, Helen Williams. “Great camaraderie was in evidence too with lots of cheering by all the team.”

    The officials were Rachel Humphreys, Rachel Mould, Michele Block and Phil Evans, and Helen Birmingham was Thame’s Team Managrt for the very first time.

    Notable call-outs include:

    – Martha Block for knocking an amazing 12 seconds off her 100 IM time and to Louise Birmingham for swimming under two minutes for the first time    in the same event.  Mayur Humphreys also took a whopping 16 seconds off his 100 IM personal best time too.
    – George Pearson for his amazing 18 second PB in the 200 Fly event
    – Oliver Humphreys and Jack Allman for both swimming under 40 seconds for the first time in their 50 Freestyle. Jack Allman also swam under a
    minute for the first time in his 50 Breaststroke.
    – All of the following swimmers who swam events for the very first time:
    Thomas Collins (100 Breaststroke, 100 IM); Isabella Johnston (50 Fly); Ben Mould (400 Free); Katelin Phillips (400 IM); Jack Allman (100 IM, 100   Breaststroke); Oliver Humphreys (100 Breaststroke); Martha Block (200 Free); Heather Sluka (200 Free) and Louise Birmingham (100
    Breaststroke).

     

  • Your chance to design Thame’s town flag!

    FOLLOWING a rebrand recently, Thame Town Council has launched a Thame Town Flag design competition, open to anyone working, living or studying in Thame.

    Back In 2016, the council installed a Flag Pole outside the Town Hall from where various flags are flown to mark special and significant occasions throughout the year. However, the Flag Pole is not used all the time and the Town Council, with the help from the people of Thame, want to change that.

    In line with the council’s re-branding, it would like the new flag to incorporate its branding colours and incorporate in some way the town logo/crest in the design of the flag.

    How to enter

    A Design Pack is available from the Town Council’s website or from the the town hall, which includes templates for A4 hand-drawn designs, competition terms and conditions and the colour palette and logo/crest. Designs can either be submitted electronically to info@thametowncouncil.gov.uk, or dropped in to the town hall in person.

    The competition is open from Monday, March 13 to Monday, April 10.

    Go to www.thametowncouncil.gov.uk/flag-competition after MONDAY to download a Design Pack and for more information