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Category: Thame news

  • Air Ambulance charity games cafe in memory of Barnaby

    FOLLOWING the tragic death of four year-old Barnaby Cork in December, a JustGiving fund set up by his father Stefan, in support of the air ambulance, has raised over £27,000.

    To support this fundraising effort, Thame resident, Max Davie, supported by Cornerstone Baptist Church, is holding a Pop Up Board Game Café, on Sunday, February 5, at John Hampden School, Thame, in the Vernon Hall, between 3 – 6pm.

    “It costs £10,000 every time the air ambulance takes off in an emergency,” said Max, “and this is all funded by charitable giving and fundraisers. We want to support this wonderful cause to ensure that the Air Ambulance can continue to provide emergency help whenever needed.”

    Thames Valley Air Ambulance operates 365 days a year saving lives but doesn’t receive any Government or lottery funding. It costs £2.2 million pounds a year to keep in the air and this is only possible through charitable giving, pubic sponsorship and fund raising events.

    The Pop up Board Game Café is suitable for all ages, and will offer a perfect opportunity for friends and family to crowd around a table in a battle of wits, or simply to have some fun. In recent years board games have seen a renaissance, with thousands of titles released each year. There will be plenty of choice of games to play from the more traditional like Jenga and Buckaroo, to the less well known such as Ticket to Ride, Small World and Settlers of Catan. Game Waiters will be on hand to help with setting up and playing less familiar games.

    Refreshments and a sandwich tea will be available and there will be a raffle for some great board games.

    “It’s amazing how the community has come together to support this fantastic cause”, said Max. “John Hampden school has allowed us the use of their hall without charge, and raffle prizes have been donated by Thirsty Meeples Board game café, Osprey Games and Oxford Games Company, which means that every penny given can be donated to the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.”

    Four-year-old Barnaby Cork was fatally injured in a collision with a car in Thame on Saturday, December 10, outside Thame Leisure Centre.

  • The Beatles Story: Eight Days A Week

    THAME Cinema 4 All, have received approval to show the Beatles documentary, Eight Days a Week, on February 5 (subject to very strict Copyright constraints to the publicity images used and the film’s synopsis. So, here goes:

    Copyright : © 2016 Apple Corps Limited. Distributed by STUDIOCANAL LIMITED

     

     

    “In 1962 four young men – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – came together to form the 20th century musical phenomenon known as ‘The Beatles’. The band stormed Europe in 1963 and, in 1964, they conquered America.

    “Their groundbreaking world tours changed global youth culture forever and, arguably, invented mass entertainment as we know it today. All the while, the group were composing and recording a series of extraordinarily successful singles and albums. However, the relentless pressure of such unprecedented fame (which in 1966 became uncontrollable turmoil) led to the decision to stop touring.

    “In the ensuing years, The Beatles were then free to focus on a series of albums that changed the face of recorded music. Master storyteller and Oscar winner, Ron Howard, explores this incredible journey in his own unique way: How did The Beatles do this? How did they cope with all the fame and pressure? How did they not only survive, but go on to revolutionise popular music?

    “With original interviews, footage, staggering live performances, and the intimate study of character that Ron Howard is known for, he puts us right inside this extraordinary adventure, answering the question everyone always wants to know: What was it like to be there?”

    Copyright : © 2016 Apple Corps Limited. Distributed by STUDIOCANAL LIMITED

  • Improvements to Thame’s Elms Park on-hold

    FOLLOWING the withdrawal of a planning application for a care home on parkland at The Elms, off Thame Upper High Street, improved recreation facilities at Elms Park itself next door, have been put on-hold.

    View of The main house at The Elms from Elms Park, Thame

    In a report to town councillors, the Town Clerk, Graham Hunt, stated: “The Elms Park Improvement project is now on hold until there is more clarity on available funding. A large part of the funds are dependent on a section 106 contribution from the development (Ed. Developer, Rectory Homes) of the adjacent site at The Elms. Planning permission remains for the original application for 37 dwellings.

    “The subsequent planning application for Extra Care housing at The Elms has been withdrawn.

    “The work by the Open Spaces Working Group on the Elms Improvement Project has now been concluded. There have been various suggestions (and agreements) that the Working Group should now turn its attention to more general litter, dog fouling and bye law issues. An initial meeting to commence that work will be arranged in due course.”

    You can read the back-story to the proposed Elms Park development and associated proposals for the public park next door, HERE

    The Town Clerk’s report will be discussed tonight (January 24) at Thame Town Council’s Community, Leisure and Recreation committee’s meeting at the town hall, at 6.30pm.

  • Musician subjected to ‘drive-by’ shooting

    SINGER-Songwriter, Nikki Loy, a popular and regular performer at Thame’s First Thursday Music Club, has talking about her terror at being the victim of a drive-by shooting.

    Singer-songwriter, Nikki Loy

    Writing on her website, Nikki wrote: “Luna Van Blanc (my van) and I were the victims of a drive by shooting! Sounds mad doesn’t it! Hard to believe but it happened.

    “On Friday night (January 20), I pulled over beside Swanbourne Lake in Arundel to make some dinner and put away my laundry. I’d been stopped there for about two hours when I heard a car with a loud exhaust race by, and a BIG bang. I jumped out of my skin, it was so unexpected. Then a sound I remember from the break in last tour – Falling glass. My van was hit. I wondered what the hell happened. Nervously I investigated and discovered my kitchen window, the biggest and most expensive was shattered. Something from the passing car had broken it. As it was too high to be a ricocheted stone I had to presume foul play.

    “I won’t lie – that properly scared me! So with heart pounding I jumped in the driver’s seat and started the engine. I spun Luna round to search the spot expecting to find a beer bottle or the like, there’s a pub just down the end of that dead end street. But there was nothing, no sign of any kind of projectile. I didn’t dare get out incase they came back and I wasn’t going to stay, so I drove on… I didn’t stop until I found a safe place near a friend. I was totally unequipped to board up the broken window in the middle of the night – I’d run out of everything. In the end a Jennifer Hamley handbag box and a lot of sellotape did the trick. It was not a fun job. It was -3 degrees out and a big hole in my camper was really the last thing I needed – that, wrecked travel plans for the week, and expensive repairs!

    “The van also looked like I’d been burgled. Before I drive I usually go through a ‘tack down’ ritual where I basically put away everything that will move in transit. I was so freaked out and in such a hurry to get out of there that I didn’t tack down. What a mess to clear up! And with glass splinters in my fingers. By 1:30am I just about had everything sorted and managed to settle down and sleep.

    “The next morning when I inspected the damage properly, I noticed the hole in the glass was perfectly round… And the insulation mat was also pierced. My CSI mind told me this was a bullet hole. So I searched through all the broken glass until I found a pellet. A horrible moment of realisation – I had been intentionally targeted. Someone in the car that passed me had wound down the window, taken aim and fired at my van on purpose!!!!! No accidental damage – It was willful intent! I was absolutely furious! That person had no idea what was the other side of that window or who they were harming. I could been a burly bloke or a pair of dainty old ladies on a retirement trip?! And they were very lucky I wasn’t standing by my cooker with the blind up or they would have hit me too!

     

    The gun pellet that smashed Nikki Loy’s van window

    “Before you ask, yes, I did report it to the police but disappointingly they closed the case immediately because I couldn’t give them any leads! Folks, I can’t leave it at that because… when I posted about my experience on the internet I found out other people had experienced similar incidents on the same road!

    “I understand why the Police closed the case. I saw nothing; they have nothing to go on but I feel it is important for the whole community local to Arundel to whom tourism is so important, to know that some people are driving around at night blindly shooting into vehicles! Okay it’s only an air gun… but it’s a lot of damage, and a lot of hassle and money to fix and more importantly – It’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.
    “As you know I love visiting Arundel; it’s a beautiful town but I am now scared to go back there until these people have been stopped. If you are local. I’m sure Sussex police would love to hear from anyone who knows anything about these incidents.

    “Anyway, I am safe; I am warm’. Once again I have learned from my own poor choices that made me vulnerable… And I am telling the media because I want those little ******s stopped!

    “Just gotta recover my brave before I go off on tour with Sam Bailey!”

  • Thame Headteacher ‘alarmed’ at education cuts

    THE Headteacher of a Thame school has expressed his frustration and alarm over the Government’s education funding cuts and its lack of transparency.

    David Wybron

    David Wybron, who is Headteacher at Lord Williams’s School has said in a statement today that he is not alone in expressing his frustration and alarm over funding cuts.

    “The proposed new ‘fair funding’ formula takes money away from schools like Lord Williams’s and preserves higher funding for schools in traditionally higher funded authorities, he stated.  “For example, students in high funded areas will still be funded at circa £6,000 per head whereas for students in Thame it will be around £4,000 and this is before deprivation factors draw down more funding but not for Lord Williams’s.  “We cannot just keep absorbing cuts without there being an impact on the service we provide. We were hopeful that the government’s commitment to fair funding for schools in 2018 would lead to a significant increase in our funding. Not only has the introduction been delayed until 2019, but we have a proposed reduction in our funding from 2019. How can that be?”

    Mr Wybron’s statement goes on to say that Oxfordshire schools are in the lowest funded 40 authorities and that the government has decided to put extra resources into the lowest 10 authorities. “The government has also decided that higher funded authorities can lose no more than 3% of funding,” he explained. “The situation is particularly worrying because we are already feeling the effects of reduced funding. The government persists in saying that the Schools’ Budget has not been cut but the Schools’ Budget does not include Sixth Form funding and a range of support staff grants. Also, because of an increase in student numbers nationally, the amount to be distributed is less.

    “Lord Williams’s is an outstanding school and our vision is to be outstanding in everything we do, including the quality of resources for all students. We budget carefully and spend diminishing funding wisely. We have absorbed a reduction in Sixth Form funding of circa £250,000 over the last four years and education support grants have been reduced significantly over this period. The government encouraged and continues to encourage schools to set up as academies with money moving directly into schools from local authorities in order to provide the services the local authority used to provide. The government plans to remove that funding completely by 2017/18.”

    On-going effects of cuts 

    “Having anticipated a significant increase in funding for 2018/19 because of the much anticipated new funding formula, we are now having to plan for significant budget cuts over the next four years. We are also facing increased staffing costs with increasing national insurance and pension contributions. The school’s finances are in a good position but our reserves will not cover such a rate of reduction of funding by 2018/19.

    “The National Audit Committee estimates that schools will face real terms cuts of around 8% over the next three years, which for this school amounts to around £800,000. The recent announcement from the prime minister on mental health issues for schools is particularly puzzling given that this school, along with many others, has been dealing with this challenge for the last 10 years. Funding to support students and their families with an increasing range of mental health issues has been reduced hugely. There is currently a 20 week waiting time for an appointment with CAMHS (Children and Adult Mental Health Service) and support services for some of our most vulnerable students, for example students with autism, have been removed.

    “The previous government administration spoke about ‘The Big Society’ stepping in to help with support services. Oxfordshire County Council decided that the needs of our vulnerable children and their families could be best served from a hub in Didcot! The present government has explicitly stated that there will not be any extra funding to address shortfalls in the service. Schools will continue to be the front line in terms of support and will be asked to do what is almost impossible.”

    Lack of transparency

    Mr Wybron made the following appeal to the Government:

    * Present an accurate picture of school funding to the public
    * Recognise the difficulties schools face in terms of the educational and social demands
    placed upon them and increase funding
    *  Change policy and not divert extra funding to set up new grammar schools

    He concluded: “Support from our parent body will be vital as we respond to theses challenges. We are not afraid of hard work but the challenges are great. Requesting politicians to be honest about the situation would at least be a step in the right direction but I am not holding my breath!”

  • Thame cinema-goers raise Foodbank funds

    THE trustees of the charity behind the Thame Food Bank have thanked all those who went to special screenings of the film, I Daniel Blake, for raising almost £600 towards the Food Bank.

    In a letter to Thame Cinema 4 All who showed the film, John Hulett, spokesperson for Sharing Life Trust, wrote: “A message to all those who attended the two screenings of Ken Loach’s film ‘I Daniel Blake’ last Sunday, January 15, at the Thame Cinema For All.

    “I am sure that all who have seen this film will agree that it was a worthy winner of the Palme D’or at the Cannes Film festival earlier last year. This superbly acted drama highlighted the frustrations and hopelessness that vulnerable people in our society can experience through no fault of their own and how ‘the system’ seems to be stacked against them. The situations portrayed in the film are very close to many that we hear from the people we support through our Foodbank.

    “A big ‘thank you’ to Thame Cinema For All for inviting us to have a collection at both screenings. The astonishing total of £592.59 was collected. Thank you to all who attended for your great generosity. This money will all be used to support the work of the Foodbank and the people who we help through it.”

    Click on the image to find out more about Sharing Life Trust’s work in Thame and South Oxfordshire.

  • ‘Into the Night’ with musician Andy Robbins

    BFS Records, based in Thame, has announced the impending release of the new EP from Oxfordshire’s Andy Robbins, entitled Into The Night. This release follows Andy’s 2016 EP, Element of Surprise and it will be available via iTunes and all major digital retailers and streaming sites on the March 1, 2017.

    Andy Robbins

    Andy signed to BFS Records in January 2016. The 31-year-old musician is a regular on the Oxford music scene and has performed regular venues locally including Thame Snooker Club’s BFS Presents events, and widely at renowned venues such as Oxford’s O2 Academy and the Jericho Tavern, as well as playing shows up and down the UK. Andy’s career highlight to date was a support slot at Hop Farm Festival which saw him perform on the same day as his hero, Bob Dylan.

    Last year Andy came second in the Cornbury Music Festival competition.

    Talking about the upcoming release, Andy said: Into The Night is slightly darker in it’s subject matter and its tone than Element Of Surprise. However I think it stays true to my live sound and I believe it’s my strongest release to date. Into The Night is bigger and bolder than any of my previous music and am very excited to share it!”

    BFS Records will be releasing the EP’s lead single, ‘On Another Morning’ early in February.

    Andy’s website: http://www.andy-robbins.co.uk/?p=home

  • UPDATE: Thame Children’s Centre saved from closure!

    LATEST UPDATE: Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to waive rent payments for the current centre’s building, for the whole of the first year.

    THE news of the rescue of Thame’s Red Kite Childrens centre has just today been announced by the local charity, Sharing Life Trust, which has been leading a working group to try and save the Centre from planned closure by Oxfordshire County Council at the end of March, 2017.

    Image courtesy of Action for Children

    A delighted John Hulett, Sharing Life Trust spokesman, told Thame.net: “We’re Going Ahead! Just before Christmas the decision was taken that, with the promises we had received for funding, we could afford to plan for running the centre for one year. It is still our plan and hope to continue for at least three years but there is much work to do to secure the centre’s future.”

    What next?

    An application will be submitted to the Charity Commission within the next few days for the Centre to become a charity and it will be known as the ‘Red Kite Family Centre’. Its core purpose will be exactly the same as at present – providing support for pre-school children and their parents in Thame and Chinnor.

    “We have started the process of creating a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO),” explained John. “The charity has four trustees: Mary Stiles, Sarah Roberts, Rosie Pearce and myself.”

    Mary is a town councillor and has championed the centre’s work and chaired its advisory board for many years. Sarah has been a parent user and has 10 year’s experience as a manager in the NHS. Rosie is a nutritionist who has been a long standing volunteer at the centre and John, a retired headteacher, formerly of Barley Hill School in Thame. He is also a trustee of Sharing Life Trust which has been leading the campaign to keep the centre running.

    “Our aim is for the current Centre’s programme to continue, with some new activities arranged in response to survey feedback from parents,” continued John. “Health Visitors and the other health professionals will continue to use the centre in Thame and Chinnor for their sessions. The position over future staffing arrangements is currently being decided and we will give an update on this within the next few weeks.”

    Funding update

    Of the approximately £70,000 needed to run the centre in its first year, about £45,000 has so far been promised and the Trust is waiting to hear the result of an application for further grants. The centre has also been one of the Thame Mayor’s chosen charities for this year and all concerned are grateful for all the generous support given by the local community.

    “Many have registered an interest using our website link” said John, and we will be writing to them all shortly.

    “We are delighted that the centre’s future is looking much brighter for the growing numbers of families with babies and young children in Thame and Chinnor. We still need to raise a lot more funds.”

    Anyone who would like to help with a one-off donation or regular gift, is invited to go to the Sharing Life Trust website www.sharinglifetrust.org and press the link button for the Red Kite Family Centre.

  • District councils to be abolished in new ‘Unitary’ proposal

    A proposal to abolish all six councils in Oxfordshire and create one new ‘unitary’ council for Oxfordshire has been published by Oxfordshire County Council.

    John Cotton, the current Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council

    Oxfordshire County Council has stated that two independent studies, by Grant Thornton and PwC, it commissioned, and the district councils themselves, estimate that amalgamating related services would save £100m over the first five years – money that could be spent on improving public services and keeping council tax down.

    The statement published today goes on to say: “Central government is changing the way councils are funded, and councils will soon have to pay for services mainly from council tax and business rates. Unless local government is reorganised, Oxfordshire councils will not be able to pay for vital public services for local communities and vulnerable people as the population increases and gets older.”

    Oxfordshire currently has a two-tier local government – a county council plus five district and city councils.

    Back in September, 2016, SODC’s official response to a suggestion then of a single unitary authority was that three authorities would be their preferred model (See LINK ) but today, the Leader of SODC, John Cotton tweeted: “I’ve long believed that unitary councils are better placed to deliver services than current arrangements.

    “However, we must be certain that proposals for something new actually amount to change rather than just creating an excuse to kick difficult decisions into the long grass. Also, it’s important that the analysis of current problems is accurate; we need to know what’s broken before setting out to fix it.”

  • Cricket club’s Winter nets for men start soon

    THAME Town Cricket Club’s winter nets for men from the age of 16 upwards, will start at Lord Williams’s Lower School gym on Sunday, January 29, from 5pm to 6pm.

    Contact Andy Jinman via: marketing@thamecricket.org.uk or call 07968201152.