AFTER being awarded Rising Star status last year in The Great British High Street Awards, Thame is once again entering the Best Small Market Town entry for 2016, and is aiming to win the top award!
A small team, lead by Helen Johns, is currently beavering away to gather examples of our own Great British High Street, to submit our application. In the meantime, everyone has an opportunity to separately nominate their own favourite shop.
The national organisers of The Great British High Street have teamed up with Twitter to find the best local shop. By using the #BestGBTwitterShop hashtag and mentioning your favourite shop in the tweet, you can raise awareness of great local shops and businesses in Thame.
The winner will also receive £1000 worth of advertising on social media. The competition closes on Friday, September 9, so get tweeting now!
If you’ve not yet delved into the twitter sphere, it really is ‘easy peasy’ – check out twitter HERE and jump in, and join in the conversation.
DO you know how Thame ticks? Are you looking for a new job? The September 12, closing date for the Thame Market Town Co-Ordinator role is getting closer.
Thame is a vibrant and award winning market town in Oxfordshire. It maintains that vibrancy through a variety of volunteer based organisations, community / commercial events and businesses, supported as relevant by the Town, District and County Councils.
Thame town hall – Image Mark Recchia
Following a study undertaken on how best to maintain that vibrancy, and to ensure continued economic development of the town centre, it has been agreed to appoint a Market Town Co-Ordinator, to be employed by Thame Town Council.
This is an exciting and challenging part time role that requires excellent communication skills, working with a wide variety of stakeholders in Thame. It would particularly suit an experienced Town Centre Manager, an individual with event management experience, or an individual with economic / community development experience, or perhaps just someone with good local knowledge of how Thame ticks.
An application pack can be obtained from the Council’s website or by emailing recruitment@thametowncouncil.gov.uk
Completed application forms must be returned by 10am on Monday, September 12, 2016.
Short listed candidates will be invited to attend an interview between September 16-23, 2016.
LONG standing Sound Technician and club stalwart at Thame’s First Thursday Music Club, Johnny Spruce, is moving from behind the mixing desk – to centre stage.
Johnny Spruce in 2016
For one night only, Johnny Spruce and The Sprucettes, will perform in the Feature Act spot at 10 pm tomorow, Thursday September 1, at The Stables behind The James Figg pub in Thame.
First Thursday Music Club founder, Jon Littler, said: “Johnny is off to university as a mature student and will be sorely missed as the master of the mixing. Few sound guys face an evening where they will be handling the changeovers of up to 15 acts, including bands of up to eight pieces, during the course of a four hour gig.
Johnny Spruce in 2013
“To recognise his enormous efforts over the last four years, The Sprucettes have been working with Johnny to produce a set that will allow Johnny to present his soulful rock voice and guitar skills backed by a band of seasoned performers.”
As well as lots of other artists, Nikki Loy, Out of the Village (featuring Ellie Ruddock), 2am Blue and Sir Walter J Wallis and Kev Lucas are pre-booked to appear.
As has been the case since the launch of The First Thursday Music Club over six years ago, the club still offers the opportunity for artists to play live in front of a warm and appreciative audience, the club maintains the Open Mic section of the evening where slots will always be available in the first hour on a ‘first come, first served’ basis with player sign-up starting at 7.30.
The club has a full house PA system with keyboard, bass amp, guitar amp and jazz drum kit (bring breakables!) all set up on stage and ready to go. Another eclectic evening is guaranteed and entrance, as always, is FREE to all.
ENTHUSIASTIC crowds, warm weather and outstanding performances marked this year’s Towersey Festival, held over the Bank Holiday weekend on the Thame Showground.
Ock ‘N Dough with their Hoedown sounds set the feet a tapping at Towersey on Monday.
There were packed headline appearances from Kate Rusby, Midge Ure, The Young’uns and Billy Bragg, who charactically arrived after visiting striking bus drivers in Dorset. Other memorable performances included The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, The Wonder Stuff, 9Bach and the Tom Robinson Band. Some new bands too made strong impressions including Elephant Sessions in venue 65, and Cosmosis, invited along by the organisers of Thame’s First Thursday Music Club who ran The Bar Tent stage; an exciting band and one to watch!
Fifteen year-old Billy Watman, familiar to Thame music-goers from Music in the Park back in May, and fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, mesmerised his audience with his Flamenco style fingering, accoustic guitar playing, and had them singing along to his very special version of Bohemian Rhapsody. And what confidence to play something you only composed the day before for your encore! Such a bright star!
Dragon lantern in the parade; made during a workshop at Towersey Festival 2016
Alongside many familiar elements, such as the traditional closing Lantern Parade and Festival Choir, this year saw the introduction of new programmes of activities for 5-11 year-old festival-goers and young people, both of which proved highly popular.
Attracting in the region of 7,000 revellers, the infamous British weather didn’t disappoint bringing bright warm sunshine on Friday and Monday, and only fleeting showers on Saturday and Sunday. Monday was hot and sunny seeing icecream stalls, iced coffee sellers and the two bar tents, practically selling out. There were over 40 beers and ales available, many from local breweries, and Tea Kettle Stout from Tring Brewery was voted the Best Ale at Towersey this year.
Towersey Festival Director Joe Heap said: “This year was our biggest ever line-up, and visitors really responded positively to the bill, as well as the site and infrastructure improvements we have made.
“There were so many highlights, from the family-friendly events and Towersey Festiva patron, Roy Bailey, launching his new album, to the Festival Dance House (FDH) stage, where there was a buzzing atmosphere with lots of young people embracing the festival’s strong dance programme.”
The artists also enjoyed the event with Sunday headliner Midge Ure Tweeting: “A beautifully run festival. Lovely organisation and great crowd… it was a joy to play.”
The Wonder Stuff’s lead man, Miles Hunt, told an adoring Towersey audience that this, his band’s first ever gig at Towersey, was the most enjoyable his band had experienced in years – though his language was somewhat more colourful !
And though the crowd felt a little thinner at times on the new, more spacious site, and a few merry-makers may have tripped on the ‘rubber road’, many in that audience and others throughout the three day festival, would have agreed with him.
Many more snippets and shared memories from Towersey 2016, on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Towerseyfestival
Issued by Highways, England 26-08-2016 10:57 AM BST – M40 northbound between J8A and J9 | Northbound | Barrier/Bridge Repairs.
Status : Pending. Lane Closures : Lanes 1 and 2 will be closed. Schedule : From 22:00 on 26 August 2016 to 06:00 on 27 August 2016. Location : The M40 northbound between junctions J8A and J9 . Lanes Closed : There will be two of three lanes closed. Reason : Road repairs are planned.
THAME’S Oxfam Charity bookshop in Cornmarket, has announced the winner of its recent Roald Dahl ‘Golden Ticket’ competition, held throughout the summer holidays.
Rosa Horsman (R) with her younger sisters, and Clare Davidson, Oxfam Book shop Manager
Rosa Horsman, from Thame, was the winner, correctly answering all the questions, and gave a very good reason why Fantastic Mr Fox was her family`s favourite book. Rosa wrote: “It’s brilliantly written and it’s very funny, and Mr Fox is a determined and clever family man. A book to be enjoyed over and over again.!
Rosa, 10, and her younger sisters, Lois and Freya, both aged six, will enjoy using the Golden Ticket at the Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden, before they return to school next month .
Shop Manager, Clare Davidson, said: “ We hope to run more children`s competitions in the coming months, so keep popping in. I would like to thank all the Children who entered and raised over £40 towards the Syrian Refugees appeal.”
THAMES Valley Police are seeking the help of the public for information after a young woman was punched in what appears to have been an unprovoked attack in Thame.
The incident happened on the Phoenix Trail in the early hours of Sunday morning, August 21.
A police spokesperson told Thame.Net: “The victim, an 18-year-old woman, was walking in that location when she was punched in the face by an unknown person. She then saw four people running away.
“Anyone with any information about the incident should please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.
“If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
“If you contact us about this investigation again please quote reference 43160231115.”
NOT only did we see the start of the seventh series of The Great British Bake Off on Wednesday, but we also had last year’s winner hitting our screens with ‘The Chronicles of Nadiya’ which, as Thame Food Festival Patron, Lotte Duncan suggested, should probably win a BAFTA for it’s title alone!
“All at Thame Food Festival Towers will be watching to see how the first week goes,” said Lotte. “What disasters lay in wait for these GBBO newbies?
“We count ourselves extremely lucky to be having our own BIG THAME BAKE in the town again on the day of the festival, and we’re even luckier to have some GBBO competitors, and of course the very lovely Nadiya herself.” They will be judging and baking on the day of the festival, September 24 – and they’ll all be interviewed by Lotte at 2.15 pm on the Big Thame Baking Stage.
Do you have any questions for Thame’s baking stars? Does your tart have the proverbial soggy bottom? Does your cake sag in the middle? And do your meringues have a mind of their own?
Well, send in your question now and you could be one of the lucky ones to have it answered.
Email your question to bake@thamefoodfestival.co.uk
THE BIG THAME BAKE – FULLY RISEN – 2.15PM ON THE BIG THAME BAKING STAGE WITH:
Nadiya Hussain
Richard Burr
Miranda Gore Browne
Chetna Makan
STUDENTS at Lord Williams’s School have achieved outstanding GCSE results with 76% of students achieving five or more passes at A*- C, including English and Mathematics. These results are the best ever in the history of the school!
Headteacher, David Wybron was full of praise for this year’s cohort, saying: “Following on from very successful A Level results last week for our Sixth Form students, this is now wonderful news for our Year 11 students. There is no substitute for hard work in terms of fulfilling potential and our students should feel very proud of their achievements. They are a very capable cohort of students who brought such positive energy to their studies and wider interests.
“Students also acknowledge that they couldn’t have achieved such results without the excellent support and encouragement from teachers and support staff in school and from parents and carers at home. Most of them will be returning to the Sixth Form where I am sure they will make a very big impression.”
The following students gained at least seveen passes at grade A* or A: Bethany Airstone, Matthew Bellars, Marcus Birmingham, Harriet Burdett, Harriet Caiger, Lara Carmichael, Daniel Collins, Laura Denton, Nikhil Desai, Eleanor Downer, Ellie Draper, Luke Eaton, Ella Ferris, Lois Freeman, Sam Goode, Alessia Grant, Chiara Gregory, Emily Hake, Nicholas Harbour, Clare Harman, Rufino Herreros-Richards, Jack Hudson, Elspeth Jackson, Imogen Krauze, Florence Lawlor, Adam Lockwood, Ashley Macdonald, Tessa Marsh, Georgia McDermott, James McStay, Lucy Miller, Oliver Moss, Josefine Ng, Lewis Niedzielski, Rory Pearce, Jacob Powell, Isobel Scarborough, Michael Shearwood, George Shreeve, Ella Simms, Sophie Smith, Katie Strathdee, Bex Surridge, Charley Sydenham, Jessica Thomas, Niamh Twyford, Rebecca Van Walwyk and Lucy Webb.
IT was almost a perfect weekend for Thame Town Cricket Club with the First XI taking 20 points with a win against high-flying Amersham and moving away from the relegation zone as a result.
The Second XI took 25 points with a win at Banbury to stay top of Division Five. The Third XI also took 25 points, to cement second place in Division Nine (North) albeit through their opposition forfeiting the game, allowing the team to play a friendly instead. MATCH REPORTS –
Matt McDonald
FIRST Xl – Thame secured a vital victory against second-placed Amersham in the Home Counties League, thereby proving the quality in the side to any doubters, with an excellent all-round display at home last Saturday, August 20. Thame lost the toss and were asked to bat and, with a positive approach, their innings got off to a flyer with Matt Mcdonald (78) and Mike Beard (35) taking them up to 130 for 4, with 21 overs left. However a mini-collapse left Thame on 174 for 8, before Chris Jeffcock and skipper Mike Higgs led Thame to 205 all out in the 48th over. In reply, Amersham started well but Thame produced a determined bowling and fielding display to dismiss the visitors for just 155. Wickets for Hassam Mushtaq (4-28), Adam Phippen (3-33), Mike Higgs (2-26) and Will Rooney (1-25) secured the much-needed victory, which takes Thame 14 points clear of relegation. They travel to take on Datchet this Saturday, August 27.
SECOND XI – After stumbling the previous week, Thame seconds knew that to maintain top spot they simply had to win away at bottom-of-the-table, Banbury Fourths and they didn’t disappoint. Banbury won the toss and chose to bat, but were soon struggling at 42-4 against the opening bowlers, Matt Furness (2-16) and Ian McStay (2-25). Despite Banbury staging a recovery, putting on 58 for the 5th wicket, George Patey (2-8) then made the breakthrough and Chris Penny polished off the tail (4-38), the home side finishing up 134 all out from 46.3 overs. With rain clouds a constant threat, Thame had to score quickly in reply, as Richard Carr (81 not out) and Andy Jinman (19) put on 74 off just 11 overs. With Matt Furness (27 not out) then joining Carr at the crease, Thame reached 135 for 1 from only 22.1 overs. They now entertain Horspath 3rds this Saturday, in Thame, who lie second in the table.
(156 words)
THIRD XI – Thame third XI have now all but sealed second place in Division Nine(North), after their nearest rivals Twyford forfeited the match for lack of players last Saturday. Thame still managed hastily to organise a friendly against Stokenchurch Seconds, however, only to be ultimately frustrated by the weather. Thame bowled the home side out for 110, Ally Ilsley picking up three wickets on his return to the side, while Vimal Desai, Will Bruce-Morgan and Ollie Oxby took one wicket each. Some excellent fielding also gave Thame three run outs. In the chase, Thame started well at 30-0 after eight overs, but the heavens opened and the game was sadly abandoned. They entertain Cropredy Thirds at Lord Bills Upper school ground this Saturday, August 27.
The winner will also receive £1000 worth of advertising on social media. The competition closes on Friday, September 9, so get tweeting now!
Issued by Highways, England 26-08-2016 10:57 AM BST – M40 northbound between J8A and J9 | Northbound | Barrier/Bridge Repairs.
