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Category: Thame news

  • A real farce at Thame Players Theatre!

    See how they Run posterCropped (400x297) (2)

    THAME Players will be presenting See How They Run, by Philip King, from Tuesday to Saturday May 3 – 7, at 7.45pm each evening, and at 2.30pm on the Saturday. Tickets cost £9, concessions £8, and are available from Spear Travels, Greyhound Walk, Thame, telephone 01844 217228, or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk.

    See How They Run is a farce set towards the end of the second world war, in the living room of the vicarage in the village of Merton-cum-Middlewick. Penelope Toop, a former actress, is now happily married to the local vicar, the Reverend Lionel Toop, with whom she lives a life of married bliss – or would do if it wasn’t for the interfering Miss Skillon, churchgoer of the parish and a gossip.

    When Lance-Corporal Clive Winton, an old friend of Penelope’s, stops by for a quick visit and they decide to watch a play by the local dramatic society that they used to belong to, things quickly take a turn for the worse. Confusion and assumption work in equal measure to turn a perfectly innocent excursion into a disaster. Then, when Penelope’s uncle, the Bishop of Lax, a clergyman from another parish, and a German soldier on the run from the nearby POW camp, arrive unexpectedly, complete chaos ensures.

    The action culminates in a cycle of running figures and mistaken identities. Who is the real Reverend Toop? Where is Miss Skillon? What has happened to Clive’s uniform? Will the German POW get away with his dastardly plan? All will be revealed in See How They Run…

  • Happy Birthday Your Majesty – from Thame

    HUNDREDS of people gathered in Thame’s town centre last night, to commemorate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen.

    Beacon through the flag_april2016 (800x600) (400x300)

    After an inspection of 594 (Thame) Squadron Air Training Corps and Thame Army Cadet Force, and music from Thame Concert Band, the crowd watched the Mayor of Thame, Nichola Dixon, who had earlier in the year jumped out of an aeroplane for charity, nervously climb a ladder and light one of a thousand beacons, lit across the land to celebrate the birthday of the longest living, British monarch ever.

    Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Marie-Jane Barnett DL, read out a birthday message from the Prince of Wales, sent from Clarence House. It read:

    “I am delighted that so many people throughout the United Kingdom are coming together to light beacons in celebration of my mother, The Queen’s, ninetieth birthday. It is a wonderful gesture which I know has deeply touched Her Majesty.

    “Beacons are to be lit on mountaintops, on beaches, in farmyards and on church towers, uniting us all in our heartfelt appreciation of The Queen’s lifetime of service to the United Kingdom and other Realms, and to the commonwealth.

    “Since time immemorial, the light of beacons has relayed important messages across the land. This message we proclaim with the greatest pride and affection.

    “Your Majesty, we all wish you a very Happy Birthday!”

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1The beacon lighting and good wishes were followed by singing from The Thame Pop choir, whose leader, Ian English, described a (huh hum!..you had to be there..) somewhat colourful imagining of how Her Majesty may – or may not – have really been celebrating her birthday, before leading a rousing rendition from everyone of the National Anthem and Land of Hope and Glory.

    As the’ three cheers for the Queen’, lead by the Mayor died away, the crowds turned for home, many turning back to watch the beacon’s light burn on against the darkening sky. MORE pictures here: LINK

  • Racquets’ Men’s firsts win promotion after defeating the RAF

    THE Mens’ First squash team at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame has gained promotion to the Oxfordshire Mens division One, following a huge, 5-0 win over the RAF on Tuesday, April 12.

    Harry Hillier and Ben Hedger with the Player of the Season trophy
    Harry Hillier (left) and Ben Hedger, winner of the Player of the Season trophy

    Oxfordshire Under 19s, Number One, Ben Hedger, age 17, also won the ‘Player of the Season’ Award. Simon Martin, fellow team member and Ben’s coach, said: “‘Ben has been training hard this last season with a view to playing professionally in the next few years. We are very proud of his progress and are expecting great things in the near future.”

    The full team consisted of Harry Hillier, Ben Hedger, Andy Peers, Tor Stockdale, Ossie Mustafa, Jim Usherwood, Nick Harbour (age, just 15!) and Simon Martin.

    Simon added: “The team showed just how the junior squash programme at Racquets has been successful over the past few years, with two of the team – still under 19, already county champions!”

    The Racquets team faces a play-off with Oxford Brookes’ Second team who won the first half before Christmas, to decide the overall division champions.

  • Thame supermarket plans deferred again

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    SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council’s consideration of a planning application for a Tesco store in Thame, has been deferred yet again and unlikely to be heard until, at the soonest, May 18.

    After SODC obtained professional advice on the impact the proposed edge-of-town supermarket would have on Thame’s town centre, it requested that Tesco provide further information on the impact of lost linked trips and reduced footfall. The council also requested a more detailed qualitative assessment on the impact the supermarket would have on Thame’s independent convenience stores

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1Thame Town Council, which is against the proposed supermarket, have said that it will ‘call in’ the application if approval is likely. Calling in allows the Secretary of State to decide on an application, taking it out of the hands of the local planning authority.

    For background information, you can read previous reports on the Tesco application HERE

  • ‘Large crowds, live DJ’s, prizes and great vibes!’ launch Thame’s skate park

    SCORES of young skateboarders and BMX cyclists, friends and supporters, including the Mayor of Thame, Town Councillors and Thame’s MP, John Howell, enjoyed a party atmosphere to officially launch Thame’s new Skatepark on Sunday, April 17.

    Live action shot by Aidan North
    Live action shot by Aidan North

    “Large crowds, live DJ’s, prizes and great vibes!” was how one of the leading lights behind the fund-raising and final success of the project, Olly Ross, described the day.

    “What a great day!” a delighted Olly told Thame.Net. “We had the weather, the turn out and the good times that we all were hoping for! It was amazing to see so many people come down and enjoy the facility that we worked so hard to put in place. A special thank you has to go out to Thame Town Council for their help with the event and our event sponsors, SS20 Skate and Snow Store, Two Wheels Bike Shop, Aptik Apparel and Would Skateboards.”

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1Olly took his camera down to this, ‘the opening jam’ of Thame Skatepark, to capture the day’s action, including ariel shots taken with a drone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIguqi-0Uak

  • New, full-time radio station for Thame and Haddenham

    THE team behind a series of short term radio broadcasts to support and promote Haddenham’s summer beer festivals, has been awarded a full time radio licence by the government regulator Ofcom.

    Red Kite Radio, based at the Haddenham Garden Centre, won the five-year licence after convincing the body that this area deserves and can sustain a full time version of its successful Summerfest Radio broadcasts.

    Pete MacFarlane, General Manager of Red Kite Radio
    Pete MacFarlane, General Manager of Red Kite Radio – Image courtesy of Haddenham.net

    Covering Haddenham, Thame and all of the surrounding villages, the team of volunteers, with professional backgrounds in national and local radio, have operated three highly successful short term broadcasts supporting and promoting the Haddenham summer beer festivals (Summerfest) with a fourth due to hit the airwaves this June.

    Summerfest Radio began life after a conversation in a pub and has grown ever since, heavily supporting the beer festival, which has also grown significantly during the three summers it has been on the air.

    Pete MacFarlane, General Manager of Red Kite Radio said: “We are all delighted to be awarded this licence by Ofcom. The regulator can clearly see the huge amount of support from charities, groups and residents of both Haddenham and Thame for what we do. We’d like to thank the people and organisations who took the time to write and support our application and those who participated in our application research.”

    Red Kite Radio will continue to support the Haddenham Beer Festivals Trust, promoting not just one but both its annual fundraisers; “Being on air 365 days a year means we will now be able to promote the Winterfest event and cover the various beneficiaries and the subsequent grant awards by the trust throughout the year,” added Pete MacFarlane.

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1On air 24 hours a day, the station will cover and promote local news and issues, charities, schools, sports clubs, churches, community groups and offer radio skills training courses to people in the area.

    The Red Kite Radio team has two years to launch the FM radio station. Local businesses will have the opportunity to promote themselves through cost effective radio advertising and at the same time know that they are helping to fund a unique broadcast service in the area.

    SOURCE: Contributed

  • Keep Calm and make bunting for the Queen!

    TO fully decorate the Big Thame Street Party after the Carnival procession in June, to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, around 600 metres of bunting will be needed and, as ‘many hands make light work’…………

    bunting
    Thame WI, Barley Hill Church and The Orders of St John Care Trust (Meadowcroft Care Home) are leading a joint, community effort to collect material, cut triangles from templates and sew the bunting, and they want as many people as possible to take part.

    So, how will work and how can people get involved in this mass bunting, production project?

    In the next two weeks – by May 1 – a stock pile of material will be needed. It needs to be predominantly red, white and blue. Old sheets would be ideal but cotton or poly-cotton clothing will work too. These should be bagged.

    In the following two weeks – by May 15 – the material needs to have been cut into bunting triangles using a template available from Racquets Fitness Centre.

    The two following weeks will be taken up by sewing the triangles to the tape which will be carried out at a meeting of sewing machines at Meadowcroft Care Home in Towersey Road, during the week beginning May 16. The dates available for the sewing sessions in Meadowcroft’s function room are:

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1Monday, May 16 – evening only
    Tuesday, May 17 – all day and evening
    Wednesday, May 18 – morning until 1pm and evening

    The project leaders would love to hear from anyone who can help. If you can donate or organise the collection of material, or maybe cut triangles – perhaps during an activity hour or two for a group – then contact: thamecarnival@gmail.com

     

  • ‘No evidence mysterious white marks linked to dog owners’ say police

    THAMES Valley Police has issued reassurance to residents in Thame, after markings were found on buildings in the Lea Park area.

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    The white marks are a chalk-like substance that have been found in small lines, and occasionally in V, circular, or triangular shapes on residential buildings.

    Sergeant Vicky Hoskin, of the Thame Neighbourhood Team, said: “There has been speculation on social media that the markings have been found only on homes where there is a pet dog, and this speculation has caused some concern amongst local dog owners.

    This while mark was found on Wednesday, April 13, by the front door of a house in Thame
    This while mark was found on Wednesday, April 13, by the front door of a house in Lea Park, Thame

    “We have had no information passed to us, and no evidence to suggest that anyone is being targeted, or that the markings have anything to do with dog ownership.

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1“The Thame neighbourhood team have been regularly patrolling Lea Park since the markings were first reported to us, in order that residents can speak to them if they are concerned. Officers will continue with these local patrols, but there will be no further investigation into the markings.

    “If anyone is concerned or has any information, please call 101 to speak to an officer.”

  • Comfortable win for Chinnor over relegated Launceston

    CHINNOR RFC, in scoring 11 tries, recorded a comfortable victory by 75-3 over already relegated Launceston.

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    The match, for the first 20 minutes, was a relatively even affair with no score. The deadlock was finally broken in the 21st minute when Goodfellow dummied from 5 metres out. The tries then came at regular intervals throughout the half. Goss was next up with some midfield dancing, followed by Lamont, the beneficiary of consummate front row passing skill. Launceston, through full back Edwards, pulled three points back from a penalty in front of Chinnor’s posts. A kick downfield was fielded on Chinnor’s 10 metre line by Goss who skipped through the All Blacks defence to go in under the posts. With a minute of the half remaining, Chinnor’s Heath chipped and chased a ball down the tram lines for Chinnor’s fifth try. With all tries converted by Angell, Chinnor went in 35-3 at half time.

    Like the first half, Launceston competed well to stem the Chinnor tide for nearly twenty minutes. The dam burst on 58 minutes, when Heath sashayed to the line. Lamont followed shortly after. Hannay burst off the back of a rolling maul to bemuse the All Black defence for a stroll over for Chinnor’s eighth try. Goodfellow sprinted from 45 metres for Chinnor’s ninth. Lamont almost scored his hat trick but slipped the ball in the tackle to Manning to dot down. Chinnor’s final try came from skipper Tyas who scorched on a diagonal from halfway for a spectacular finish and final score of 75-3.

    Hats off to already doomed Launceston for never failing to compete in this match. Their fresh faced players had two 20 minute periods when they repelled the Chinnor attack stoutly and their scrum was solid throughout. The pressure told in the end as Chinnor found holes in the All Blacks defence at regular intervals.

    This was a cohesive display from the Thame boys. The forwards were patient in building pressure and position to release good ball to the backs who showed some individual moments of real skill. Both Goss and Lamont run smart lines and the laid back Heath continues to make scores from tight spots. As the All Blacks tired, Chinnor forwards joined in the scoring with tries from Hannay, Manning and Tyas’ 50 metre sprint. All around, a good measured team performance in which it is difficult to highlight a star player but skipper Tyas shaded it from the rest of his team mates. The win moves Chinnor to the giddy heights of sixth in the table.

    SOURCE: Contributed

  • Parents to set up their own school bus to Thame

    A group of parents have decided to take school transport for their children into their own hands and set up a bus service to Lord Williams’s School from the Risborough/Longwick area.

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    They have already spoken to a bus company that would be willing to set up the service for the start of the school year in September, but would require a minimum of 20 people to sign up. One of the mum’s behind the idea, Rebecca Cox, said: “Obviously the more people that sign up, the lower the costs involved. So, please spread the word to as many people as possible, so that we can get this service up and running.

    “Anyone interested should let us know by Wednesday, May 25, at the latest. If we are going to get it set up to start in September, we have to provide the information to the bus company by this date.”

    Contact: editor@thame.net and we will pass on your details.

    NOTE: This will be a private arrangement and is not being organised by either Lord Williams’s School or Buckinghamshire School Transport.