Category: Thame news

MUSIC, wine, stories and songs in the village church, will launch the first volume of a book about the history of the village of Shabbington, near Thame, next Friday (December 4).

The richly-illustrated book ‘Shabbington, A Thousand Years of Village History’ recounts the fascinating story of the village and its relationship with Thame, through centuries of momentous events from Domesday to the First World War. The proceeds from sale of the book will go to charity.

Writer Richard Mayou said: “Shabbington fields are full of mysterious lumps and bumps. The church dates back to medieval times, and there are stories of ghostly sightings. The village has been hiding a fascinating history.”

The highly-readable account touches not only on nationally-important events such as the Norman conquest, the Black Death, and the Civil and Napoleonic wars, but brings alive the everyday hardships of villagers in rural poverty, and the manoeuvrings of the wealthy lords and vicars that put their successive stamp on the village down the ages.

A second volume will explore life from 1920 to the present day. The book costs £14.99 and all proceeds will go to the Friends of St Mary Magdalene Church. The book can be bought from The Book House in Thame High Street, and the Thame Museum, and signed copies will be available from the author at the launch party at 7.30pm, at St Mary Magdalene Church, Mill Road, Shabbington.

OPERATION Christmas Child, which is a charitable campaign run by Samaritan’s Purse, collects and sends Christmas wrapped shoe boxes filled with goodies for needy children aged 2 – 14 years, living in parts of Africa, Asia & Eastern Europe.

The charity now has a local warehouse in Thame, at Gregory Distribution, in Rycote Lane. Boxes are donated by churches, schools, local businesses, community groups and individuals, all of whom give up a little time, effort and money to contribute to this cause. Volunteers help out in many ways by working at the warehouse, collecting boxes, wrapping and filling shoe boxes, knitting, sewing and making other useful things at home.

For anyone who would like to contribute a Christmas box, the empty shoeboxes can be collected from most shoe shops. They are then wrapped in Christmas paper and filled with all sorts of lovely gifts ranging from toiletries (toothbrush & paste, soap, flannel, wash-bag), woollies (hat, scarf, gloves, socks), stationery (paper, writing/drawing pads, pens, pencils, chalk, crayons, felts, case, ruler, eraser and sharpener), sweets (with sell by date beyond March 2016), toys (balls, doll, car), puzzles, skipping rope, hand puppet, musical toy, figures, picture books, etc and of course a cuddly toy.

Every box has to be checked at the warehouse and a small percentage of boxes need to be topped up with ‘fillers’ when necessary. In order to do this we rely on donations of all of the above and would be so grateful to any individuals or local businesses who are able to provide us with these.

Anyone wishing to donate fillers or become a volunteer should contact the warehouse or to find out more please visit www.operationshristmaschild.org.uk The warehouse can be found as you leave Thame on the Oxford Road, you take the first exit from the big roundabout going towards Great Milton. You pass the Ford Garage on the right, then ASM after the bend in the road is Gregory’s.

This year the charity is aiming to send 10,000 boxes to children in Zambia but are also distributing up to 25,000 to help neighbouring districts out as they have not been lucky enough to find a warehouse this year.

A rise in car parking charges across the district are to be considered by the Cabinet of South Oxfordshire District Council, at its meeting on Thursday, December 3.

Officers have calculated that car parking is likely to be running at a loss in a few of years as car park running costs are rising faster than income.

Since there has been no rise in car parking fees since 2007, a modest rise of 10p or 20p across all tariffs is being recommended which would increase the income from car parks by up to £98,000 per year. The Cabinet will also consider installing two electric car charging points, one in Henley and one in Wallingford, for which no charge would be made for the time spent recharging electric vehicles. This move would be consistant with SODC’s low emissions policy, particularly in the two towns which have been designated as ‘Air Quality Management Areas’ after very high levels of noxious fumes from vehicles have been identified in them.

To read the full report to be presented to Cabinet on December 3, LINK HERE