CHILDREN who play squash are being invited to enter now for the one-day, graded junior tournament, at Racquets Squash Academy in Thame, on May 30, running from 10am to 4pm.
Racquets squash coaches, Will John (left0 and Sue Martin-Downhill (right) with the junior squash players
Also, book now for the half term Tuesday and Thursday squash courses. 10am to 4pm, and lunch is included.
Don’t forget there are ‘no strings’ squash sessions on Mondays and Saturdays at Racquets which are free to Junior Gold members, and new term-time squash courses starting straight after the half term holiday.
Contact: info@racquets-fitness-centre.com for more information about junior squash at Racquets.
THE Tythe Barn, Haddenham, was the beautiful setting for the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity’s local fundraising group’s popular afternoon tea event, which raised over £2,000 from cream tea sales, Grand Spring Draw tickets and a tombola on the day.
Home-made scones and assorted cakes to choose from were just some of the culinary delights on offer for afternoon tea-goers, along with music courtesy of France Ellul playing the Welsh harp and Steve Pinder on the clarinet.
Commenting on the fundraiser, Angela Hart, Haddenham Community Group leader, said: “We are very grateful to the people of Haddenham for coming along to support the Hospice. A huge thank you must go to the brilliant team of volunteers who put on the event.” Volunteers included members of the Haddenham Freemasons Lodge No.8944, who helped with the setting up of chairs and tables.
Tom Bucknell, owner of The Tythe Barn commented: “It was a very well organised event. The atmosphere was very good and the volunteers put a lot of hard work in.’’
Angela added: “The group’s next event is taking place on Wednesday, June 24 – a Fashion Show at Haddenham Community Junior School, 7.30pm, where attendees can come along and watch the show, then have an opportunity to try-on and buy clothes featured on the night.”
Tickets cost £6 per person and can be purchased by calling 01844 292070.
THAME Town Cricket Club’s 1st XI were denied on Saturday, as Twyford held onto a draw. On a cloudy day, Thame elected to bat and things started well as captain Higgs (47) and Nielsen (40) took Thame to 135 for 1 off 28 overs.
Capt Mike Higgs
With Thame being in a strong position, they tried to push on but wickets fell steadily. Youngster Harry Thomas led the later order with 25, to make sure that Thame ended on 231 all-out in their final over. In reply, Twyford started well with some big shots but the in-form Sam Lachlan produced another excellent spell taking fpir wickets, leaving Twyford 90 for 6.
With Thame In full control and Twyford batting for the draw, it was difficult to find the breakthrough and Twyford’s Sam Lyon scored 75 not-out as he steered his side to 190 for 7. Another good display and 18 points for Thame, who will be at home to top-of-the-table Tiddington, next Saturday, May 30.
THAME Town Council has elected a new Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the Civic Year 2015-16, and two local charities are set to benefit.
Rhame’s new Mayor, Nichola Dixon (R), and her deputy, Linda Emery
Cllr Nichola Dixon, who served as Deputy Mayor to Jeannette Matelot Green last year, has been elected as Town Mayor and will be supported in her role by the new Deputy Mayor, Cllr Linda Emery.
Nichlola’s two chosen local charites for her mayoral year are The Thame and District Day Centre, and Thame to Thame. which is supporting the people of Thame in Nepal, whose village was almost totally destroyed by the recent earthquake.
When she’s not chairing town council meetings or carrying out her duties as the Mayor of Thame, Nichola is the Office Manager for Unitline Sytems, a joinery firm in High Wycombe, and mum to three daughters. Nichola told Thame.Net a little more about herself:
“I have lived in Thame since arriving here with my parents as an eight year-old. There have been brief forays into living in other towns and countries but when I started my family, Thame is where I wanted them to grow up. I now have three daughters Jessica (17) Georgina (14) and Amelia (7), all of whom have grown up here and are all currently being schooled here.
“It was lovely walking Amelia in to school last Wednesday, where she proceeded to tell anyone who would listen at Barley Hill that I was now the Mayor. The girls have grown up with me on the council. When I first joined, Jess was only nine and Georgina seven, and Amelia came along when I was a serving member, the first serving councillor to give birth in something like 40 years! And they were one of the main reasons I decided to stand for council in the first place, to give a family perspective if I could.
“I first got elected to the town council in 2007, thanks to another current councillor, Nigel Champken-Woods, a long standing friend of our family who knew I enjoyed getting involved in the community and told me all about it so I decided to stand. At that point there was never a thought about being Mayor, just getting involved.
“So here we are, eight years later, going in to another four-year term, and I couldn’t be happier that I have been elected as Mayor of our lovely town. It is an honour and a privilege to be able to be Thame’s representative and it is a fantastic opportunity to get involved and give something back.
“Over the course of the year I will also be raising funds for two local groups, the Thame and District Day Centre and the Thame to Thame Nepal fund. It is at this point I regret ever having said that if ever I become Mayor I will jump out of a plane! – although I have been told it is a great way to raise funds.
“So watch this space; I am looking forward to an exciting, busy year and can’t wait to get started.”
LAST weekend, a team of fit and intrepid people set off from Thame to tackle the famous Three Peaks Challenge for a very special reason, and they did it, albeit just outside the target 24 hours. Team member Sue Martin-Downhill recalls the lows and the highs:
Nigel Pattison, Sue Martin-Downhill, Debbie Gray, Mary Hill, Ellen Gipp, Andrew Stansfield or John Maitland – not necessarily in that order!
What a weekend! 12,000 miles covered just to walk 25! But those 25 were serious mountain walking climbs. All in aid of Child Bereavement UK; a charity that supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement.
On Friday, May 15, a team of people from Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame travelled up to Northern Scotland to Fort William, a drive of 10 hours. A false sense of wellbeing resulted from a wonderful Jacuzzi and swim, followed by a bite to eat and a very brief attempt at sleep. Up for breakfast at 4.20am and off to the foot of Ben Nevis and walking by 5am. No-one else to be seen.
After two hours the legs were tiring but we were reaching the top where it was -14 C. Stupidly I removed my gloves to get the camera out and immediately felt the full force of the icy cold. Hand warmers are a godsend !!! The brief hail storm was no picnic either.
On the journey down Mary was skipping lightly and I was starting to feel the burn in the knees. The descent was painful but a relief to finally reach the bottom.
On to the Lake District – a journey of 5 hours – to Scafell Pike. A near vertical ascent. The others in the team strode up as I slowed more and more; finally reaching the peak after two hours. Even more slowly down with the knees creaking – you simply can’t stop once you’ve started.
Jim Lythgoe, the challenge driver, had the kettle on when we reached the bottom – a welcome sight.
Back in the car for another five hours – reaching Snowdonia by 1.30am. Pitch dark. The team woke from their intermittent snoozing and dressed ready for the longest walk of the three. I gave in and decided that I’d like to be able to continue playing squash until I’m 70 so saving my knees at this point was important to me. I bedded down for the night in the van. Four hours later I was woken by Jon stating that the weather and the night darkness was horrendous and the walk had been successful but really uncomfortable.
We’d been looking forward to a cooked breakfast but as the team had completed Snowdon in record time, no cafés were open for another two hours. So we just started the drive home.
The three peaks, 24 hour challenge, is a really hard experience and for the team who completed all three in 24 hours and 28 minutes, this was a remarkable achievement. All of us have been walking a little bit awkwardly for the last few days, with the pain of stiff calves and thighs.
For team member, Nigel Pattison, this was the fourth challenge in four weeks, which started with the London Marathon, included a Coast-to-Coast bike ride and a 160 mile ride up and down the mountains of the Lake District. All this to raise a total in excess of £4,000 for Child Bereavement UK.
If anyone knows Nigel Pattison, Sue Martin-Downhill, Debbie Gray, Mary Hill, Ellen Gipp, Andrew Stansfield or John Maitland, and would like to donate to this cause please go to www.justgiving.com/nigel-pattison.
BELL Lane will be closed to traffic on June 10, 2015 for approximately 2 days in order to carry out essential structural carriageway works.
VEHICULAR access on the Eastern Bypass, Thame, will be temporarily prohibited on June 28, 2015, to accommodate the Thame 10K run.
between 9:30 and 10:30am on 28 June in the B4012 Thame Eastern Bypass between its junctions with the A4129 Kingsey Road roundabout and the B4445 Garden City; and
b) between approximately 9:30 and 9:40am in High Street eastwards to its junction with Southern Road, and in Oxford Road from High Street to the A418 roundabout.
Exemptions are included for police, fire and ambulance services, emergency works, and for vehicular access to adjacent premises which are only accessible from the closed section of road.
The alternative route for traffic affected by the B4012 closure is via Kingsey Road, East Street, Park Street, Chinnor Road and Garden City & vice versa. There is no alternative route for the Oxford Road and High Street closures.
AN ultra marathon runner was so moved by the plight of the people affected by the Nepal earthquake, that he is racing against a horse, and will be donating funds raised through his Justgiving page, to the ‘Thame to Thame’ group, who are raising money to help the villagers of Thame (pronounced Tham-ay) in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal badly hit by the earthquake on April 25.
Image for illustrative purposes only
The Man v Horse marathon in Wales was started in 1980, as a result of a pub bet, and has been an annual fixture ever since. On Saturday, June 13, John Dickin from Princes Risborough, will be outside the Neuadd Arms in Llanwrtyd Wells ready to join a record field of more than 600 runners and 50 horses and riders, for the 36th race of the species.
The course was changed in 1982 to provide a more even match between the man and the horse resulting year on year in very close finishes – sometimes with the horse winning by only a few seconds. It took 25 years before a man finally beat a horse; Huw Lobb won in 2hrs and 5mins beating the fastest horse by two minutes. His feat was repeated three years later by Florien Holtinger, but the horse has remained unbeaten for the seven years since.
To support John’s epic race against the horse, and help the people of Thame in Nepal rebuild their school, houses and their lives, visit his Justgiving page: LINK. The funds will be used by The Himalayan Trust UK who have people on the ground in Thame and the rest of the region, and the know-how to spend the money appropriately on Thame-to_Thame’s behalf.
To find out more about ‘Thame to Thame’ and keep up to date with fund-raising events, visit the facebook page. LINK
IT’S Currently Oxfordshire Arts Week so, if you would like to see some very fine furniture on display and in the making, as well as some beautiful glasswork by artist and occasional Bates and Lambourne collaborator, Jessica Ecott, pop along to Bates and Lambourne’s workshop at Milton Common, near Thame, between now and Monday, May 25.
Bates and Lambourne’s Artweeks opening times are 12:00 – 6:00pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. Thursday 12:00 – 8:00pm and Saturday and Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm
The full address and directions can be found on Bates and Lambourne’s website: LINK
Christine Taq and Heather are also offering workshops and an exhibition of their work in Thame, at Ashlea House Print Studio, 2 Essex Rd, Thame.
They are open from 12 each day until 6pm Sunday, with demonstrations on Friday (today!).
ON Saturday, May 30, the wholly volunteer-run Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway will welcome visitors to their annual Open Day at Chinnor station.
Open between 10am and 3pm, the day will be entirely free and over 550 people enjoyed a visit on the last occasion. There will be free train rides along the line in the preserved railcar and visitors will have an opportunity to see behind the scenes and talk with the friendly volunteers.
There are many roles and activities within the railway, and representatives from the following areas will be on hand to talk with visitors and show them what they do: Operations (engine crews, guards, signalling), Carriage & Wagon (restoration and maintenance), Permanent Way (track maintenance and re-laying), Passenger Services (on-train stewards, catering crew, guides, ticket collectors), Tuesday Gang (restoration, painting, repairs), Tea Rooms & Shop, Booking Office & Enquiries, Marketing/PR & Publicity, Website and Social Media, Fundraising, Membership activities including Young Members Group (14-18 yrs), and more.
Danny Woodward, Chairman of the C&PR Railway, said: “‘Our award winning railway is celebrating its 21st year of operation with special events and extra running days – including steam trains on Thursdays in August. On our Open Day we are delighted to give visitors an opportunity to enjoy the railway for free and to take a free railcar ride along the line. They will be able to get up close and personal with the trains and also see the progress on our new Restoration and Education Centre, and more generally to see behind the scenes. As the railway continues to expand, more volunteers are needed to help keep it running. Whether you’re an interested visitor or someone who is perhaps thinking of volunteering, please come along on Saturday, 30 May 2015 – everyone will be made very welcome!”
THAME’S skate-boarding fraternity is thoroughly ‘made up’ this week after two bits of good news mean that the long-awaited, planned renovations and replacement of worn out equipment at Thame Skate Park can now go ahead.
Jeannette Matelot Green and Corin Rea hold up the cheque, surrounded by smiling skaters
First, Thame Town Council has agreed to underwrite the remaining money needed for the work to begin, up to a maximum of £75,000. Secondly, the out-going Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green, presented a cheque for of £9153 to the skaters, money she raised during her civic year for the Skatepark project, as one of her chosen charities.
Corin Rea, a local skateboarder and leading member of the Skate park Working Group said: “A big, big thank you to Jeannette and the working group, Thame Town Council, plus everyone who has contributed, fund-raised, sponsored, and generally got involved. This park is for you and everyone else for the next 50 years.”
Speaking on the Thame Skate Park Project’s Facebook page, Stephen Little posted: “ Great news. I’ve got two young lads who will hopefully make good use of the new park (as well as myself 🙂 Massive thanks to everyone involved.”
A Skate Park Working Group (SPWG) was formed in 2012 with the purpose of consulting with users, volunteers and the Council to replace the Skate Park facilities and eventually a contract was agreed for redeveloping the skate park, costing £249,997.
Financial assistance of £65,000 from Thame Town Council’s Capital Reserves was agreed by the council in April 2014, and in the same year, the group successfully bid for an SODC Capital Grant for 40% of the project cost, and £3,000 from the Chill Out fund as well as £65,000 from Oxfordshire County Council’s Inspired Facilities fund.
A grant applied for to Sport England for around £75,000 was unsuccessful.
Thame Town Council has now agreed to underwrite the remaining cost as it expects money through Section 106 from housing development and other sources will cover much of the cost.
