FAMILY fun days, talks and walks for community groups and conservation taster events are all happening in July at Meadow Farm, Blackthorn near Thame.
Black hairstreak butterfly- Photo by Stacey Doran
Meadow Farm project officer, Cathie Hasler, is looking forward to meeting people who want to know more about the wildlife of this very special group of meadows. “The first two weeks of July will be a great time to see butterflies flitting through the colourful wild flowers,” she explained. “We’re welcoming representatives of groups who are interested in discovering the meadows for arts or heritage projects, wildlife conservation activities and nature discovery for children. The event is on Thursday, July 10, from 7 to 9pm with a guided walk, tea and cake.”
The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust now owns and manages Meadow Farm after a successful fundraising appeal last summer, and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
“Our three year project will involve lots of people from Bicester and the surrounding villages,” says Cathie. “We’re looking forward to working with local volunteers who are keen to help us manage the meadows and hedgerows, and meeting families who would like to discover the wildlife of the meadows.”
The Meadow Farm events in July are: · July 8, from 10am to 3pm: Conservation Taster Day for Volunteers
· July 10, from 7pm to 9pm: Community Groups evening walk around the meadows for representatives of local community groups
· July 12, from 2pm to 4.30pm: Marvellous Meadows for all the family, enjoy the butterflies, grasshoppers and moths among the wildflower meadows.
Book your place at these events by calling the Meadow Farm office on 01869 245864 or email: meadowfarm@bbowt.org.uk
STUDENTS at Thame’s Lord Williams’s school’s Design and Technology Faculty recently ‘amazed’ their tutors when they hosted, for the second year running, twelve Year 8 students at a Most Able Student workshop.
The purpose of the off-timetable workshop was to teach the students enhanced Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Manufacturing (CAM) skills. The project was to make a complex, double-sided maze, using a variety of computer controlled equipment, such as a Router and a Laser Cutter.
The students worked with oak and acrylic and used hand finishing skills to complete their maze which tutors and pupils agreed was a resounding success! The students involved were Bobby Sluka, Verity Roberts, Robert Watts, Helena Bernstein, Luke Gerrish, Violet Weston, Thomas Ingell, Katie McRobert, Thomas Foster-Day, Frances Dixon, Rory Pridmore and Josephine Golds.
Julia Bond, Subject Leader for Resistant Materials within the Design & Technology Faculty said: “It had been a busy, but enjoyable day. I think all the students have worked hard and have gained a lot from the experience of spending the day at Upper School, using equipment that is not normally available to students until Year 10.”
The students’ amazing mazes will be available to view at local retailer, FROM, in Cornmarket, Thame, until Friday, July 11.
THAME Players Theatre Company, whose 70th anniversary falls this year, are staging a stunning open-air production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in the picturesque garden setting of The Elms in Thame, from July 8th – 12th .
Thame Players’ production of one of the Bard’s best comedies will be set in the ‘roaring twenties’, a time of swing, jazz, and the Charleston – complete with flappers.
To put on such an ambitious production successfully, the help of many unpaid volunteers is needed.
• Do you have some spare time in July? • Would you like to share in the excitement of putting on an open-air play? • Would you like to help Thame Players backstage or dealing with the public?
Opportunities include checking tickets, ushering and front of house duties, or for anyone who enjoys practical work such as lifting and carrying props, becoming part of our back stage crew. Of course, you also get to see the play for free and you’ll enjoy meeting our friendly team!
Thame Players have a large network of volunteers who carry out many of these duties at the theatre (currently closed for refurbishment) but a larger staff will be required for this open-air production. Please call us now if you think you can help and would like to try something different!
This will be the first outdoor Thame Players production for over twenty years and it promises to be a memorable occasion, with ticket sales going well. Rehearsals are well advanced, with the opening night just two weeks away, so why not join our team today and help make the show a resounding success that people will be talking about for a long time to come!
Much Ado About Nothing will be performed at The Elms, Upper High Street, Thame. Performances start at 7.45 pm each evening and there is a matinee at 2.30 pm on Saturday, July 12, as well as an evening performance.
• To volunteer for front of house or backstage roles, please get in touch with Tony Long on 07938 857291 or by email to thameplayers@aol.com as soon as possible.
• Tickets £10 (concessions £1 off) from Tickets Anywhere Greyhound Walk Thame; Tel 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk (booking fee applies) Party discounts are available – details on request from thameplayers@aol.com or on 07938 857291. Doors are open from 6.30pm and from 1pm on Saturday.
• Rectory Homes, principal sponsors of this production, have kindly given permission for Thame Players to use The Elms, owned by them.
In September 2014, the theatre will re-open with Quartet by Ronald Harwood, from September 9 to 13. This will be followed by the Neil Diamond Story on September 21, and ‘ Two Kinds of Teardrops’ on September 27. Watch out for more information!
PLANS for a new housing development on the west side of Thame, have been roundly rejected by all town councillors, one of them describing the plans as looking as though “…they were designed by a sixth former!”
Image showing proposed housing mix on ‘site c’ – Courtesy of Taylor Wimpey Pink – private, Blue – rented, Green – shared ownership
Thame Town Council met last night to decide whether to recommend acceptance or refusal of the plans for a housing development on Site C (in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan), between Thame Park Road and Wenman Road, after hearing a report from the council’s Planning Consultant, Jake Collinge.
The main criticisms of the plans were that the principle of a ‘housing mix’ as laid down in the TNP and the layout of the plan and design of the houses, did not reflect the requirements for Thame. Jake Collinge stated that in his view, the Market housing mix (2,3,4 or 5 bedroom homes):..”does not in any way address the needs for Thame.”
He was concerned that the so-called two bedroom homes (for which Thame is in particular need of) were exactly the same layout as the three beds, except that one of them is marked as a study. Similarly the three bedroomed houses are the same as the four bed, but with one bedroom marked as a study!
The street layout, he suggested did not reflect the requirement of the TNP to reflect the character of Thame in its ‘spaciousness and character’.
He noted that some of the houses were of the same design as those on the old Chinnor Cement Works sites, and as such did not ‘raise the design bar as anticipated in the Neighbourhood Plan.’
Cllr Helena Fickling, herself an Architect and Chair of the town council’s Planning and Environment Committee, was unhappy with the way the plans separated out houses to be sold on the open marked, and those intended for Part-ownership or as ‘affordable’ housing. The plan, she said: “…creates a ghetto; with ‘millionaires row’ at the bottom!
“This is not what we want for Thame,” she added.
Cllr Mike Welply said he was ‘disappointed’ with the plans. “To my mind this looks like a bog standard housing estate, the same as those at Didcot and Westbrook Park. To come into Thame and see that is just not good enough. They need to go back to the drawing board.”
Cllr Fickling called the ‘tiny play area, stuck in the top corner of the plan’ on the road side, “lunatic!”
“Why not put it in the central square to encourage some social life?” she suggested. Cllr Vaughan Humphries asked if any more changes were planned for the new junction layout at Wenman Road where there had already been an accident. Jake Collinge explained that there would be some new crosssing points from the new development, and that an officer from SODC was coming to look at the junction with a view to some branch-cutting being carried out to improve visibility turning right towards Thame.
Cllr Peter Lambert said: “It is imperative that we make the right decision (tonight). The whole idea of the Neighbourhood Plan was to create somewhere nice to live in Thame, not to bolt on a new estate.
“How is it,” he asked, “that these developers can come out with fantastic plans and promises with wonderful watercolour drawings, and then ignore them?”
Cllr Mike Dyer said that in his opinion, the plans treated the Neighbourhood Plan ‘with contempt’ and proposed that the council recommend South Oxfordshire District Council refuse detailed planning permission. The councillors obviously agreed and voted unanimously to support his proposal.
The plans will be considered by SODC’s Planning committee in September. Meanwhile, the consultation period for this application runs until July 10, 2014.
A new online one-stop shop for advice and information has been launched to help businesses across South Oxfordshire, and those looking to locate into the area. www.southoxbiz.co.uk offers a wide range of support and information sources for businesses of all sizes. The new site, which is being administered by South Oxfordshire District Council, contains useful information, research and statistics on the district, details how the council is supporting market towns and rural employers, identifies specific resources to assist tourist based businesses, and gives details of news and events that maybe of interest to local organisations.
SouthOxBiz also has its own Twitter feed @southoxbiz, which will help to keep businesses up to date with latest news, and outlines the ‘ambassador scheme’ that the council will launch later this year that will connect influential members of the South Oxfordshire business community, provide a forum to help smaller businesses, and will also help to spread news and advice across the district.
SouthOxBiz was launched by South Oxfordshire District Council as a way of providing an easy to use resource for local businesses and support for the council’s corporate priorities of ‘building the local economy’ and ‘supporting business growth in appropriate locations across the district’.
THE deputy manager of The Thatch pub in Thame, who walked from the capital to the coast, has praised the generosity of Thame residents and pub guests, who dug deep into their pockets to raise enough money to help not one but two causes close to her heart.
Serena Toh enjoys the feel of the grass on her blistered feet, & a glass of well-earned ‘bubbly’
Serena Toh took part in the London to Brighton walk at the end of May, braving wind, mud and torrential rain to walk through the night and complete the 100 km or 62 mile trek, one of the country’s toughest endurance challenges.
She raised over £3000 in sponsorship from local businesses, pub regulars, colleagues and friends, which will go towards supporting Kenyan primary school children as well as conservancy projects in the Maasai Mara that protect their land and their heritage.
“I decided to do the walk from Richmond-on-Thames to Brighton after returning from Kenya earlier this year, where I met pupils from the Emarti Primary School in the Maasai Mara,” Serena explained. “We were there to work on a conservancy project to protect wildlife and the land, and I was inspired to do more to help when I got back.
“So I walked for 30 hours in mud, clay and sludge, through woodlands and hills and saw enough mud to last a lifetime, but I kept thinking about my goal and the generosity of everyone who sponsored me, and didn’t give up. I finished over a day after I set off, exhausted but elated.
“With all the support I had, I’ll not only be able to buy books and drawing materials for primary school children at Emarti, my original goal; I also raised enough money to complete the construction of the 4km fence my colleagues from Peach started to protect endangered hippos and elephants on the Enonkishu Conservancy on the northern boundary of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. This project is designed to help shore up what’s been termed the ‘Last Line of Defence’ for an area of land under growing threat.
“I’d like to say a very big thank you to everyone whose moral support and generosity made all of this possible, and meant I could do even more to help these great causes,” she added.
Anyone who wants to sponsor Serena can still do so by contributing via www.peachfoundation.co.uk or popping into The Thatch to fill in a sponsorship form at the bar.
THE Rotary Club of Thame has expressed its gratitude to the community of Thame and neighbouring villages for their support with the group’s fundraising events, including the Thame Swimathon and Thame Art Show.
Jeannette Matelot Green, this year’s President of the Rotary Club of Thame, said: “Thanks to the community’s support, the club was able to donate £5,000 to charity at a ceremony held at the Spread Eagle in Thame on Wednesday (June 18), to mark the end of the Rotary Year 2013-2014. The major beneficiaries included Sharing Life Trust, Thame SAFARI, Thame & District Day Centre and Thame Players. We were also able to present cheques to four charities and also made donations to three young people from Thame who have raised money for local charities by their own efforts.”
Steve Eyre, from Sharing Life Trust said: “The money donated by Thame Rotary will help the new Thame Community Bank. We are committed to doing business in a way that contributes to the local community, and that funds are invested ethically.”
Michelle Diffey from Thame SAFARI added: “The donation to our group will make a big difference. The money will go towards social events for our adults which require independence.”
Accepting a cheque on behalf of the Thame & District Day Centre,Gill Coleman said: “The Day Centre is thankful to Thame Rotary for their continuing support. The group’s donation will support funding more social events for the people we care for.”
Pat Shepherd of Thame Players, reminded those present that Thame Players has been active for 70 years, and said that the donation will go towards the second phase of the theatre’s refurbishment which includes the change of all electrical wiring as well as the heating system.
APAE, a joint international project with the Rotary Club of Blumenau Oeste (Brazil), will use its donation to fund the purchase of special dental equipment for children with disabilities. APAE, which stands for Parents and Teachers Association of the students with Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities, is a non-governmental and non- profit organization, that is attended by 410 students with Intellectual and Physical Disabilities.
APAE offers the following services: Social, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, Medical, Nutrition and Dietetics, Dental treatment, Schooling and Psychological and Occupational Therapy.
HADDENHAM Runners are well into their 2014 running season with their numbers steadily growing with each run.
With the Thame 10k looming on the horizon, a mystery runner has been spotted training on several occasions, keen to keep their anonymity.
Rumours have been heard that this is none other than local celebrity, ‘The Thamensian’, who appears to have taken up the offer from Thame Runners of a free entry to Thame 10k and free beer (1 bottle) from Haddenham Runners.
Do you recognize the runner in the picture? Have you seen them out training? Could this be our local hero? Do you know what’s going on behind his disguise? Does anyone know his way?
Be sure to support all the runners this Sunday, June 29, for Thame’s big race.
THE countryside lobbying group, CPRE, is urging councils and councillors to reject new figures for housing needs that the local planning authority has based its revised Local Plan for the district on.
The Strategic Housing Market Assessment – or SHMA – figures, have been used by South Oxfordshire District Council to decide how to meet the new housing target, and have outlined possible options for the allocation of new housing, including a new town between Walllingford and Thame, and building in the Oxford Green Belt.
The SHMA found that far more houses than previously envisaged in the Local Plan (adopted in December 2012) would have to be built in South Oxfordshire, probably including Thame, to meet demand. SODC had only planned to build 10,600 homes between 2011 and 2027, but the SHMA proposes that between 14,500 and 16,500 are needed by 2031.
The consultation currently being carried out by SODC lists a number of options for distributing the additional housing.
CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) has said that it is concerned that the options identified in the new Plan “……are not ‘options’ at all. We believe that all of the options identified – and more, will be required if SODC are to meet the unrealistic and unsustainable housing targets outlined in the SHMA.
“This would be intensely damaging to the environment and to the amenity of everyone who lives in the District.”
Helen Marshall, CPRE Oxfordshire’s Director, responding to a draft report by its own Consultants questioning the validity of the new SHMAR figures, has said: “The only beneficiaries of the Oxfordshire SHMA are house builders, who will have carte blanche to develop what and where they like (which is high-end housing on Greenfield land – a precious and finite resource). The price will be paid by those who will pay for new infrastructure and services to support this (all of us), and those who depend for decent housing on the regeneration of Oxford and our towns (especially new and lower income households). Balancing these interests is a matter for the local planning process – which the SHMA preempts.”
The public consultation (details HERE) ends on July, 23.
OVER the next few weeks, strange yellow/green neon lights will start to appear on the grassland of Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve, near Stokenchurch, but don’t worry, the aliens haven’t landed! These tiny lights are actually female glow worms trying to attract a mate.
Glow worm – Photographed by Matthew O’Byrne
From late June to the end of July, the Chilterns Conservation Board and Natural England will be giving you the opportunity to hunt for these fascinating creatures by night and learn more about them.
Four glow worm walks are taking place between 9.45pm and 11.30pm on Friday, June 27th, Saturday 5th, Saturday 12th and Friday 25th July. Meet at the Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve car park.
The walks cost £3 for adults and £1 for children. Spaces are strictly limited and booking is essential. Call early to avoid disappointment on 01844 355 500.
Remember, it will be dark, so intrepid glow worm hunters should bring a torch, dress warmly and wear sturdy footwear. The event isn’t suitable for young children, but over 10’s are welcome with adult supervision.
