Category: Thame news

ON Friday (15/2), around 1.30pm, a vehicle was stolen from a building site in Lower Icknield Way, Chinnor.

The vehicle is described as a Mitsubishi L200 Warrior pick-up, silver grey in colour, part registration number WV12 ***.

If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message please call the police on 101 and state you are responding to a Thames Valley Alert message.

Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

THAME and District Day Centre Chairman, Tyrell Gillman, told the Centre?s AGM this week that he looks forward to a time when the Centre will have its own minibus.

Thanking volunteer helpers and drivers, he pointed out that the drivers use their own cars to transport members to and from the Centre.

“The Centre could not function without them,” he said. “To be in a position also to lease a minibus would open a vast array of activities outside those being provided in the premises we occupy, which will mean that we can offer improved benefits for our members.”

In his report, Mr Gillman highlighted the ever-growing need for the Day Centre, as the numbers of older people increase. He pointed out that there were two needs which are met by the centre: “We provide care and support for frail and socially isolated older people ?and, as a bi-product, can often provide respite for members? regular, day-to-day carers.”

He explained that regular attendance by members also enabled staff to detect any needs which might be missed when people were not always able to see the same GP, nurse or clinician. Speaking of his own experience, Mr Gillman added: “That?s important. I have been to see so many people and when I get a copy of a letter, it was sent by a guy whom I?ve never met to a doctor I?ve never met.”

The meeting formally adopted a new Constitution for the Centre, which is a Registered Charity. Mr Gillman said it would allow greater flexibility in dealing with any new challenges with which the Centre would have to deal. Also, with a view to the future, and to give a boost to the Board of Trustees, the appointment of four new trustees was approved. They are: Sarah Morris, Owen Davies, Alison Champken-Woods and William Heritage.

The Day Centre meets on three days a week at Thame Community Hospital, is open for 50 weeks of the year and provides a day out with a hot meal, entertainments and plentiful refreshments for people from our town and some nearby areas who are elderly, frail or, perhaps, isolated. All donations received are spent on the services it provides to members.

SOURCE: Contributed by Norman Brand
PHOTO: Tyrell Gillman, Chairman of the Thame & District Day Centre

THE Thame Neighbourhood Plan is to have a public hearing at Thame Town Hall tomorrow, Tuesday, February 19, 2013 from 12pm to 2.30pm.

The subjects and speakers permitted to give representations include Bob Williams (Thame Cattlemarket), various representatives from the allocated sites for housing development and one for The Elms, Bob Austin for the Thame East Residents Association (Lord Williams’s Lower school site) and representatives from Thame Town Council and South Oxfordshire District Council.

More information about the meeting and the full agenda can be found at SODC’s website here

The hearing is open to members of the public to attend, but only invited representatives will be permitted to take part in discussions.

Next steps

After carrying out the hearing the examiner is expected to deliver his report (the examiner?s report) by late February 2013. He will set out whether the plan should proceed to the next step of a local referendum and if so whether the plan should be modified in any way before it is subject to a local referendum, expected in May.

FIRE crews from Thame, Watlington and Didcot were called to a road traffic collision at 2:44pm today (15/02) on the B4009, Watlington Road at Shirburn.

Working closely with the Police and Ambulance Service, the Fire crews used hydraulic cutting equipment to remove the roof of one of the two vehicles involved and extricate a person trapped.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation by Thames Valley Police and the road was closed until recovery of the vehicles was completed.

Station Manager Marcus Reay from Oxfordshire?s County Council?s Fire and Rescue Service said: ?I would like to urge all road users to take extra precaution whilst driving during the winter months. Please take the time to read the seven top, winter driving, tips below.?

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a burglary in Chinnor.

On Wednesday (13/2), around 3.06am, Chinnor Mini Mart, Church Road, was burgled. Entry was gained by smashing a glass door.

Offenders forced open a cigarette shutter and stole cigarettes. Three male suspects were seen wearing puffa jackets.

If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message please call the police on 101 and state you are responding to a Thames Valley Alert message.

Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

OXFORDSHIRE Trading Standards Doorstep Crime Team is appealing for information on a Solar Panel company who have been cold calling in the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse area.

The company are believed to be targeting elderly and vulnerable residents.

Residents have been sold panels that are not approved and not necessary and told they can get money back from selling excess electricity to the grid.

To get money back from the government scheme, the panels must be installed by an approved MCS installer and a certificate supplied. (MCS Micro generation Certification Scheme)

Aggressive sales tactics have been used and some residents have been escorted to the bank to obtain funds to pay for the panels.

The company has been reported operating in the Didcot, Wallingford, Wantage, Blewbury, Wootton, Letcombe Regis, Stanford in the Vale and Kennington areas.

If you have been the victim of cold callers or know of any elderly or vulnerable neighbours who have been sold un-necessary solar panels, please contact the Trading Standards Doorstep Crime Team on 0845 051 0845, option 2 or email trading.standards@oxfordshire.gov.uk

THE Oxfordshire Waste Partnership, which oversees Thame’s waste collections, is urging residents to ensure that any unwanted frozen food discarded following the horsemeat contamination scandal is recycled and does not end up in landfill.

The advice comes as the supermarket chain, Tesco, reassured its customers that none of its discarded meat would be sent to landfill, and Biffa?s organic waste recycling division reported a spike in feedstock at its Cannock anaerobic digestion (AD) facility.

Thame Town and District Cllr David Dodds, who is Chairman of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership, said: ?we would like to remind people that all food waste can be recycled in Oxfordshire. Frozen meat products taken out of their packaging can be put with all other food waste, cooked or uncooked, in food waste bins.?

Food waste in Oxfordshire is recycled. It gets turned into compost, a liquid fertiliser and electricity is generated for over 4200 homes from the anaerobic digestion plant in Cassington.

IMAGE: Courtesy of letsrecycle.com

THIS week saw the launch of Thame’s very own internet radio station – Blackfrog radio.

Broadcasting from 9am to 10pm everyday, Radio Blackfrog has a blend of everything from pop music to rock music, presenting playlists during the day and live shows every evening from Blackfrog Studios in Station Yard, Thame.

“The Live Shows are different every night,” explained Blackfrog Studio’s Founder member, Steve Lockwood, “and range from request shows to live performance and interview shows.”

A full list of the live evening shows can be found on the website www.radioblackfrog.co.uk The live shows’ DJs are all local people, including some from local schools and every show has its own unique view and music. Broadcasts will include information about what’s happening in and around Thame, from special events in the area to local up-and-coming bands.

The Sunday night show, ‘The Sunday Night Sessions’ will give local bands and artists the opportunity to get themselves live on air, with live performances and interviews. If you are a local artist or in a band and would like to be on air then contact: info@radioblackfrog.co.uk

Radio Blackfrog broadcasts world wide, but it’s main focus is in and around Thame and the surrounding areas, hoping to make people aware of the great things that go on in this little town and trying to promote local businesses and events.

If you think you could help with Radio Blackfrog, have any idea’s about things you would like to listen to, or know of any local events that you think we should mention, then Radio Blackfrog would love to hear from you. info@radioblackfrog.co.uk

If you are interested in advertising on Radio Blackfrog, for more information and great introductory rates you can get in contact via: advertise@radioblackfrog.co.uk

You can listen to Radio Blackfrog on any internet available device by visiting the website “http://www.radioblackfrog.co.uk”target=”_blank”>www.radioblackfrog.co.uk or by searching for Radio Blackfrog on most internet media radio station players.

HERE is the latest Thame neighbourhood update from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Chris Hollis.

The Thame Sector covers the neighbourhoods of Thame, Chinnor and Watlington.

Remember, you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and there is also the option to subscribe to Thames Valley Police RSS feeds from our website – www.thamesvalley.police.uk.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB)

We have received reports of ASB issues linked with the Elms Park in Thame. We will continue to patrol this area as part our patrol plan in an effort to deter any further ASB.

Traffic issues

Further patrols to monitor vehicles parking in restricted areas of Watlington town centre continue. PCSOs have advised the Parish Council to refresh the double yellow lines so that they can be pro-actively enforced in the area. Warning letters are being issued to educate some offenders.

There have been reports of vehicles parking on the pavement and in the new bus stop area on the Thame Road in Chinnor (outside Silent View). Please refrain from parking in the bus stop and obstructing the pathway, we will be patrolling this area on a regular basis to deter offenders.

A number of people were stopped in Chinnor & Thame during a Traffic Operation. The Roads Policing Department and the neighbourhood teams stopped drivers using mobile phones or not wearing a seatbelt and gave advice/issued penalties where appropriate.

A number of vehicles were issued with fixed penalty notices for parking on the double yellow lines in Thame High Street.

Offenders brought to justice

11 offenders were brought to justice in January for offences of criminal damage, shop lifting, drug possession and public order act offences.

Planned activities

Operation MANGER involves patrolling the Town Centre car parks to distribute crime reduction literature.
Operation MAGPIE involves checking vehicles while out on patrol to see if they have any items left on display.
Operation MAGINOT tackles travelling criminals entering and leaving our area by using the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system to identify flagged vehicles. Benefits of ANPR are: it identifies suspect vehicles that may not normally attract police attention, unlicensed or uninsured vehicles are likely to be seized on the spot by ANPR equipped officers, and it can be used to gather intelligence on known criminals and for running proactive operations using dedicated Roads Policing intercept teams.

READ the full report on the Thames Valley Police website

PHOTO: PCSO Chris Hollis

THREE Thame charities received a welcome contribution this week through the generosity of the people of Thame and other visitors to the annual carnival.

Over the last two years, due to its enormous success, the carnival has raised sufficient funds to donate