Category: Thame news

FIRE Crews from thame were called this morning at 9 am to reports of a car that had come off the M40 and crashed into a field. Fire crews responded quickly from Thame, Wheatley and Kidlington and on arrival discovered the car that had been involved in a crash between junctions 7 and 6 of the M40 southbound.

Luckily the only occupant of the car was able to get free from the car and was treated by the Ambulance Service. Fire crews then worked with the Police, Highways Agency and Ambulance to make the vehicles safe.

Watch Manager Andy Ford from Thame fire station said: “The driver was so lucky this time; a car rolling over like this through a fence and landing in a field and the occupant being able to walk out is pretty amazing.”

Station Manager Simon Belcher said: “We?d like to remind all drivers that the conditions are only going to get worse over the next few days with freezing temperatures, fog and potentially snow predicted, please take care and leave enough room between you and the next car. At this time of year the sun can be very low in the sky for a great deal of the day making visibility poor.”

SOURCE: Press release from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue

DURING November, twenty five offenders have been brought to justice for a variety of offences in the Thame area, including the Fraud, shoplifting, Criminal Damage, Assault and Drug Possession.

Read the full report about what local officers have been focusing on, and information about having your say on local policing with local officers: LINK HERE

A stunning and dynamic display by the Thame Skate Park Youth Project at last weekend’s Christmas Lights event, attracted a lot attention and admiration.

The Project, which is being supported by Thame Town Council, involves users and volunteers working to raise funds to replace the current Skate Park facilities which are coming to the end of their useful life, and improving and enhancing the current facilities at the park.

A Youtube video of part of the display can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEtRwymRR4w

LOCAL people and visitors to Thame’s Tuesday market, will this year be able to buy there fresh fruit and vegetables for Christmas dinner just two days prior to the big day!

As this year’s Christmas Day and New’s Day both fall on a Tuesday, it has been agreed betweem the Market and its landlord, Thame Town Council, that the market will be held on Sunday, December 23.

However, there will be a limited number of stalls, which will include fruit and veg.

A District Councillor is to quiz SODC’s Cabinet Leader on the cost of the recent election for a Thame Valley Police Crime Commissioner, which attracted a record low turnout for any local election.

Anthony Stansfeld, a Conservative Party candidate, was been elected as the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner on November 15, despite securing the vote of less than 5% of the electorate.

In tabling her question, Cllr Eleonor Hards will refer to a recent Town and Parish Forum were councillors were told that on November 15 one South Oxfordshire polling station had 10 voters over the course of the 15 hours of polling.

She will ask the Cabinet Leader, Ann Ducker, to say “what was the approximate total cost to this council of the
Police and Crime Commissioner elections in terms of staff hours, building hire etc and will this cost be reimbursed by central government?”

the Cabinet meeting is on Thursday, December 13, at 6pm.

IMAGE: Cllr Eleonor Hards, who represents Didcot. Photo courtesy of http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.birchall/Didcot_Elections/Eleanor.htm

SAINSBURY’S store in Thame has begun donating surplus food that is still healthy, nutritious and within it use-by dates to the local charity, Sharing Life Trust.

The food donation scheme is aimed at charities and organisations that could really benefit from receiving surplus fresh food products that would otherwise go to waste. The types of items which Sainsbury?s Thame will be donating to Sharing Life Trust include dented packets of cereals, and items from damaged multi packs.

Jon Hulett from Sharing life trust will be presented with a box full of food tomorrow, December 5, in the morning, by the Store Manager, Scott Porteous. He said: ?We hate wasting food and really believe that old saying ?Waste not; want not?. We are really happy that local charities, within our community, can benefit from our food donations scheme.”

Jon Hulett himself said: ?We?re delighted to be receiving this kind of donation from Sainsbury?s who have helped to raise awareness of our cause. These items really will benefit local people suffering from food poverty. We?re now looking forward to working with the store during the rest of 2012?.

Nationally Sainsbury?s works with the organisation FareShare, which distributes surplus food to local charities and projects. Andy White, Community Affairs manager for Sainsbury?s said: ?There are hundreds of hungry mouths to feed in your local community and by donating food to charities and organisations we are saving thousands of tonnes of food needlessly going to landfill.”

Colleagues at Sainsbury?s Thame chose Sharing Life Trust to be their new food donation partner. The charity will now benefit from regular donations of surplus food from the store.

CHRISTMAS in Thame officially began on Friday (30/11) after thousands gathered in the town centre to see TV Astrologer and ?Strictly? competitor, Russell Grant, switch on the town?s Christmas lights.

Assisted by the Mayor, Nigel Champken Woods, Russell, who is currently appearing in Peter Pan at The Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury, lead the countdown before pressing the plunger that lit up the town, to the delight of the crowd.

The Thame Stagecoach school dancers had launched the stage show earlier with a very classy performance, followed by the joint Thame primary schools? choir then the Thame Chamber Choir who were both accompanied by the Thame Concert Band – playing their instruments in gloves ? entertaining the crowds before the ?big moment’. After the grand switching on, Li?ll Bill?s Big Band turned up the beat with their rich and brassy rendering of some classic rock and pop numbers.

Tony Long and members of this year’s Thame Players’ pantomime, Humpty Dumpty, made a appearance and three founding members of the ‘Toogle‘ help and information website, introduced their charitable collaboration to the people of Thame.

This was the last year that Reg Moss, who has been looking after the technical side of this annual event for several years, would be in charge of the buttons and switches, and a loud cheer went up from all around in appreciation of his contribution.

Judging by the increased size of the crowd at this year?s event, closing the High Street to traffic and inviting stallholders to sell their wares, seems to have paid off. As well as cake and hot food stalls, Christmas textiles and other seasonal ?goodies?, an artificial ice rink and temporary skateboard ramp added to the gaiety of the atmosphere and gave visitors of all ages plenty to do before the stage show began. Several local charities and community groups also set up stalls to help raise awareness and raise vital funds, including the Thame Wombles and the Thame and District Twinning Association.

The celebration came to an explosive end with a firework display before the crowds drifted home, chilly but happy, and Thame town centre was miraculously cleared and returned to its usual Friday night revelries, but illuminated, within less than an hour and a half.

A Merry Christmas from Thame!

FRANK Millar, did in fact raise

SOMETIME between Midnight and 07.30hrs on the 28/11/2012 a refrigerated Mercedes Sprinter van was stolen from Brill. This van contained a large quantity of meat, mainly beef.

Officers from the Waddesdon Neighbourhood Policing Team are asking for residents to be vigilant and for anyone that knows anything about this crime to contact the Police on the 24 hour Police Enquiry Number 101.

Also, anyone that is offered cheap meat, that they suspect to be stolen, is urged to contact the Police on the same number and ask for the information to be passed on to the Waddesdon Neighbourhood Policing Team.

If you don?t want to speak to the Police or give your details you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.