Category: Thame news

THE list of exciting events for Thame’s first Arts and Literature Festival (TAL) is growing and preparations are in full swing the weekend, June 25 – 27, 2010.

Events will include author, Alison Weir giving a talk about the Tudors on the site of the Palace that once stood at Rycote and a literary tour of the town to meet writers and visitors from the past to Thame, from Kings to singers, from Cavaliers to poets with the help of The Thame Players and Thame Youth Theatre.

Several authors have confirmed their involvement in the festival, including Nick Barratt, Carl Boardman, Douglas Hurd, Canon Vincent Strudwick, Phyllida Law, Fran Sandham, Sandra Smith, Emma Chichester-Clark, Alison Weir, Richard Fortey and Lucy Worsley.

Richard Fortey will give a talk about Trilobites & Dinosaurs. His book The Hidden Landscape was
named the Natural World Book of the Year and he was the 2006 holder of the Royal Society’s Michael Faraday Prize for the public communication of
science. He has also written dinosaur poems for children and even a spoof book on the Rubik’s Cube!

The James Figg pub in Cornmarket, Thame, will be the venue for A night of Irish Poetry and Song, Led by Bernard O?Donoghue, on the Saturday night. Bernard and his friends will entertain from 9pm until late.

The main sponsor for the festival will be CPM but anyone else who would like to be involved in sponsoring an event or in placing an advert in TAL’s Souvenir Festival Brochure can contact Steve on 01844 201673 or email marketing@talfestival.org.

Tickets will be available on-line, by telephone or from the ticket office to be opened at the Town Hall at the beginning of June. Full details will follow.

www.talfestival.org

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council’s Chief Executive, David Buckle, has said that his council will not be taking over parking enforcement in Thame once the new Decriminalisation laws come into force next year, as the government wants it to do.

The government’s proposed fixed excess charges are more than those currently made by SODC, which, said Mr Buckle, would mean rate payers having to subsidise the operation.

The government has apparently stated that it is disappointed in the uptake by local authorities to take over parking enforcement, and wants to hear from them about why. SODC will be writing to the government with its views, assured Mr Buckle. He was speaking at a meeting of Thame Town Council on Tuesday, March 9.

Cllr Nigel Champken Woods said: “This is very worrying, particularly as our traffic warden, Peggy Long, will be retiring in September.

“At the moment, the police don’t want to know, SODC, don’t want to know, Oxfordshire District Council doesn’t want to know and the town council can do nothing, yet we get the flack. We will end up with parking anarchy in the town because no one will grasp the nettle!”

SODC Cabinet Member for Finance, Property, Economic Development and Facilities, Rodney Mann, replied: “The police can’t do everything. If the people of Thame think parking is a policing priority, they can let that be known through the NAG (Neighbourhood Action Group) which should then make it more of a priority for the police.

“We cannot expect everyone in the district to take up the cost.”

The Mayor, Cllr Jeannette Matelot Green said that she feared businesses would park everywhere which would leave less spaces for visitors to the town.

Mr Buckle suggested that the town council add its voice and write to the government too.

PHOTO: Thame’s Traffic Warden, Peggy Long, whose retirement in September 2010 could spark a parking ‘free for all’ in the town.

THERE’S been so much going on in Thame recently, that we’ve decided to do one general news round-up towards the end of what’s been a very busy week in and around the town.

TOWN COUNCIL REJECTS NEW COFFEE SHOP

THAME Town Council’s Planning committee has recommended refusal of an application by a Cost Coffee franchisee for change of use, to the former Bump and Beyond shop in the High Street.

The committee’s reasons for refusal are that the plan does not fit the Local Plan.

THAME CELEBRATIONS FOR BATTTLE OF BRITAIN DAY

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010, is the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. To celebrate there is to be a Hangar Dance, reminiscent of the 1040s, on Saturday, September 18, at the Spread Eagle.

The ballroom will be decorated in 1940?s style with parachutes, airfield scenes, etc. A 27 piece Big Band will be playing and there will be 1940s style food. Period dress will be encouraged but not compulsory. All this for

AN early crowd gathered in Thame High Street this morning for the grand opening of a new Sainsburys store in the town.

Town Crier, Tony Legge, rang his bell and Cried the news to the townsfolk. Then the crowd counted down from ten, led by store manager, Jason Mariett, before the Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green, cut the ribbon and declared the store officially open.

A bouquet of flowers was presented to one of the first customers in the queue, Siofra Sims, aged 4, and her mum Fiona.

The Mayor said: “When I became Mayor one of my aspirations for the year was too see the empty shops
re-let and so I was delighted to receive the letter from Sainsburys, back in August, telling
me of their intentions.

“I visited almost all of the independent shops along the High Street to ask them what they thought about Sainsburys coming to Thame and the whole response
was positive. We now have three supermarkets and only one empty shop. The more shopping diversity we have in Thame, the more visitors we will have to Thame.

“I wish Sainsburys every success with their venture as success for Sainsburys also means success for Thame.”

Store Manager, Jason Marriett told ThameNews.Net: “I am absolutely ecstatic about the response from the people of Thame on our opening day. Its been a long time coming – the re-fit took longer than we expected. One of the problems was that we are on the site of an old pub and we discovered a cellar!”

Thame’s is Sainburys 850th store to open, since the first in Drury Lane, London, 140 years ago.

THE TOWN CRIERS HISTORIC CRY:

“Oyez Oyez Oyez
In Thame town centre today’s the day
When Sainsburys open their nice new shop
So don’t walk by, in you pop
To see what goodies they have in store
I guarantee you’ll be back for more
You’ll find shopping here lots of fun.
Now I’ve said that, my work is done.

God Bless you all.
God Bless Thame.
God save the Queen.”

THE temporary ithame store in Thame’s High Street welcomed a special visitor this morning, the Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green.

The ithame store was open again today, with the ithame developers, Andy McDonald and Simon Ralphs, continuing to make themselves available to spread the word about the world’s first town iphone app.

Throughout the day other visitors included town councillors David Laver and Adam Buckland (whose business, Brothers Hair Salon, is one of the ithame founding businesses), the Town Clerk, Helen Stewart and other founding business representatives, Martin King from Racquets and Tom Newitt, of Brother Tom’s Pies.

Once again free pies were being given to passers by who called in to find out more about ithame, and have a go at thinking up an appropriate name for Brother Tom’s World Cup special recipe pie.

Later in the afternoon, Thame Gazette photographer, Derek, turned up to take pictures of the ithame team with a visiting cow who just popped by from the butchers next door, with her little calf, Milkshake.

The ithame store, based in the former Bump and Beyond shop next to Newitt’s, will be manned again on Saturday.

Visit:http://twitpic.com/17qotk

to see the ithame team with Milkshake and her mum.

PHOTO; Town Crier Tony Legge, who popped along to Cry to the multitudes about ithame, with Simon Ralphs, Andy McDonald and the Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green.

A THAME residents’ group has joined with the Chiltern Vale Residents Association, Southern Thame Residents Association and the Moreton Residents Association to mount a campaign against the building of 850 new homes, earmarked to be built in the town.

The Lea Park Residents’ Association and the other lobby groups have drafted a petition against such a development, which will be available to be signed outside the Thame town hall and Waitrose on Saturday, March 12 and 19.

The group has said that it is organising a demonstration against the plans, which will take place at 2pm on Sunday, March 28, 2010, at the town hall

A ?SAY NO TO 850? flyer is being distributed to everyone on the Lea Park estate and the organisers want people who object to the proposal to email South Oxfordshire District Council’s Planning committee with their objections before its next meeting on April 07.

MEMBERS of Thame’s Air Cadet squadron were in the Thame Co-op store on Saturday, March 06, helping customers bag up their shopping, in exchange for a donation to their fund-raising.

Under the watchful eye of the Chairman of 594 Thame Squadron’s fund raising committee, Colin Anderson, they raised over

THE Police are appealing for witnesses after three burglaries in Thame.

Between 2am (7/3/10) and 7am (8/3/10) a house in Hamilton Road was burgled and thieves stole items including a laptop, handbag and some cash.

On the same night, a house in Ormond Drive was also burgled and a purse, mobile phones and car keys were stolen. The thieves then stole a Ford Focus ST from the drive.

Between 5am and 7.30am this morning (8/3/10) a house in Clarendon Road was burgled and items, including a passport, laptop, handbag and camera were stolen.

PC Emma McGrath, investigating the incidents, said: ?I urge anyone who might have seen any suspicious activity, or has any information about these burglaries, to contact me.

?Most burglaries are carried out by opportunist thieves. In two out of ten burglaries, they don?t even have to use excess force; they manage to get in through an open door or window. If doors aren?t locked properly, especially UPVC doors, the thieves can use an implement through the letterbox to open the door.

?Reduce the risk of your home being burgled by making sure you take some simple and inexpensive precautions. Take action now and don?t become a victim of burglary over the coming days.?

Here is a security checklist:

? Fit five-lever mortise deadlocks (BS3621) to all front and back doors and locks to all downstairs windows and windows which are easy to reach.
? Keep your house and car keys safe and away from doors and windows.
? If you have a burglar alarm make sure it is installed properly and works.
? When you are away from home, use timer switches to turn some lights or a radio on when it is dark.
? Cancel any milk or newspaper deliveries when you go away.
? Keep your garage and garden shed locked with proper security locks, and keep any tools secure and out of sight.
? Trim hedges and plants that a burglar could hide behind.
? Make sure you have up-to-date contents insurance.

If you have any information about these incidents and you do not want to talk to police you can call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111 and remain anonymous.

THAME’S MP, John Howell, called in to the ithame shop on Saturday, to learn about the world’s first dedicated town iphone application, launched recently in his constituency.

John Howell told the developers, Simon Ralph and Andy McDonald, that he was very impressed by their initiative and the way the town’s businesses were all working together to promote the town.

He added: “I am delighted to support this brilliant initiative and look forward to seeing how it develops further.”

Thame’s Member of Parliament, no doubt hungry after his two hour, monthly surgery in the town hall, sampled one of Brother Tom’s pies, made and provided free to sample, by Newitt’s butchers. Newitts are one of the founding businesses that have helped finance the ithame

Other founding businesses took advantage to promote themselves in the ithame store, which has temporarily taken over the ex Bump and Beyond shop in the High Street, through the generosity of Tom Newitt. They included Racquets Fitness Centre, Thame Service Station, Kismet Jewellers, Brothers Hair Salon, The Thatch and Les Liney.

STW Thame, (Solve the Web)generously loaned a projector so that visitors to the shop could see the ithame app. in all its glory, projected onto the back wall of the shop. The video of the recent BBC South news item about the ithame was also linked up to a large TV screen in the window of the shop and ithame balloons were distributed to passers by with children.

The ithame store will be open again on Wednesday morning, March 10, to co-incide with the opening of the Sainsbury store in the High Street.

PHOTO: L to R – Adam Buckland (Brothers), Simon Ralphs, Andy McDonald, John Howell MP, Martin King (Raquets)and Tom Newitt.

YOUNG Carers are children and young people up to 25 years of age who are regularly providing care and support to members of their family (including siblings) who have a physical disability, mental health problems or misuse drugs and/or alcohol. The impact and difficulties that this vulnerable group face both at home and at school while carrying out their caring role have been highlighted.

Jane Harrison, the school counsellor from Lord Williams’ school, in Thame, has been very pro-active in setting up groups for young carers in both the Lower and Upper schools. This enables the young people to meet together regularly to support each other and Jane has also arranged trips/outings to provide some time-out but more funding is needed for this to continue.

Thame Rotary Club has agreed to help raise funds over the coming months so that these groups and trips may carry on to give these young carers the breaks that they deserve.

If you would like to help in any way contact Sarah or Mich on 01235 512 212, Text 07890 744 762 or e-mail carers@svcarers.org.uk

BACKGROUND

The South & Vale Young Carers Project (based in Didcot) have been supporting young carers in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of the White Horse for the past 14 years have provided respite in the form of trips, one to one support, mentoring and information on accessing help from other services. A development worker has been working with schools and other professional bodies particularly within health and education to help raise awareness and identify young carers in this area.