THE Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, Ann Ducker, has been awarded an MBE for her services to local government, by the Queen.
Another local woman, Mrs Ranjula Takodra, who lives in Haddenham, also received an MBE for her services to the people of Aylesbury. Cllr Mrs Takodra is the current Mayor or Aylesbury.
A retired fire officer from Thame, Edwin Gordon Hussey, known as Gordon, sadly passed away on Christmas Day.
Gordon, who lived at Ridgway, Kingsey Road, Thame, with his wife, was 83 and had been ill for a while.
The funeral will be held at St Mary’s Church, Thame, on Friday, January 8, 2010, at 3pm.
Family flowers only, though there will be an opportunity for charitable donations. Refreshments will be available afterwards at the Barns Centre, Thame.
THAMES Valley Police has confirmed that the 32-year-old woman involved in a serious collision in Tackley on Sunday, December 20, 2009, died on Christmas Eve at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
The woman, from Southdale Road, Oxford, was involved in the collision on the A4260 at Tackley, between Kidlington and Deddington. Her name has not yet been officially released by the Coroner.
At about 4.20pm, the silver Ford Ka the woman was travelling in and a silver Renault Clio were involved in a head-on collision.
The 15-month-old boy involved in the incident remains in a critical but stable condition at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or who has any information to contact PC David Mitchell via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to speak to police or leave your name, call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
THAME’S Youth Memorial Garden will be formally dedicated this Sunday lunchtime, 3 January (12.30 ? 2pm) at the Memorial Gardens in Thame Upper High Street.
Intended as a place of reflection and remembrance for the lost youth of Thame and district, the garden has been refurbished by Thame Town Council and is now open to the public.
Sunday?s dedication event will be opened by Nichola Dixon, Deputy Mayor of Thame, and John Howell MP and other local dignitaries will be attending. The formal dedication will be made by David Wybron, Head Teacher at Lord Williams?s School, who personally knew some of the youngsters who have died in recent years.
Helium balloons will be on sale, which can be tagged with personal messages and released during the reading of a poignant poem following a brief period of silence and reflection, and the sale of charity wrist bands will accompany a street collection and the launch of a fund raising raffle.
Before the dedication there will be cameo street entertainment by local youngsters, intended to entertain but also to demonstrate the diversity of modern youth and their decency, compassion, community spirit, and respect for the friends they have lost.
Mike Dyer, Chair of the Youth Memorial Trust, said: “We hope that the people of Thame and the surrounding villages will turn out in large numbers, whatever the weather, to show their support for this unique project to ensure that those who died too young are never forgotten.”
A design competition has also recently been launched to invite proposals for a memorial to be installed on the site, and the design brief is available for download at www.thameyouthmemorial.org.
A GROUP of market traders arrived in Thame at 1 am this morning – to make the market place safe for Christmas shoppers.
Led by Mike Smith, who runs a veg stall at Thame Tuesday market, the gang of traders fixed an old snow plough to a lorry and cleared away the snow that had fallen over night, then using shovels and their hands, spread salt and sand on the ground to melt the remaining ice.
Today is expected to be Thame Tuesday market’s best trading day of the year, as local people flock to buy their Christmas vegetables and last minute presents for the big day on Thursday. And thanks to Mike and his big-hearted mates, they can shop safely without fear of slipping or falling over.
PHOTO: Mike Smith doing a roaring trade this morning, on the last market day in Thame before Christmas day.
STATUS: Press release from Thames Valley Police; THE emergency services in Thames Valley continue to work hard to deal with problems resulting from snow and ice.
Thames Valley Police can advise that all the motorways and most of the primary routes are now clear, with the exception of the A4146 in Milton Keynes, and the A41 between Aylesbury and Hertfordshire. Work is continuing to clear these routes.
All vehicles that had been abandoned on motorways have now been removed and there will be a cost to owners for the recovery of their vehicles.
Although there has been a slight thaw today, motorists are warned to drive with extreme care. The Met Office is forecasting that temperatures will fall below freezing again tonight, and driving conditions will be hazardous. If you do have to travel, please follow the advice for drivers on the Highways Agency website.
The rest centres that accommodated people last night have now been closed.
There have been power outages in West Berkshire, affecting 14,000 people across West Berkshire and parts of Hampshire, and Princes Risborough, in Buckinghamshire, affecting 900 people.
The fire service has advised the people affected to use torches rather than candles. If you do use candles, don?t walk around with them. If you decide to light an open fire, please use a fireguard.
Emergency calls for police, fire and ambulance services should be made in genuine emergency situations only. If you feel unwell, make use of NHS Direct. Only call an ambulance if advised to do so.
The public are advised to tune into local media broadcasts for updates on the situation in their area and what facilities may be available for stranded or vulnerable people.
If you need to contact Thames Valley Police for specific advice please call 0845 8 505
A CHEF has admitted killing a Thame teaching assistant as she was out walking her dogs.
Sally Garwood, 34, from Aylesbury, worked at the Autism Resource Base at Lord Williams’s School in Thame, and was stabbed to death at Quarrendon playing fields near her home, on July 11, 2009.
Robert Cusworth, 25, also from Aylesbury, who was a complete stranger to Sally Garwood, admitted murder when he appeared at Reading Crown Court today. He will be sentenced on January 29, 2010.
Det Supt Rob Mason, the senior investigating officer, said: “Sally Garwood?s murder was an attack on a defenceless young woman who was walking her dog. She was an active member of her church and a much liked and respected teaching assistant at Lord Williams?s School in Thame.”
THE Police have issued advice to drivers planning to make long journeys over the next few days, to take extra care.
The general advice is for people to check snow reports particularly ahead of long journeys. Always consider whether the journey is essential. If a journey is not essential then don?t make it.
If a journey is made, having a mobile phone, warm clothing and a full tank of fuel is always important ahead of making the journey. Moderate your speed and pay particular attention to effective braking and stopping distance and take particular care coming up to junctions.
PHOTO: Courtesy of www.kgldriving.com
THAMES Valley Police is currently at the scene of a fatal collision in Wheatley.
At about 2.30pm this afternoon (17/12), a silver Peugeot 306 and a female pedestrian collided on Ladder Hill, at the junction with Cuddesten Road.
The pedestrian, whose age is not yet known, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Anyone who witnessed the collision and has not yet spoken to police should contact Sgt Jack Hawkins, via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you do not want to speak to police or leave your name, call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
THAME Town Council has announced that its precept this year (the amount it claims from the Community Charge to run services)will rise by less than 2p per week for Band D tax payers.
In real terms, taking inflation into account, this represents a reduction in the precept from last year and, says the council, it will maintain the same level of services for 2010-2011.
In a statement, the council said: “This significant achievement builds on years of good practice and is accomplished despite some hard knocks:
? South Oxfordshire District Council has
withdrawn nearly