Category: Thame news

A THAME GP drew loud applause from a packed town hall on Thursday (29/10/09) when he called for medical cover at Thame Community Hospital to be put back in the hands of local doctors, and for closed beds to be re-opened.

Dr Duncan Keeley from the Rycote Practice, based at the East Street clinic, in Thame, remanded Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust representatives that 4,300 local people had signed a petition calling for the reversal of a new contract, which took 40 hours of medical cover out of the hands of local GPs and into those of a private company based at Chalfont St Giles, for just four hours.

LESS MONEY MEANS SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN SERVICE

Speaking at a public meeting organised by the League of Friends of Thame Community Hospital, Dr keeley questioned how the cut in funding for medical cover from

TWO Thame youths have been formally charged today (30/10/09), with the alleged theft of a charity box from a shop counter in Buttermarket, Thame.

The two youths, both aged 16, will appear before Oxford Magistrates’ court on November 18, 2009.

PC Russell Hounslow said: “The theft of any charity collection is a selfish and callous act and I am pleased that in this case, we returned the box to the shop.”

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THE Primary Care Trust for Thame Community Hospital promised a packed town hall last night that there were no plans to close the hospital.

Richard Mills, Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust’s Director of Strategy and Planning, was speaking at a public meeting organised by the League of Friends of Thame Community Hospital, to demonstrate the strength of local feeling against the PCT’s slashing of 30 hours medical cover by local GPS, to just four hours by a private company based in Chalfont St Giles.

Many local residents feared that this cut, plus a reduction in the number of beds at the hospital from 12 to 8 recently, was “a slippery slope” to complete closure of the hospital.

When Sarah Taylor, Chair of The League of Friends, criticised the PCT for bad communication, lack of public consultation and “cuts by the back door,” she drew applause from the audience.

Replying, Richard Mills said: “I want to say sorry for the concerns we have caused. We want to engage with local people but even so, we have to balance competing demands. It is your hospital and we want to take you with us.”

He added that although there will be future financial uncertainties, the

THAME police chased and caught two thieves who stole a charity box in a Thame shop earlier today.

The owner of the Fuji Photo shop in Buttermarket chased after the two young thieves but was unable to catch them. The police responded quickly, caught one of the thieves and then persued the other over two gardens in the North Street/Wellington Street area.

Two young Thame men remain in custody this afternoon.

Around about the same time, police were called to a suspicious package in Upper High Street, Thame.

The package, which was emitting a beeping sound, was found to be a discarded smoke alarm.

Also today, a young Thame man was taken in custody on suspicion of shop-lifting in the Co-op store in the High Street.

HALLOWEEN and November 5th is almost here and Thames Valley Police is aiming to reduce anti-social behaviour with high visibility patrols in towns, including Thame.

As part of Operation Confidence everyone is being urged to help make Halloween and Bonfire Night as trouble free as possible, especially parents, who can play a major part by laying down strict guidelines over behaviour during the next few days.

Insp Martin Ford, based at Thame police station, said: “The neighbourhood policing team will be working to keep Halloween and Bonfire Night festivities peaceful and safe for residents. Any people found committing anti-social behaviour or crime, including under-age drinking, will be dealt with robustly and could face spending a night in custody and put before the courts.

“Shops and supermarkets are urged to think about those they are selling eggs and flour to during the Halloween festivities and not to sell them if they believe they could be used to cause anti-social behaviour or criminal damage.

“The aim of this operation is to reduce the impact of these celebrations on residents by providing dedicated, highly visible, uniformed patrols throughout the area to identify, deter and apprehend offenders where-ever and whenever possible. These patrols are also designed to provide reassurance to communities.

“We will be taking every opportunity to speak to groups of young people, obtain details and ensure that they are aware of the effect anti-social behaviour can have on others and that it is a crime and can result in a criminal record.

“We want people to have a safe and happy Halloween, however we are sending out a warning to the few who think Halloween is a time to scare residents and make them feel vulnerable in their own homes. This is not acceptable and officers will be doing everything in their power to make sure this does not happen.”

Thames Valley Police is distributing a poster and flyer to be displayed in windows or on front doors, which asks people who are trick or treating to respect householders? right to be left alone. The poster can be downloaded from www.thamesvalley.police.uk

There are also tips for parents on how to make Halloween evening as safe as possible for their children and general information on how to contact the police if necessary.

If you have young children never let them go trick or treating alone

Make sure you accompany them and only visit people you know

If you have teenagers make sure they don?t have access to fireworks, alcohol, eggs or flour

Explain why they must not play tricks on strangers

Tell them that if no body answers the door, or a no trick or treat sign is displayed, they must leave immediately

Remind them to stay with their friends and make sure they never enter the home of a stranger

PHOTO: Inspector Martin Ford, based at Thame police station.

THE responses to the district council’s Core Strategy consultation, which includes a proposal for 850 news homes to be build in Thame by 2026, have all now been submitted – and generally are not in favour.

The Cattlemarket Action Group (CMAG) has just submitted its response, a major part of which calls for priority to be given to the provision of community facilities.

CMAG states: “The draft core strategy focuses largely on retail needs and talks of Thame competing with nearby shopping centres, when considering redevelopment of the cattle market site. This is not the focus that the people of Thame want and is not supported by Thame CMAG.

“The priority for redevelopment of the cattle market must be to build a substantial community centre, that will be at the heart of the town. This will keep Thame residents here for their evenings and weekends and attract visitors, thus supporting the independent shops that we have, instead of trying to turn the town into the same old high street replicated around the country.”

In its response to the consultation, Thame Town Council has stated that here should be a more even distribution of housing between towns and larger villages, and that the allocation for Thame is too high.

A summary of all the responses about the Core Strategy proposals for Thame can be read on South Oxfordshire District Council’s website:
LINK HERE

JAN UNDERY (nee Surman) was killed in a road traffic collision near Great Milton on 21 October 2009. Her family have released the following tribute:

Jan will be remembered by many for her outstanding musical talents, equally at home with the classics, sacred music, musicals or folk music. However, to her family and friends it will be her loving nature and natural vivacity that will be missed.

She started singing at the age of eight in Aston Rowant church choir, later developing her talents for signing and art at Lord Williams?s school, where she was frequent performer in school productions. After A levels she studied at Trent Park College in North London, qualifying with a Diploma in Higher Education. Her singing talents were further developed by professional mentoring.

On returning to Oxfordshire she decided to follow her childhood ambition and enrolled as a student nurse at Stoke Mandeville hospital. It was during this time that she met and became engaged to David Undery who was then a widower with two young children. She put her career on hold to marry him and help bring up the boys. This also meant following his career moves to Hampshire, Somerset and Devon. Music continued to play a large part in her life with many charity concerts including a week at the Kings Theatre in Southsea in Carmen.

Whilst in Devon, with the boys growing up, Jan and David had two children of their own, Tom, now 19 and working in the City and Sarah, now 17 and a student at Lord Williams?s in Thame.

When the family returned to Oxfordshire in 1993 they suffered the loss of David?s son Mark from meningitis and Jan was a tower of strength to David. To help the family she returned to nursing and qualified as an RGN initially working at Stoke Mandeville. Later she gained a BA (Hons) in Practice Nursing and became the Practice Nurse at Kennington. She then moved to ChristChurch in Oxford as the College Nurse.

Music was still an important part of her life and she sang with St. Mary?s in Thame and at a number of concerts mainly in Great Milton and Keble College, Oxford.

Jan was also a talented artist as well as a musician but will always be remembered as a lively and animated person who was never less than immaculate in her performances, appearance and looks. She is survived by her husband David and their children Tom and Sarah plus David?s son Paul and his wife Lotta and their children Lillian and Amelia. Her own family, particularly her brothers, Richard, Malcolm, Robert and Philip and their families are also mourning her loss.

The funeral will take place at St. Mary?s in Thame at 12 noon on Friday 6th November, followed by a private burial in Crowell and a reception at the Rose and Thistle in Haddenham. Family flowers only, please, but donations, which will be split between Meningitis UK and Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance can be made to Surman and Horwood, The Green, Crowell.

FOUR people have been arrested following an armed car-jacking at the Welcome Break Services near Thame, on Saturday night (24/10/09).

The arrests, which include a 15 year-old male, were made in High Wycombe, and the stolen silver BMW 118D SE one series, was recovered by police.

The four men, aged 15, 21, 22 and 22 have been released on bail until 7 December.

Thames Valley Police is still appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward and speak to officers.

Anyone with information should contact Det Con Jon Shaw via the Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505, or alternatively contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Photo: Courtesy of www.geograph.org.uk