Category: Thame news

THAME NEIGHBOURHOOD UPDATE FOR OCTOBER 2009: Local News: The Thame Neighbourhood has seen an increase of distraction type burglaries, and theft from motor vehicles, especially near schools at picking up time.

Please can I remind everyone to ensure that any suspicious callers, vehicles or anything which causes you concern is reported immediately to Thames Valley Police and that all valuable items are removed from your vehicle and that you have taken every realistic precaution to secure your vehicle.
Please contact the Police on the non emergency number 0845 8 505505 should you have anything to report.

Thame Neighbourhood PCSOs have been patrolling the schools during these times to provide a Police Presence and reassurance; please do not hesitate to speak with us if you have any concerns.

UNDERAGE DRINKING

During 2009, the Thame Neighbourhood policing team will continue to tackle Anti Social Behavior and underage drinking by running Operation MUNITIONS. This also includes ways to tackle underage drinking, the effects and issues surrounding this within the community and to take positive action on any person displaying anti social behavior or drinking underage or drinking in a public place.

HALLOWEEN AND FIREWORK NIGHT NOV 5TH

This initiative is on-going and will continue throughout 2009, especially with Halloween and Bonfire Night fast approaching. Thame Neighborhood Team will also take positive intervention with any offenders. This is to support the local residents and to prevent Anti Social Behavior, including environmental standards.

Reminder: There are “No Trick or Treat” posters available from Thame Town Hall, Money Spinner, Thame Town Library and other local community outlets to display in your window to avoid being disturbed by unwanted callers on the 31st October 2009, during HALLOWEEN.

SPEED ENFORCEMENT & ROAD SAFETY

The Thame Sector Neighbourhood Policing Team has access to the SID (Speed Indication Device). During 2009, the SID will be used in numerous locations around Thame on a regular basis. Anyone who breaks the speed limit will have their vehicle details taken and this information will be forwarded to our Roads Policing Department. First time offenders will receive a warning letter. We will continue to deploy the SID across the area on a frequent basis.

We have conducted an ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) operation this month in Thame and Chinnor. The ANPR mobile system is a tool which reads vehicle number plates and checks them against various databases such as the Police National Computer and the DVLA. ANPR is designed to make it much more difficult for criminals to commit crime, without being detected. During this operation we had some hits, which were logged on the system and appropriate action will be taken. This also was an excellent speed deterrent. There will be further ANPR Operations within the Thame and Chinnor Neighborhood during the forthcoming months.

COMMUNITY & SAFETY ENGAGEMENT

During October, I attended the monthly Anti Social Behavior meeting which was chaired by PC Bob STEEL. We discussed particular local young people that had come to our attention, Acceptable Behavior Contacts and the new Drink Banning Orders.

I also conducted my regular Site Inspections with the SOHA Housing Association and A2 DOMINION. These are done regularly to ensure that residents are adhering to their tenancy agreements. The local area is also assessed regarding upkeep and to minimise fly tipping.

SHOP LIFTING

One day during the week we had a report of a shop lifter in the High Street Area. The offender was identified by CCTV and a local Officer which led to the offender receiving an

A PCSO based in Thame and Chinnor, has been voted PSCO of the year by the community she serves.

PCSO Jackie Madden has been instrumental in reducing anti-social behaviour, particularly in Chinnor where she mainly works.

A very proud Jackie, who has been a Police Community Support Officer for four years, was personally thanked by one Chinnor resident, who had moved there from London, and who told Jackie that she had restored her faith in the police after Jackie worked to retrieve her son’s lost scooter.

“It’s great to realise that the police do actually listen and will do something if they are contacted,” said the resident.

Jackie Madden herself told ThameNews.Net: “Even though I have personally been presented with this award, I would not have been able to do anything without the help and support of my fellow officers; we work as a team and so I feel this is recognition of that team work.”

Jackie was presented with her crystal trophy and certificate by Chief Constable, Sarah Thornton, at a special ceremony at Drayton Park Golf Club.

A PUPIL of Lord Williams’s school in Thame has won First place in a National dancing competition.

Gemma Strathdee, 15, who lives in Chinnor, won the Under 16’s Silver/Gold Disco, Freestyle Pairs Competition at the National Grand Finals Disco Medallist Festival Competition on October 11, 2009, held at Guildford Spectrum. Gemma and her partner, Melissa Mairs from Stokenchurch, danced through four heats to gain their 1st Place. Gemma also danced solo through three heats and gained a third place in the Under 16’s Silver Disco Solo Freestyle Competition.

Gemma has danced with the Shona Clack School of Dance, based in Princes Risborough, since she was seven years old and has also recently started to attend classes in Thame. She dance or trains four nights of the week.

Today Gemma told ThameNews.Net: “I was shocked to win; it’s so difficult to even get to the competition and to win is just amazing.”

Gemma’s classes include ISTD Disco, Rock and Roll, Latin American and IDTA Ballet and Tap, and she has taken examinations in Disco, Rock and Roll and Latin American every year since she began dancing.

Apart from examinations, Gemma competes at the ISTD Disco Freestyle Faculty Regional Competitions throughout the year to try to qualify and gain a place at the National Grand Finals Disco Medallist Festival Competition. This year was the second year she qualified, by gaining a first place at the Regional Compeititon in Chippenham.

Talented Gemma also dances with her dance school at local fetes, including Longwick Fete and Oakley Fete, and takes part in their Christmas Show in December.

In July this year, 2009, she took part in her school Work Experience week by joining Shona Clack at the Dance School for a week, and following this was awarded Lord Williams’s School Gold Award and Special Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to the school and the work placement.

Gemma’s ambition is to eventually become a dancing teacher herself.

Photo: Gemma (right) and her partner, Melissa (left) in their costumes which they designed themselves. Gemma’s mum sewed all the Sworoski crystals on the outfits!

AN escapologist from this year’s Britain’s Got Talent TV show, is to perform at Thame’s Christmas event.

Merlin Cadogan, dubbed the Modern Hudini, will not however be trying to escape from a tank of water whilst tied up and pad-locked in chains, but will juggle fire balls at the switching on of the Thame Christmas lights event on Friday, December 4, 2009.

BBC 2, radio presenter, Ken Bruce, who lives at Towersey, will be MC for the event.

Photo: courtesy of http://talent.tv.com

A MEMORIAL to young people who have died prematurely, is to be officially opened on Sunday, January 3,2010 (NOT 4TH as previously reported) at 1pm.

The clearing of the space, in the right-hand corner of the Memorial gardens at the top of the Upper High Street, new seating and ornamental stone work has recently been completed, and when sufficient funds have been raised, this memorial will provide a plaque of remembrance for each individual person who has died, as desired by their loved ones.

More information about the idea of a youth memorial, its history and progress is available on a new Thame Youth Memorial website:
www.thameyouthmemorial.org

THIS is a Ringmaster message from Thames Valley Police sent on behalf of Oxfordshire Trading Standards.

Trading Standards are warning people in South Oxfordshire of a company who are leaflet dropping then cold calling offering to do anything from small jobs to house extensions. They generally appear to be targeting elderly residents.

When calling, they state they are a company from Swindon who have a number of builders looking for work, then quote a cheap price. A number of complaints have been received, some from Wallingford, Goring & Benson. An expert is of the opinion that some of the work is of poor quality.

If someone is cold calling in your area who state they are from a Swindon company offering cheap work, please contact the Doorstep Crime Team at Trading Standards on 0845 051 0845 option 1 or 2, thank you.

Message Ends.

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses to a collision that occurred in Great Milton this morning (21/10/09).

At around 7.40am, a silver Toyota and a red Toyota pickup collided on the A329, at the junction with Church Road.

The driver of the silver Toyota, a 49-year-old woman, was declared dead at the scene.

The two occupants of the pickup, both men, were taken to the JR2 hospital with minor injuries.

Sgt Bryan Smith, who is leading the investigation into the collision, said: “I would like to hear from anyone that may have seen either vehicle prior to the collision or who witnessed the collision itself.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Ed Turner at Abingdon Roads Policing base via 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to talk to police or leave your name, please contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

THAME Town Council is to look into ways for help the town to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in September 2010.

Some of the ideas to be considered by a town council-led working group are:

To plant flower beds with the RAF Wings appeal badge, a 70th anniversary memorial church service possibly followed by an event in the Thame Memorial Gardens, and an exhibition in the town hall, with photographs and a time line of the Battle of Britain on display.

It is hoped that the museum and the Thame Historical society, as well as ex air force personel and cadets will be involved in the event.

Image Courtesy of www.zazzle.com

THE Thame town partnership has a new woman at the helm, to help take Thame forward with projects and events to enhance and promote the town.

Cat Young, who runs a business in the town, is the new Chair of The 21st Century Thame Partnership, made up of representatives from the local community, businesses and local authority groups. The Thame partnership was set up in late 2004 to take on the responsibility of implementing Action Plan projects that evolved from the Market Town Healthcheck process the previous year.

At a presentation to Thame Town Council recently, Cat listed some of the achievements of the partnership so far, including a Thame shopping guide, the Thame Walking and Cycling map and The Historic Town Trail, and spoke about some of the future events like the Thame’s Got Talent event at The Spread Eagle, Thame, on November 15, 2009.

One of Cat’s main immediate tasks will be to spear head a bid for funding from SEEDA (South East Economic Development Agency)to enable the partnership to get