Category: Thame news

THE organisers of Operation Christmas Child are making a special appeal to the people of Thame and the surrounding villages this year. In 2008, the international charity was responsible for sending over 1.2 million shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts, 16,000 from a warehouse in Abingdon alone, to underprivileged children in other parts of the world.

To cope with the logistics of this massive, voluntary effort it needs to open a second operational centre for this area and plans this to be based in the Thame region.

The charity is looking for an empty warehouse in the area, which it can use from late October to early December. This will be used for the collecting and packing of the shoeboxes ready for despatch to Belarus.

Operation Christmas Child would like to invite organisations, schools, places of work and churches to promote the filling of boxes by their members.

“Many in the Thame area have been contributing in this way for a number of years and we would like to thank them for their tremendous efforts,” said local co-ordinators Janet Hulett and Gill Wagstaff.

As Belarus is a cold country, Operation Christmas Child likes to send over warm hats, scarves and gloves to the children, so if there are any knitters out there, it can supply them with patterns and possibly some wool.

The charity is also looking for donations of suitable items such as good quality small toys, new soft toys, toiletries, educational supplies (such as pens, pencils and paper) and sweets with a sell-by-date to be at least March, 2010.

It is eager to hear from anyone in the Thame area who can assist with any of the above requests. Anyone able to help or who requires further information should contact the charity (Samaritans Purse) on 020 8559 1180 or e-mail Janet at janetshoebox@googlemail.com.

Photo: courtesy of brushycreek.org

CAMPAIGNERS for keeping local doctors for local hospitals are urging the Primary Care Trust to hold a public meeting in Thame, as part of a review into changes in medical cover at Thame hospital.

At a meeting of the board of the Buckinghamshire Primary Trust on Tuesday (September 29, 2009), Elizabeth Orde-Browne from the League of Friends of Thame Hospital, Mike and Beth Doyle from Thame and Drs Richard Harrington and Duncan Keeley from the Rycote Practice, learned that a review group was being set up by the PCT to look into the new arrangements for medical cover at the community hospitals.

Elizabeth Orde-Browne asked whether at least one member of the public from the Thame area would be included in the review board, and whether the review board would be happy to attend a public meeting in Thame to hear the views of local people, but Mr Stewart George, Chair of the PCT Board, said that it would not be right for him to determine how the review should go about its work.

Dr Duncan Keeley asked for the exact reasons for the reduction from 12 to 8 beds at Thame hospital that had taken place just as the new medical cover arrangements started, and received an undertaking from PCT Chief Executive Ed Macalister-Smith that he would write after the meeting with the answer to that question.

Dr Richard Harrington asked about the re-launch of the group to advise on the redevelopment of Thame Hospital of which he had been a member, and was assured that the group would start work soon.

Mike Doyle asked for reassurance that the PCT would listen to local voices and taken proper professional advice in deciding the way forward.

The board received the latest signatures to the petition to keep local doctors responsible for medical cover at Thame Hospital, which now carries over 3,800 signatures.

After the meeting Dr Keeley said: “We very much welcome the announcement of the review. We will be very keen to see adequate public representation in the group?s membership, and strongly support the idea of a public meeting being held in Thame so that local people can hear the arguments and make their voices heard. We still feel that while the public consultation is in progress the previous and better arrangements for medical cover at Thame should be put back in place so that the closed beds can be re-opened.”

Dr Harrington added: “We would urge local people who are concerned over the changes to sign the petition if they have not already done so, and we would encourage anyone who is interested to write with their views to Mr David Lunn Chair, Medical Cover for Community Hospitals Review,
Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust,
3rd Floor
Rapid House
Oxford Road
High Wycombe
HP11 2EE

The review group will be Chaired by Mr David Lunn, former Chief Executive of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and a non-executive member of the PCT board. The group will also include at least one member of the public.

The review group will take written evidence from all interested parties. Precise details of the membership and procedures of the review group will be presented to Councillor Mike Appleyard and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (the council?s health watchdog) at its next meeting on October 9th, and the group hopes to have completed its work by the end of November at the latest.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee unanimously ruled three weeks ago that the change in medical cover at the hospitals amounted to a substantial change in service. Councillor Appleyard, who was present at the PCT board meeting, emphasised that what his committee members wanted to understand were the implications for patients and patient outcomes of the change in medical cover.

THIS is a Ringmaster message from Thames Valley Police. Police are asking residents to be extra vigilant, especially in rural areas, following burglaries that have occurred in the Chinnor, Shirburn and Brightwell Baldwin, areas of South Oxfordshire.

It is believed a team are operating in the area, targeting properties to steal tools & mowers from sheds and outbuildings. Vehicles have also been stolen from some locations, and later recovered in the Wycombe area.

A report has just been received 01/10/09 at approx: 12:02hrs, in Barley Close, Lewknor, where a White Ford Transit Van was seen, part registration number S303 ***, containing white males, acting in a suspicious manner.

Please keep an extra look out and report any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area to the police on 08458 505 505 or 999 for an immediate response.

FOLLOWING years of research, the mystery of the whereabouts of the grave of John Hampden is to be revealed.

Following a special church service at Great Hampden later in October 2009, the John Hampden Society intends to reveal the results of research into the final resting place of the statesman known to history as ‘The Patriot’, who was Oliver Cromwell’s cousin.

The Society’s Hon. Treasurer, Derek Lester, and his wife Gill have spent 25 years researching the 360 year-old mystery of the location of John Hampden’s tomb in St. Mary Magdalene Church, high up in the Chilterns, near Great Missenden.

Following his death after the Battle of Chalgrove Field in June 1643, Hampden was buried in the church, but because Great Hampden was in the front line, between Royalists and Parliamentarians, his grave
was unmarked.

In 1828, Hampden’s first biographer, Lord Nugent, exhumed what he thought was Hampden’s body, but doubts arose almost immediately that he had
found the right person, and these have continued ever since.

Following the formation of the John Hampden Society in October 1992, the Lesters embarked on extensive research using a variety of sources, and they are confident that they now know the exact spot where Hampden was interred.

The service, to be held at 11.15am on Sunday, October 25, will be a commemoration of John Hampden’s life. At the end of it Derek Lester will announce the results of his investigations and Lord Hollenden, owner of the Hampden Estate, will lay a wreath on the grave. There will be music by violinists Alexandra and Charlotte Reid.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Derek Lester explained: “John Hampden was a Buckinghamshire MP who resisted the dictatorial policies of King Charles I. He became famous for his refusal to pay the illegal Ship Money tax, and as a result was one of the Five Members whom the King tried to arrest in the House of Commons in 1642.

“At the outbreak of the Civil War Hampden raised a regiment of foot (the Buckinghamshire Greencoats), but was mortally wounded at the Battle of
Chalgrove Field on June 18, 1643, and died in Thame six days later.”

YOU’VE seen the ?Diversity? on Britain?s Got Talent; now let?s see what Thame has to offer.

Thame?s Got Talent is to be held at the Spread Eagle in Thame on Sunday, November 15, 2009, starting at 2pm.

We are very lucky to have our very own Peter Denton from Mix 96 who will be one of the judges, and Mix 96 is promoting the event from their radio station. Richard Carr from Bucks TV will be attending the event with his film crew to film the entire event and Local studio Vocal Booth is also one of the judges.

The

VISITORS to the Thame Food Festival were left clammering for more such events, after hundreds of visitors flocked to taste what the town has to offer.

Local cheese, chutney, fruit and vegetables, meat, yogurts and pre-prepared tasters from local restaurants and event caterers were among the dozens of varieties of edible delights on offer to visitors, both local and from as far afield as Oxford, Marlow, Wooburn Green, Suffolk and even a family from Amsterdam.

Thanks, congratulations and compliments to the organisers, 21st Century Thame, were still coming in this morning, Tuesday, September 29, 2009, following the festival on Saturday.

Children were entertained by Colonal Custard as they queued for the chocoate making and pasta making workshops held in the town hall. Later, he helped the Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green, judge the childrens’ vegetable monster competition. The joint winners, two Thame sisters, were presented with Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes book donated by The Bookhouse, Thame.

Here are just some of the comments expressed about the Food Festival:

“The town felt so busy and vibrant – wouldn’t it be nice if we could have something like this going on every Saturday!” Bill Saunders

There was such a nice feeling of people gathering together and meeting and chatting with friends, whilst sitting outside el fresco style; quite continental!” John Francis

Why can’t we have more cafe seating outsite every weekend? The Buttermarket looked so nice with the plants and the tables outside the Coffee House, and Cornfield Bakery – just what Thame needs!” Mary Stiles

“I liked tasting the food and the Alpaca best.” Eleonor B.

“I didn’t expect so many people. Our stall took more money at the festival, than we have ever taken at any other event!” Proprietor, The Oxford Cheese Company.

“This was a wonderful event for Thame. Such a wealth of culinary delights and it was good to see so many people having a good time. The Buttermarket was transformed into a open air cafe with everyone enjoying the lovely sunny weather. The highlight for me was judging the childrens’ competition with Colonel Custard ! A thoroughly enjoyable day and my thanks to the organisers for their hard work!”
The Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green.

Event Co-ordinator, Alison Isherwood, was justifiably delighted with how the event went, and said: “The weather was perfect and the crowds rolled into the picturesque market town of Thame to see what its Food Festival had to offer. The atmosphere was relaxing with al fresco dining either outside the Town hall or outside the cafes in Buttermarket. Both stallholders and customers enjoyed the day, celebrating local food and all Thame has to offer as a historic market town.”

Photo: A scene from the Thame Food Festival through the stall of What’s Cooking, Cornmarket, Thame –

Click on the LINK TO PHOTO BUCKET
to see more pictures from the food festival.

BROTHERS hair salon in Thame recently launched a new initiative aimed at improving the environment and the Community Spirit in Thame.

Once every six weeks the staff at Brothers take time out of their training schedules on Tuesdays to help local projects and Community groups in and around Thame.

Brothers Community Spirit’s latest project is to be a charity Car boot sale in the Upper High Street car park, in Thame. The event will be open to the residents of Thame and aims to help raise money for the Thame youth memorial project, currently being made in the Memorial gardens, next to the war memorial.

Jayd Martin, Brothers’ Community Spirit Organiser, told ThameNew.Net: “Unfortunately Thame has lost several young people over the last few years and the Thame youth memorial team are hoping to raise money to build a memorial in town and we hope that our car boot sale will help raise funds towards something special.”

The car boot sale will be held Sunday, October 11, 2008, between 1pm ? 4pm. The entry fee is

THAME has all the ingredients for a town that could go places! is just one of the observations that a research company looking, into the future viability and vitality of the town, has so far made.

At a meeting of local businesses last night at the Spread Eagle Hotel, representatives of Miller Research told those present: “Thame is a good town but people don’t know that; you need to tell them!

Chris Jones said that Thame has the lowest number of retail vacancies of any town in the country but that what it could do with was a life style brand like Fat Face or White Stuff and was short of an outdoor activities outlet and a young fashion outlet. Also, he felt that as a market town Thame could do with an antique stop and above all, much more should be made of the good range of local produce available in the area, particularly by more restaurants although it was noted that The Thatch and What’s Cooking already do.

Workshops are to be held in November for local people to have their say about how they see the town, its assets and distinctiveness, to help the district council formulate a economic development plan for the town.

ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR

THAME fair was hailed a success this week, despite a disturbance involving a group of around 100 youths on the Friday night.

Thame’s Inspector Martin Ford praised the town council for their management of the fair, adding that the disturbance, involving a large group from Aylesbury, was quickly dealt with by his officers, with only two arrests over the whole weekend. One involved criminal damage to a police car.

THAME FOOD FESTIVAL

THAME’S second celebration of the town’s food and drink offering is on Saturday, September 26, and as well as food and drink related stalls, there is a competition for children to make a monster figure or character out of vegetable or other food stuffs. Bring your entries along to the town hall after 10am.

The competition will be judged by the Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green with the help of Colonal Custard and there will be a prize for the winning entry.

CAR BOOT SALE IN UPPER HIGH STREET

STAFF at Brothers Hair salon in Thame, are holding a car boot sale in the Upper Hight Street, on Sunday, October 11, 2009, to raise money towards the youth memorial, currently under construction in the Memorial gardens, Thame. More information to follow.

CCTV CAMERAS

THAME Town Council is still refusing to pay this year’s contribution to the cost of running the CCTV cameras in the town, because they feel it is too high. The council is still negotiations with the district council’s Matt Prosser, Head of Finance.

SOUTHERN ROAD PARKING PERMITS

NO one has applied to pay for a parking permit at Southern Road, since the scheme was announced a month ago. The town council is therefore going to review the charge.

LEARN ABOUT EGYPT

Two more people are needed to make viable this term?s 7 week WEA course ?Real Life in an Ancient Egyptian Village?, with tutor Rosalind Janssen, on Wednesdays (1.30- 3.30pm) at Haddenham Methodist Chapel starting on September 30 (not on 23 as originally advertised in the WEA publicity).

If you are interested, please call Carole Fryer on 01296 748538 by Friday 25th September when a decision on whether to run the course will be made.

MORE TOMORROW

THE queue of young fans of the book character, The Gruffalo, snaked out of the door of the Book House, Thame, this afternoon.

They were all keen to buy the latest in the Gruffolo series of books, Tabby McTat, out today, to celebrate the Guffalo’s 10th birthday.

Author, Julia Donaldson and the illustrator, Axel Scheffler, both wrote special messages and signed the childrens’ new books as they chatted to their young fans. Axel drew special little sketches for each child.

A special drama production of The Gruffalo, described as “scary fun for children aged three to 300,” is currently showing at the Oxford Playhouse.

POLICE Officers investigating the fatal collision that resulted in the death of a young Thame man have arrested an 18-year-old woman.

At around 2.40pm, on Sunday May 17, this year (2009), Greg Stiles, a life guard from Thame and his girl friend, Abigail Dowdy, were travelling in a blue Ford Fiesta from Kingsey to Longwick, when it was involved in a collision with a blue Vauxhall Corsa, a silver Renault Clio and a silver Toyota Yaris.

Greg was pronounced dead at the scene and Abigail suffered serious injuries.

An unknown 4×4 vehicle was also involved in the collision, but did not stop at the scene. Police have been appealing for help from the public in tracing the vehicle.

The 18-year-old woman has been released on bail until Friday, October 9.

A 25-year-old man previously arrested as part of the investigation is currently on bail until Wednesday, September 30.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Operation Tahiti incident room 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.