Category: More News

AROUND 60 people attended Thame’s annual Civic Reception in glorious sunshine on Sunday, hosted by the town’s Mayor, Cllr Nichola Dixon.

Councillors and representatives from many of Thame’s local organisations were joined by the Mayors of the other Oxfordshire town, and the Mayor of the City of Oxford, to meet and chat and to enjoy a buffet lunch at The Barns Centre. Nichola shared a video of a parachute jump she made recently, to raise funds for her two chosen charities, The Thame and District Day Centre and Thame to Thame, earthquake appeal, to much appreciative applause.

Afterwards, many of them strolled behind marching representatives from the Royal Air Force, Halton, and Thame Air Cadets, to a packed St Mary’s Church for the Civic Service. Speakers included Gill Coleman, Manager of The Thame and District Day Centre, County Cllr Nick Carter who read a prayer, Tyrell Gilman, and Charlie Tyson-Taylor, representing ‘Thame to Thame’ formed to raise funds to help rebuild the village of the same name, Thame, in Nepal, which was devastated by the earthquake back in April.

The Mayor of Oxford City, Rae Humberstone, was interested to hear about Thame’s efforts to help its namesake in Nepal, and with the Mayor of Thame, Nichola Dixon, he has volunteered to organise a fund-raising event in Oxford with the city’s own Nepalese community, which includes four restaurant owners. Watch this space for more news on that exciting event.

Pupils from Barley Hill School sang three songs, including a very impressive ’round’ song, under the baton of Miss Merkala Indra. The event finished with tea and cakes. MORE IMAGES from the Civic Reception here.

A man from Thame has admitted assaulting another man and a woman in the town.

David Craggs, 58, of Wheldon Way, Thame, admitted assaulting a woman by beating her in Thame on July 29. He also admitted assaulting a man by beating him in Thame on the same date.

Craggs was ordered by Oxford Magistrates Court to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months and must pay a £60 victim surcharge, £85 costs and a £150 criminal courts charge.

THAME can feel very proud today, after its high street was named as one of just ten, ‘Rising Stars’ in this year’s Great British High Street Competition.

Last week the nationwide competition revealed the twenty-one best high streets in Britain – three finalists in each of seven categories, including that of Market Town. Although Thame High Street just missed reaching the final, the judging panel were so impressed by the great strides the community in Thame had made in improving their high street that they awarded them a special Rising Star award and £1000 cash, putting the High Street firmly on the map. The judges were particularly impressed by Thame’s use of social media to promote the town.

The other Rising Star awards went to West Green Road, Tottenham, London; Folkestone, Kent; Dartmouth, South Devon; Newquay, Cornwall; Alcester, Warwickshire; Faversham, Kent; Baker Street, Middlesbrough; Beeston, Nottinghamshire and Lowestoft, Suffolk.

The news comes just days after Thame was voted one of the 10 ‘Greatest Places in England’ in the Royal Town Planning Institute Competition. (See below for voting details)

High Streets Minister, Marcus Jones, said: “We had 230 high-quality entries to this year’s competition – a record number. This is testament to the pride local people have and the brilliant work being done to boost Britain’s high streets. The local high street is the life and soul of towns, villages and cities across the country.

“These awards are a great opportunity, not only to celebrate those that are the best of the best, but also to help others learn valuable tips for success.”

Nichola Dixon, the Mayor of Thame, said: “Thame High Street is the heart of our town, and we’re very proud that it has been recognised as a Rising Star in this national competition. This will be a real boon for the town. Thame High Street has also just been nominated as one of the Top Ten Greatest Places in England in a competition being run by the Royal Institute of Town Planners, so we are absolutely delighted to receive this second accolade from the Great British High Streets’ judging panel. We will continue to do all we can to continue to make Thame High Street a destination of choice, and to be chosen as a winner in next year’s competition.”

The Great British High Street Competition 2015 – sponsored by Boots, Costa, Post Office, Marks & Spencer and Tesco – is now in its second year and supports those working to adapt, revive and diversify high streets. Not for profit and government-funded, the Great British High Street aims to provide resources for high street regeneration and celebrate innovative work going on in high streets across Britain.

*Even though Thame is now out of the voting, you can still vote for another of your best-loved high streets online via thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk

** There is still time for vote though for Thame as the ‘Greatest Place in England’ poll (SEE LINK TO PREVIOUS STORY) in the Royal Town Planning Institute Competition. To vote for Thame High Street (or one of the other nine Greatest Places), go to http://www.rtpi.org.uk/egpvoting before Friday, November 20.

THE Rotary Club of Thame has had a busy September, with a presence at both the Thame Show, and the Thame Food Festival last weekend. The club’s members, with the help of Thame Inner Wheel Club, raised just under £1,000 from the sale of raffle tickets towards hampers of good foods and wines donated by the club members. The profits from the sale will go primarily towards Medical Detection Dogs and Thame Citizens Advice Bureau which are Rotary Club of Thame’s charities for 2015-2016. Nichola Dixon, the Mayor of Thame, pulled out the winning raffle tickets at the Thame Food Festival.

The club shared its stall at the Thame Show on September 17, with Medical Detection Dogs, the Buckinghamshire based charity, that trains dogs to assist individuals with complex medical conditions with day-to-day tasks.

Peter Hook, Thame Rotary’s President in 2015-2016, said: “The Rotary Club of Thame was pleased to sponsor Medical Detection Dogs at Thame Show. This Charity does fantastic work in training dogs to support those who are vulnerable with diabetes and allergies. Recently dogs have been trained to detect early signs of cancer in humans, with over 90% success rate.”

These two major events in the Thame calender were also great opportunities to share the latest news about the club’s forthcoming events, Thame Art Show and the Thame Swimathon.

Preparations are well underway for the art show, which will take place at Thame Barns Centre over the weekend of October 31– November 1. Exhibits will include paintings and sculptures as well as hand-made cards from local artists – a great opportunity for the public to buy beautiful Christmas presents and support Thame Rotary’s charities at the same time.

The club is also inviting teams of up to six to participate at the now annual ,Thame Swimathon due to take place at the Thame Leisure Centre on Sunday, February 28. The teams will swim for one hour, have fun and raise funds for charity. Anyone over the age of eight can participate.

Peter concluded: “To continue and to expand our fundraising activities in the months and years to come, we are looking for even more support from the local community. We are welcoming new members from the local communities of Thame, Chinnor, Long Crendon and neighbouring villages who can join our world of fun, fellowship and fundraising. To express your interest to join our vibrant club, please visit thame.rotary1090.org, and follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thamerotary

THE latest Thame Neighbourhood Policing update is now out, and PCSO Natalie White’s report includes an appeal for more volunteer drivers for the extremely successful Thame Good Neighbours Scheme (TGNS), continued Anti-social behaviour by young people gathering in cars at Southern Road Rec. area and advise following an increase in thefts from sheds and outbuildings.

Dangers on the way to school

Natalie also reports incidents of children playing ‘chicken’ in traffic on the way to school, and urges parents to educate their children about road safety and encourage them to behave sensibly on the way to school.

You can read Natalie’s full report on the Thames Valley Police website: LINK HERE

THAME High Street has been chosen as one of the top ten of ‘England’s Greatest Places’, as nominated by the British public, and now that voting has begun, the number of votes will determine the overall winner to be crowned ‘England’s Greatest Place’.

England’s Great Places is a competition designed by the RTPI, to celebrate some of our most attractive and inspiring places, and the role planners have played in helping to protect or shape them for England’s communities. The judging panel was asked to choose a winner for each region. A very successful competition was held last year in Scotland.

An eminent panel of judges, chaired by RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) Past President, Professor Peter Fidler, have chosen their top 10 greatest places in England, after members of the public nominated 700 of their favourites as part of England’s Greatest Places competition.

A famous national park, a multi-billion pound regeneration scheme, two cities, a waterfront all feature and a local high street (Thame’s) are on the list.

Janet Askew, President of the RTPI said: “All our finalists are clearly much loved and appreciated places both by local residents and the people who visit them. We wanted to recognise special places like those on the list which are cherished because they have been protected, carefully planned or have been improved by the planning system. I am looking forward to seeing who the public now vote as England’s Greatest Place.”

A delighted Helen Johns, who coordinated, Thame’s recent Great British High Street, bid, said: “It is great news to hear that Thame High Street has been chosen as one of ten finalists in the RTPI’s England’s Great Places Competition. As the judges say, the character of our market town and its High Street have been protected and enhanced over time thanks to exemplary community support and innovative neighbourhood planning. These are the same qualities that have been noted by the judges in the Great British High Street Competition 2015, in which Thame was entered recently. Thame is also being recognised in that competition (details will follow soon) and, without doubt, it is a blend of community support, creativity and determination that contribute to making Thame so special – truly one of the Great Places in England. ”

The top ten Regional winners of the 10 ‘Greatest Places’ are:

Letchworth Garden City, East of England
Peak District, East Midlands
Brindley Place, Birmingham, West Midlands
Kings Cross Regeneration, London
Kielder Park, North East
Liverpool Waterfront, North West
Thame High Street, South East
Bath, South West – joint winner
Bristol, South West – joint winner
Saltaire, Yorkshire

A specially commissioned trophy will be presented to each local authority to mark their award.

Voting is open until Friday 20 November and is very easy. Just Tweet or Instagram your vote for your chosen place to: #RTPIgreatplaces

Full details: LINK HERE