THE Thame Community Car, which provides such a valuable service for the elderly and others who cannot get about on public transport, is searching for new volunteer drivers.
Most of the current volunteer drivers are getting older and some are having to retire. There is no commitment to a set time, and drivers can be available as and when suits them. The charity is also trying to find a new volunteer treasurer too, a role that is not too demanding for anyone with book-keeping knowledge.
Ralph Martin
Volunteer driver, Ralph Martin, who lives in Haddenham, is one of those retiring. Ralph has been driving the Thame Community Car for 16 years, and took the vehicle out of its garage for the last time today, to take members to and from the Thame Day Centre.
After presenting Ralf with a gift and a ‘Thank You’ card in appreciation of his years of loyal service, Stephanie Johnson, Deputy Manager of the Thame and District Day Centre, said: “Ralph’s empathy and kindness towards the members has been what has distinguished him. In a nutshell, he’s a jolly nice bloke!”
The car is an adapted VW Sharan that can be hired with a driver by those who have trouble using public transport and who need to get to GP/hospital/dental appointments. The vehicle can accommodate a wheelchair and three other passengers.
If you can help, telephone 01844 281030 for more details, or email: thamecc@gmail.com
ABSEILING down the side of a church tower would be daunting enough for an adult, but for a couple of brave, Year Seven lads from Lord Williams’s school, Thame, such a challenge is one they decided to take on themselves, after learning that the Vicar of their church in Haddenham was planning to do it herself for charity.
Brave Ben Shardlow, takes a break during his abseil of the St Mary Magdalen church tower in Oxford, to smile for the camera
Ben Shardlow, aged 11, and 12 year-old William Race, who both live in Haddenham, have raised over £700 for the charity, Christian Aid, by abseiling down the tower of St Mary Magdalen church, in Oxford.
A proud Ben said: “At the beginning I felt really anxious about doing it. But once we’d actually started our descent, I felt really happy and the adrenaline rushed in!
“When I’d finished, I felt really happy and proud that I had done it. Our parents and friends all said that they were really pleased and proud of what we’d done. I would definitely do it again!”
The Vicar of the Baptist Church in Haddenham, Amanda Pink, and her friend Mary Miller, together with the money the two boys raised, managed to bring the total raised from the tower abseil to over £2,000. Pledges of support are still coming in and there’s still time to donate. You can add to Amanda and Mary’s fund through their Just Giving website or sponsor William and Ben through their dedicated MoneyGiving website.
IN the latest of Thame.Net’s ‘Take on Thame’ opinion features, Bob Austin, of the East Thame Residents Association, writes about the possible threat posed by increased housing numbers proposed by South Oxfordshire District Council, on the Thame Neighbourhood Plan: (Reminder: The views expressed in the following are not neccesarily those of Thame.Net)
Image courtesy of newerapolitics.org
“The Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP) is facing a further threat, this time from increased housing numbers demanded from the new SODC Local Plan 2031. It is vital that as many people as possible make their opinions clear to SODC.
Last Year SODC produced a document entitled ‘Issues & Scope’ that set out options for locations for additional housing provision. Now it has produced another document called ’Refined Options’ containing interim proposals to locate an additional 3600 homes for SODC needs as well as some 3000 homes for overspill from Oxford City.
It would be fair to say that the launch of the ‘Refined Options’ has been so low key as to be almost invisible and inaudible.
How does this affect Thame? SODC are recommending concentrating the bulk of this extra housing in the Market Towns and Large Villages as well as the Science Vale (around Culham & Berinsfield). In practice it means that Thame will be hit hard unless we defend it vigorously and ask for a fairer distribution. SODC are going for the ‘low hanging fruit’ again instead of a more balanced approach.
In the SODC Local Plan 2027 (the basis for our Neighbourhood Plan) the Market Towns contributed 79% of new requirements but only had 44 % of the then existing housing stock. Smaller villages, with 26% of the existing housing stock, were not required to contribute anything at all. In other words the demands on the Market Towns were disproportionate to all other categories. Thame itself was required to supply 775 houses compared to Wallingford’s 555 and Henley’s 400 despite all three towns being of comparable size.
The imbalance of this allocation will again be repeated, or made worse, if the principles of the ‘Refined Options’ are applied. This will be compounded by a failure to take account of ‘windfall’ development in Thame (windfall is piecemeal development within the town that is not included in the Local Plan). Since 2011 Thame has had approximately 300 ‘windfall’ homes built or approved. They must not be ignored.
We do not know how many additional houses Thame might be required to take but if the same proportion is maintained as in the 2027 Local Plan it will be another 350; it could be better or much worse.
It is vital that as many people as possible express their view. You can do this by going to the SODC website: www.southoxon.gov.uk/newlocalplan. If you need further information please contact your local residents’ association.
Make your voice heard and defend Thame! SODC are influenced by the volume of responses but time is short. The consultation closes on April 2.”
THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a burglary (non-dwelling) in Thame, overnight between Saturday (21/03) and Sunday (22/03), when offender(s) forced entry to a workshop at a property in Chinnor road. A buggy and a power saw were taken.
Police Tape
Anyone who may have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message, is asked to call the police on 101.
Alternatively, anyone who may have any information but wishes to remain anonymous, can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
A Lawyer from Thame is facing a possible jail sentence after fare dodging to the tune of £23,000, between Haddenham and Thame Parkway and Marylebone stations, for two and a half years.
Dr Peter Barnett (Image courtesy of Central)
Australian born Dr Peter Barnett, commuted the 40 miles without buying a valid Chiltern Rail ticket, but simply touched in with an Oyster card at Marylebone. He has now agreed to pay back £23,000, after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, and will be sentenced next month.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
According to Metro, Barnett was stopped at Marylebone last year and said that he had only travelled from Wembley. He then apparently, went to the excess fares window, but ran off when suspicions were roused. The next day he handed himself in and British Transport Police found he had been dodging fares since April 2012.
A challenging expedition, volunteering in the community, undertaking a physical activity, and developing new skills and interests, was rewarded recently when students from Lord Williams’s school, Thame, were presented with their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards from London 2012, canoe slalom gold medallist, Tim Baillie.
The presentation evening was opened by Assistant Headteacher, Rob Brooks, who introduced the guest speaker and congratulated the 136 students who received their award. Tim showed the students some film of him participating in London 2012, followed by a motivating speech about the many years of hard work and preparation it had taken to achieve Olympic success. Tim encouraged the students to adopt a “do your best” mentality and to enjoy participating in sport in the future.
London 2012, Canoe Slalom gold medallist, Tim Baillie
Headteacher of Lord Williams’s School, David Wybron, added: “136 students received their Bronze and Silver awards this evening. This represents a great achievement for our students, not just because of the character-building participation in expeditions, or the need to master a new skill but also the commitment to do something for others, which is part of their community service. We are proud of their achievements. I would also like to thank all the teachers and parents who devote so much time to help them achieve such a special award.”
Students were also congratulated by Oxfordshire County Council’s DofE Manager, Richard Aldridge, who added: “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award provides young people with a unique set of skills for life and work, so
it’s a credit to the school that they enable so many of their pupils to access and complete the award. It was great to see so many parents at the presentation evening supporting the school and seeing young people receive their award.”
This year a further 145 students at Lord Williams’s are pursuing their Bronze Award, 35 students are working at Silver level and 28 students are working towards their Gold Award. David Wybron concluded: “This would not be possible without the continued support of local volunteers and a wide range of community organisations, clubs and societies that welcome the young people into their regular activities.”
IN its response to a consultation document about the District Council’s latest Local Plan for housing provision to 2031, Thame Town Council is challenging the draft plan’s suggested option for additional housing for Thame. The town council will tell South Oxfordshire District Council that the assumption that housing growth of the market towns is necessary to maintain the vibrancy of those towns, is wrong.
“With particular reference to Thame,” the town council will say, “… there is no evidence that further growth is necessary to maintain vibrancy and, indeed, such may well harm the built heritage, character and structure of the town. ”
Speaking at Tuesday’s council meeting (18/03), about the town council’s response of “No comment” to a section of the Consultation on Chinnor’s future, Cllr David Dodds said that, in his opinion, the effect of considerable housing growth in Chinnor, would have an effect on Thame, particularly an influx of extra students to Lord Williams’s School.
The town council’s full Draft response to the ‘Local Plan 2031 Refined Options’, to give the document its full name, can be read here: http://tiny.cc/l7urvxResponses.pdf and to make a personal response to the draft consultation on the options, go to: http://tiny.cc/mzurvx
THAME Town Council has announced its choice of a new Town Clerk to replace Helen Stewart BEM, who is retiring at the end of March.
Thame’s new Town Clerk, Graham Hunt
Graham Hunt will be taking over the role which includes that of ‘Responsible Financial Officer,’ from April 1. Graham has 11 years’ experience in similar roles for other town councils, including as CEO of Newbury Town Council, and before that he worked in Management and IT for Vodafone.
He is also the Larger Councils Champion and Co-ordinator of the Larger Local Councils Network for the Society of Local Council Clerks.
Graham is married with four daughters, the youngest who is aged 20. He is a keen cyclist and dog walker and has expressed his appreciation of the friendly welcome from all the people he has met so far in Thame – from the lady picking up litter in one of the housing estates to the gentleman pleased with his purchase of pork chops from a local butcher!
In a statement, Thame Town Council said: “There has been a fair bit of learning throughout his career and Graham is a strong believer that the learning never stops. He is sure that his wide-ranging skills and experience will be used well in his support for the Town Council and the community it serves.”
THE number of shops which are lying empty in South Oxfordshire’s market towns has fallen over the last year, according to a recent survey.
Thame currently has the lowest shop vacancy rate in the district with just six out of the town’s 186 premises lying empty.
The annual South Oxfordshire Retail Vacancy Survey, a count of the number of empty shop units on a single day each year, took place in January and revealed that an average of just five per cent of retail units across Henley, Thame and Wallingford were vacant.
The low rate in South Oxfordshire compares very well to the national average, recorded by the Local Data Company, of 13.2 per cent of units vacant (measured in December 2014).
Cllr John Cotton, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “While others are clearly struggling our close co-operation with businesses, town councils, and the wider community, has seen our market towns continue to thrive, with low shop vacancy rates and fast take up of premises that do become available. We’ll continue to do all we can to help new businesses take up these empty premises and ensure that our towns keep flourishing.”
THREE horses were found dead by fire-fighters after they had contained a fire that broke out at a Stud in Aston Rowant in the early hours of today (16/03/15).
Four fire engines from Thame, Watlington, and Slade Park rushed to a stable block on fire at Aston House Stud, Aston Rowant at 4am this morning, where they found a well-established fire and quickly got to work with high pressure hose reels and main fire fighting Jets.
This quick response by the Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service prevented the fire from spreading to the adjacent buildings and allowed for some of the horses to be lead to safety. Sadly three horses were discovered by fire crews once the flames had been brought under control.
Station Manager Reay, said: “The horse owners did fantastically well to rescue so many of the horses. Fire crews will remain on scene to ensure that all the hot spots are damped down to allow a full fire investigation to take place. The fire is not being treated as suspicious.”
