AT a Sunday lunch yesterday (Sunday, July 29) at the Peacock Hotel at Henton, near Thame, Jackie Willougby was awarded the Lion of the Year award by Thame Lions’ President, Roger Blackburn.
Jacky Willougby receives her award from Thame Lions’President, Roger Blackburn
Roger then handed over the the presidency of the club to Ken Bennell who serves for the third time, officially taking over on July 1. Jackie is Vice President of the Thame Lions Club and will take over from Ken next July, 2015. Ken said: “Lion Jackie is one of the newer Lions and has put in a tremedous amount of work in promoting the Thame Lions Club.”
The Lions Club of Thame are looking for new members and anyone who would like to serve their local community for a few hours a month can contact Ken Bennell on 01844 261269 or 07743687745.
THE provisional category winners of yesterday’s CPM sponsored Thame 10K are now in, for a race for which of the 1000 entrants, 782 crossed the finishing line.
L-R Thame Runners club chairman Howard Papworth, Ladies winner, Sophie Carter of Woodstock Harriers, Mens winner, James Bolton from Woodstock Harriers, and first Thame Resident, Rob Dean of Thame Runners. Photo courtesy of Denis Chapman
Claire Novak, spokesperson for the organsiers, Thame Runners, said: “The race was extremely well supported this year with a lot of friends, families and locals providing encouragement along the whole route. Their support is really appreciated by all the runners. Once again the race day was hot but there was a welcome breeze in several places along the route.”
Claire added: “We would particularly like to thank all the volunteers who give up their time and help to make the event such a success.”
As reported yesterday, James Bolton from Woodstock Harriers was the fastest senior male – for the second time – with a time of 33.15. Sophie Carter, also from Woodstock Harriers, was the first senior female (37.03).
Robert Dean was the fastest Thame male resident over the line, with a time of 35.24 and Kristian Williams was the fastest female (40.47).
Thame runners expect to allocate between £2.5 and £3k to several local charities who will receive their donations around September.
AROUND 120 children from Thame’s local theatre school put on their glad rags on Saturday (21/06) and raised £850 for Macmillan Cancer Support’s footloose fundraising event, Dress Up and Dance.
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Thame joined thousands of primary schools and 80 other Stagecoach schools nationwide to don their best fancy dress, dance and donate one of the nation’s most respected charities. Stagecoach and Macmillan worked together to create a fun and educational toolkit, including a DVD featuring Strictly Come Dancing star Lisa Riley and several Stagecoach-choreographed dance numbers, which was distributed to all of the schools that registered to take part. On the day, children were invited to follow the dance moves on the DVD to create an energetic and enjoyable dance number.
Principal of Stagecoach Thame, Nicky Goodwin, says: “There’s nothing so uplifting as a group dance but this event is made all the more fulfilling as it’s in support of such a worthy cause. All of our students are really thrilled to be involved and to show off their moves whilst raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support.”
Lynda Thomas, Director of Fundraising at Macmillan said: “We were delighted with the success of Dress Up and Dance last year and are incredibly excited that we’re able to bring it back for 2014. Dance is a fantastic way to connect with children and is such an accessible way to encourage children of all ages to engage with fundraising and help Macmillan ensure no one faces cancer alone.”
All the money raised goes towards Macmillan Cancer Support’s vital work providing medical, financial, practical and emotional support to the two million people currently living with cancer in the UK.
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Thame is part of a network of more than 700 part-time Theatre Arts Schools Worldwide. Early Stages classes are available for children aged 4 to 6 and Main School classes take place for 6 to 18 year olds. For more information about Stagecoach Thame, please visit the website www.stagecoach.co.uk/thame or call 01865 763767
THE Reverand Rachel Cross has been appointed as the new team vicar of St Catherine’s, Towersey and Barley Hill Church, Thame – and her husband is apparently looking forward to finding out whether the Cross Keys Pub in Thame is worthy of its reputation!
Rev Rachel Cross and family (photo courtesy of Barley Hill Church)
Sue Civval, Churchwarden of St.Catherine’s Towersey, said: “We had ten applicants with five strong candidates coming to interview and the panel was unanimous in their decision to appoint Rachel into this role
“Before she was ordained Rachel trained at the John Radcliffe Hospital and was an Intensive Care Nurse for nine years. She loves spending time with people, chatting and eating! Simon, her husband, is a part- time airline pilot and a part-time student and looking forward to finding out whether the Cross Keys Pub in Thame is worthy of its reputation.
“Ben, one of Rachel’s two sons’ specialist subject is Top Gear and he likes music. Theo loves football and drumming.”
The family will move Newcastle upon Tyne into the vicarage in Thame during August, in time for the start of the new academic year. Rachel’s licensing service will be will be held at St Mary’s Thame, at 7.30 on Tuesday, September 9, and everyone is welcome.
STUDENTS at Thame’s Lord Williams’s school’s Design and Technology Faculty recently ‘amazed’ their tutors when they hosted, for the second year running, twelve Year 8 students at a Most Able Student workshop.
The purpose of the off-timetable workshop was to teach the students enhanced Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Manufacturing (CAM) skills. The project was to make a complex, double-sided maze, using a variety of computer controlled equipment, such as a Router and a Laser Cutter.
The students worked with oak and acrylic and used hand finishing skills to complete their maze which tutors and pupils agreed was a resounding success! The students involved were Bobby Sluka, Verity Roberts, Robert Watts, Helena Bernstein, Luke Gerrish, Violet Weston, Thomas Ingell, Katie McRobert, Thomas Foster-Day, Frances Dixon, Rory Pridmore and Josephine Golds.
Julia Bond, Subject Leader for Resistant Materials within the Design & Technology Faculty said: “It had been a busy, but enjoyable day. I think all the students have worked hard and have gained a lot from the experience of spending the day at Upper School, using equipment that is not normally available to students until Year 10.”
The students’ amazing mazes will be available to view at local retailer, FROM, in Cornmarket, Thame, until Friday, July 11.
PLANS for a new housing development on the west side of Thame, have been roundly rejected by all town councillors, one of them describing the plans as looking as though “…they were designed by a sixth former!”
Image showing proposed housing mix on ‘site c’ – Courtesy of Taylor Wimpey Pink – private, Blue – rented, Green – shared ownership
Thame Town Council met last night to decide whether to recommend acceptance or refusal of the plans for a housing development on Site C (in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan), between Thame Park Road and Wenman Road, after hearing a report from the council’s Planning Consultant, Jake Collinge.
The main criticisms of the plans were that the principle of a ‘housing mix’ as laid down in the TNP and the layout of the plan and design of the houses, did not reflect the requirements for Thame. Jake Collinge stated that in his view, the Market housing mix (2,3,4 or 5 bedroom homes):..”does not in any way address the needs for Thame.”
He was concerned that the so-called two bedroom homes (for which Thame is in particular need of) were exactly the same layout as the three beds, except that one of them is marked as a study. Similarly the three bedroomed houses are the same as the four bed, but with one bedroom marked as a study!
The street layout, he suggested did not reflect the requirement of the TNP to reflect the character of Thame in its ‘spaciousness and character’.
He noted that some of the houses were of the same design as those on the old Chinnor Cement Works sites, and as such did not ‘raise the design bar as anticipated in the Neighbourhood Plan.’
Cllr Helena Fickling, herself an Architect and Chair of the town council’s Planning and Environment Committee, was unhappy with the way the plans separated out houses to be sold on the open marked, and those intended for Part-ownership or as ‘affordable’ housing. The plan, she said: “…creates a ghetto; with ‘millionaires row’ at the bottom!
“This is not what we want for Thame,” she added.
Cllr Mike Welply said he was ‘disappointed’ with the plans. “To my mind this looks like a bog standard housing estate, the same as those at Didcot and Westbrook Park. To come into Thame and see that is just not good enough. They need to go back to the drawing board.”
Cllr Fickling called the ‘tiny play area, stuck in the top corner of the plan’ on the road side, “lunatic!”
“Why not put it in the central square to encourage some social life?” she suggested. Cllr Vaughan Humphries asked if any more changes were planned for the new junction layout at Wenman Road where there had already been an accident. Jake Collinge explained that there would be some new crosssing points from the new development, and that an officer from SODC was coming to look at the junction with a view to some branch-cutting being carried out to improve visibility turning right towards Thame.
Cllr Peter Lambert said: “It is imperative that we make the right decision (tonight). The whole idea of the Neighbourhood Plan was to create somewhere nice to live in Thame, not to bolt on a new estate.
“How is it,” he asked, “that these developers can come out with fantastic plans and promises with wonderful watercolour drawings, and then ignore them?”
Cllr Mike Dyer said that in his opinion, the plans treated the Neighbourhood Plan ‘with contempt’ and proposed that the council recommend South Oxfordshire District Council refuse detailed planning permission. The councillors obviously agreed and voted unanimously to support his proposal.
The plans will be considered by SODC’s Planning committee in September. Meanwhile, the consultation period for this application runs until July 10, 2014.
THE deputy manager of The Thatch pub in Thame, who walked from the capital to the coast, has praised the generosity of Thame residents and pub guests, who dug deep into their pockets to raise enough money to help not one but two causes close to her heart.
Serena Toh enjoys the feel of the grass on her blistered feet, & a glass of well-earned ‘bubbly’
Serena Toh took part in the London to Brighton walk at the end of May, braving wind, mud and torrential rain to walk through the night and complete the 100 km or 62 mile trek, one of the country’s toughest endurance challenges.
She raised over £3000 in sponsorship from local businesses, pub regulars, colleagues and friends, which will go towards supporting Kenyan primary school children as well as conservancy projects in the Maasai Mara that protect their land and their heritage.
“I decided to do the walk from Richmond-on-Thames to Brighton after returning from Kenya earlier this year, where I met pupils from the Emarti Primary School in the Maasai Mara,” Serena explained. “We were there to work on a conservancy project to protect wildlife and the land, and I was inspired to do more to help when I got back.
“So I walked for 30 hours in mud, clay and sludge, through woodlands and hills and saw enough mud to last a lifetime, but I kept thinking about my goal and the generosity of everyone who sponsored me, and didn’t give up. I finished over a day after I set off, exhausted but elated.
“With all the support I had, I’ll not only be able to buy books and drawing materials for primary school children at Emarti, my original goal; I also raised enough money to complete the construction of the 4km fence my colleagues from Peach started to protect endangered hippos and elephants on the Enonkishu Conservancy on the northern boundary of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. This project is designed to help shore up what’s been termed the ‘Last Line of Defence’ for an area of land under growing threat.
“I’d like to say a very big thank you to everyone whose moral support and generosity made all of this possible, and meant I could do even more to help these great causes,” she added.
Anyone who wants to sponsor Serena can still do so by contributing via www.peachfoundation.co.uk or popping into The Thatch to fill in a sponsorship form at the bar.
THE Rotary Club of Thame has expressed its gratitude to the community of Thame and neighbouring villages for their support with the group’s fundraising events, including the Thame Swimathon and Thame Art Show.
Jeannette Matelot Green, this year’s President of the Rotary Club of Thame, said: “Thanks to the community’s support, the club was able to donate £5,000 to charity at a ceremony held at the Spread Eagle in Thame on Wednesday (June 18), to mark the end of the Rotary Year 2013-2014. The major beneficiaries included Sharing Life Trust, Thame SAFARI, Thame & District Day Centre and Thame Players. We were also able to present cheques to four charities and also made donations to three young people from Thame who have raised money for local charities by their own efforts.”
Steve Eyre, from Sharing Life Trust said: “The money donated by Thame Rotary will help the new Thame Community Bank. We are committed to doing business in a way that contributes to the local community, and that funds are invested ethically.”
Michelle Diffey from Thame SAFARI added: “The donation to our group will make a big difference. The money will go towards social events for our adults which require independence.”
Accepting a cheque on behalf of the Thame & District Day Centre,Gill Coleman said: “The Day Centre is thankful to Thame Rotary for their continuing support. The group’s donation will support funding more social events for the people we care for.”
Pat Shepherd of Thame Players, reminded those present that Thame Players has been active for 70 years, and said that the donation will go towards the second phase of the theatre’s refurbishment which includes the change of all electrical wiring as well as the heating system.
APAE, a joint international project with the Rotary Club of Blumenau Oeste (Brazil), will use its donation to fund the purchase of special dental equipment for children with disabilities. APAE, which stands for Parents and Teachers Association of the students with Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities, is a non-governmental and non- profit organization, that is attended by 410 students with Intellectual and Physical Disabilities.
APAE offers the following services: Social, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, Medical, Nutrition and Dietetics, Dental treatment, Schooling and Psychological and Occupational Therapy.
THE countryside lobbying group, CPRE, is urging councils and councillors to reject new figures for housing needs that the local planning authority has based its revised Local Plan for the district on.
The Strategic Housing Market Assessment – or SHMA – figures, have been used by South Oxfordshire District Council to decide how to meet the new housing target, and have outlined possible options for the allocation of new housing, including a new town between Walllingford and Thame, and building in the Oxford Green Belt.
The SHMA found that far more houses than previously envisaged in the Local Plan (adopted in December 2012) would have to be built in South Oxfordshire, probably including Thame, to meet demand. SODC had only planned to build 10,600 homes between 2011 and 2027, but the SHMA proposes that between 14,500 and 16,500 are needed by 2031.
The consultation currently being carried out by SODC lists a number of options for distributing the additional housing.
CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) has said that it is concerned that the options identified in the new Plan “……are not ‘options’ at all. We believe that all of the options identified – and more, will be required if SODC are to meet the unrealistic and unsustainable housing targets outlined in the SHMA.
“This would be intensely damaging to the environment and to the amenity of everyone who lives in the District.”
Helen Marshall, CPRE Oxfordshire’s Director, responding to a draft report by its own Consultants questioning the validity of the new SHMAR figures, has said: “The only beneficiaries of the Oxfordshire SHMA are house builders, who will have carte blanche to develop what and where they like (which is high-end housing on Greenfield land – a precious and finite resource). The price will be paid by those who will pay for new infrastructure and services to support this (all of us), and those who depend for decent housing on the regeneration of Oxford and our towns (especially new and lower income households). Balancing these interests is a matter for the local planning process – which the SHMA preempts.”
The public consultation (details HERE) ends on July, 23.
OVER the next few weeks, strange yellow/green neon lights will start to appear on the grassland of Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve, near Stokenchurch, but don’t worry, the aliens haven’t landed! These tiny lights are actually female glow worms trying to attract a mate.
Glow worm – Photographed by Matthew O’Byrne
From late June to the end of July, the Chilterns Conservation Board and Natural England will be giving you the opportunity to hunt for these fascinating creatures by night and learn more about them.
Four glow worm walks are taking place between 9.45pm and 11.30pm on Friday, June 27th, Saturday 5th, Saturday 12th and Friday 25th July. Meet at the Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve car park.
The walks cost £3 for adults and £1 for children. Spaces are strictly limited and booking is essential. Call early to avoid disappointment on 01844 355 500.
Remember, it will be dark, so intrepid glow worm hunters should bring a torch, dress warmly and wear sturdy footwear. The event isn’t suitable for young children, but over 10’s are welcome with adult supervision.
