Category: More News

TALENTED young people from across South Oxfordshire, including Thame, have been recognised for their accomplishments in art, sport and citizenship. 

A total of 21 people between the ages of 11 and 18 were each awarded a certificate and a cheque for up to £250 to mark their achievements, in a special ceremony on Tuesday (25/02), hosted by South Oxfordshire District Council.

Included among the winners of this Young Achievers Scheme, which distributed £5,250 between the 21 winners, were:

Chelsie Horne from Towersey for achievements in dressage
Thomas Condon from Thame for achievements in cricket
Hannah Hawken from Thame who received the sports award for achievements in swimming

To qualify in the sports category applicants must have been competing at county level , whilst in the arts category there must have been a high level of commitment and skill in the chosen art form, which can be anything from photography to music. A citizenship award is awarded to young people who have made an outstanding contribution to their local community.

Nominations for the next round of awards opens on October 6, 2014. For further details and full criteria, see www.southoxon.gov.uk/grants.

Councillor Bill Service, Cabinet member for grants at the council said: “As always, it is an honour and a privilege to acknowledge the achievements our young people have made.”

“Their dedication to sport, their craft, and helping their community really is remarkable”.

THE people of Thame this week had the opportunity to explore career and study options at Lord Williams’s School’s Future Fest, the largest careers event in the area.

With over 80 employer representatives, training providers and colleges under one roof, current students and their parents, ex-students of the school and other Thame residents were able to get their questions answered on study pathways, career areas and job roles. Visitors were able to obtain information from employers about apprenticeship opportunities as well as attend talks on the subject given by Oxfordshire Apprenticeships and the National Apprenticeship Service.

One student commented: “This has been a really useful evening. I’m looking for an apprenticeship after Year 11 and have spoken to employers about what they have to offer.”

Many local Thame firms were represented including Atlet, DAF Trucks, Osbornes Insurance, Abbots Office Solutions, Stuart Barr CDR, Richardsons Accountants and others.

Town Cllr Mike Dyer who attented the Futures Fest, said: “It’s great to see young people talking with employers about their future career plans. We need employers to open their doors and inspire young people into their businesses.”

A Thame company has been the subject of criticism on social media recently for closing off its car park to members of the public, many who took advantage of its location for the Phoenix Trail. Today, the company Daf Trucks,  has explained why it has taken this action.

A DAF Trucks spokesperson, Jackie Vines, told Thame.Net: “We do like to help the local community but recently we had problems with a car that turned up and then several caravans which stayed overnight and all the next day. Not only were we subjected to verbal abuse, and called the police in, but it cost us a lot of money to clean up the terrible mess that was left behind when they left.

“It is not fair to our security staff to leave it them to decide who or who may not use the car park, afterall, this was just one car at first. We do have to protect our own area of the car park and keep it clean and tidy, and so unfortunately we have had to make the decision to close it to anyone other than our staff and visitors.

“If there is an official event like a Fun Run or something, then the organisers can come to talk to us. We do want to be helpful to the community but we do have a responsibility to protect our staff and our property.”

AN amnesty of unreturned hospital equipment held outside Thame town hall, was a huge success and the organisers have expressed their gratitude to the community for its response.

Jackie Willoughby, speaking for Thame & District Lions Club which organised the event, described what was handed in on Saturday (22/02): “We collected 8 Zimmer Frames, 3 Wheelchairs, 2 Commodes, 13 Walking Sticks, 14 Pairs of Crutches, many pairs of glasses, numerous hearing aids, mobile phones, batteries etc,etc,etc.

“We would like to thank the community of Thame, Thame.Net and the Thame Gazette for their support. We are hoping to repeat this event soon both in Thame and in other local market towns.”

A postman from Thame is awaiting sentence after admitting stealing thousands of pounds from bank accounts using bank cards he stole from mail.

Damon Alvey, 45, of Friday Court, Thame, worked at Banbury sorting office and delivered mail in Bloxham.

At Banbury Magistrates’ Court on Friday, he admitted stealing mail between June 23 and October 16 last year, as well as four counts of fraud by false representation when he stole £4,033 from two separate people’s bank accounts.

Sentencing was adjourned until March 17.

THE people of Thame are being asked to suggest sites around the town that could be described as ‘community assets’, as a way of, in the future, having first option to purchase them should they become available on the open market.

This ‘Community Right to Bid’ is part of the Localism Bill published by the Government, in 2011, which allows such sites to be registered to protect this new right. Another Right under the Act, is ‘Community Asset Transfer’ which empowers local authorities to transfer the ownership of land and buildings to communities for less than their market value. This is known as ‘discounted asset transfer’ or ‘asset transfer’.

For Thame this could include sites such as the Cattlemarket, Thame Show Ground, the Post Office or perhaps land alongside the Phoenix Trail to extend the Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve, as has been suggested by a town councillor.

A Working Party, lead by Cllr Mike Weply, will garner suggestions from the public before taking the suggestions to full council at a later date to decide which will be nominated for Registration.

A full explanation of the details of the Community Right to Bid can be found here: LINK

A Thame Town Councillor has accused the county council of bullying, after Oxfordshire County Council threatened the town council with legal action over an unpaid invoice.

The invoice in dispute is for the sum of £65,000, for maintenance costs relating to the swimming pool, between 2009 – 2011. The town council however, is refusing to pay the invoice until the costs are clearly itemised and described so that it can be satisfied that the individual items can be related to a contract it had with the county council.

The Town Clerk, Helen Stewart, told councillors at Tuesday’s Policy and Resources committee meeting that the invoice just says ‘For sundry items’, despite her having asked the county council for more detailed information.

Cllr David Bretherton said: “They (Oxfordshire County Council) are just trying to force a smaller body into submission. We are being bullied.”

In July, 2010, responsibility for running Thame Swimming Pool transferred from Thame Town Council to South Oxfordshire District Council, five years after it was built under a Joint Use Agreement between OCC, SODC and the town council.

The committee agreed to support the Clerk in her endeavors to hold out from paying the invoice until the information demanded is provided by OCC.

TIDY Thame, the annual, voluntary event to spruce up the town, is looking for a new project leader to organise and motivate the local community.  If you have the skills to organise this important event held over one day in the summer, then the town council wants to hear from you.

In 2011 it cost taxpayers £900,000 a year to keep the district clean. Thame Town Council believes that this figure could be cut by half if more people stopped dropping litter. It was in response to this phenomenal figure that  Tidy Thame was launched that year, and has been headed up by the then-Mayor, Adam Buckland for the first two years, before Cllrs Mary Stiles and Andy Gunn took over last year, 2013.  Tidy Thame is now looking for its next champion. 

A grant of £500 from Thame Town Council has already been secured to assist with the costs, and waste management company, Biffa, are willing to work with Tidy Thame to arrange the collection of any litter that is gathered. All that is required is a motivated individual to chair the Tidy Thame committee and lead the event for 2014 and in future years.

If you feel you are up for the challenge then contact the Town Hall 01844 212833 or email oss@thametowncouncil.gov.uk to declare your interest or to find out more information about the project.

AFTER its recent experience of dreadful flooding throughout the village, the community spirit in Sydenham, near Thame, has had some positive news to report – news that may just save a life.

The villagers have pulled together and make time to raise money for an extremely worthwhile piece of equipment; a lifesaver that could provide a happy outcome to an otherwise tragic situation. Through a wide range of fundraising activities including a sexy car wash, a quiz, coffee mornings, a village hash, a sponsored run, a cake and biscuit stall, pressed apple juice and more, they have raised enough money to purchase a defibrillator.

The equipment has been placed inside the disused village telephone box which has been give a new coat of shiny red paint donated by David Beckford, the MD of Pronto Paints Ltd through the scheme started by British Coatings Federation. Martin Fagan from Community Heartbeat Trust, one of the key coordinating charities, advised and steered the village organisers through the process.

Gilly Harrison was the driver of the Sydenham defibrillator project, assisted by Siobhan McKee and Fiona Kermack, who all enthused villagers to dream up the fundraising ideas, and BBC TV presenter (and villager), Lizzie Greenwood – Hughes cut the heart embroidered ribbon at the official opening. The villages then attended a familiarisation session with Martin Fagan who demonstrated and explained just how easy the defibrillator is to access and operate.

As Gilly Harris said: “Through the tremendous efforts and support of the village, its phone box has been converted into a beacon of hope for those in need. “