Category: More News

  • Grateful thanks from Carnival and fete organisers

    AS memories of a great Thame carnival and fete 2009 settle into the collective memory of the town, the lead organisers, 21st Century Thame, have expressed their thanks to all those local organisations who helped make it the tremendous success it was.

    Particular appreciation has been extended to the following:

    Thame Guides and Brownies
    Thame Lions
    Chinnor Rugby Club
    Thame Red Kites Scooter Club
    Rotary Club of Thame
    Thame Town Council
    Lighthouse and Thame churches
    The three primary schools

    and particularly to unsung, individuals like Mary Stiles who, it has since transpired, by herself, litter-picked on the Southern Road Recreation ground after the fete.

  • Fairtrade status for Thame primary school

    PROUD pupils and staff of John Hampden Primary learned recently that their school had been awarded Fairtrade School Status in recognition of their work for supporting the Fairtrade movement.

    The school has been actively promoting Fairtrade within the school itself and in the wider community of Thame for several years, ever since the Fairtrade/One World theme of the Thame Festival in 2005.

    A spokesperson for the school said: “The children have worked enthusiastically to encourage people to use Fairtrade products so that the producers get a fair deal. Choosing to buy Fairtrade is something that everyone can do without donating money, and can be life-changing for the people who grow our food. And we have fun doing it! Like Going Bananas in Fairtrade Fortnight this year, where we ate several hundred bananas as part of a banana eating record attempt.

    “We hold tastings of Fairtrade products, have cake sales using Fairtrade ingredients and regularly run a Fairtrade cafe at our school events. In class, pupils learn about Fairtrade and have campaigned successfully for the local Co-Op to sell the Dubble chocolate bar. Now our efforts have been rewarded by the Fairtrade Foundation and we are really excited to be one of the first schools in the county to have achieved Fairtrade School Status.”

  • Exciting summer events for families with disabled children

    THOMLEY Activity Centre is a unique recreational facility for disabled children, their families, siblings, and friends. It is situated on the Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire border in seven acres of beautiful countryside and offers a safe and supportive setting for children to play, learn and explore.

    There are a wide range of activities suitable for all ages and abilities, allowing everyone to have fun, make new friends, and most of all, feel accepted. Activities vary from outdoor activities including; a football pitch; 1km cycle track; zip wire and outdoor play area to numerous indoor areas including; arts and craft; computer room; soft play area and the very popular sensory room.

    Listings for 18th July 2009 ? 19th October 2009

    o Saturday 18th July ? Closed for staff training

    o Tuesday 21st July ? Saturday 29th August ? Summer holidays at Thomley Activity Centre begin on Tuesday 21st July, running Tuesday to Saturday each week until Saturday 29th August, which will be our carnival themed annual open day. All of the usual activities can be found at Thomley during the summer but we?ll also be celebrating our chosen theme…different types of days out, trips and adventure! Each day will be filled with varied activities from teddy bear?s picnic, trips to the farm and carnival creations so why not contact the office to see what?s on?

    The following days are our focus days during the summer holidays which we currently have spaces for –

    o Tuesday 21st July ? Teenager days – For all disabled young people aged between 10- 19yrs, their parents/ carers and younger siblings are also welcome. Teenage days provide a great opportunity to socialise with other teenagers, to make new friends and try out various activities, including the very popular 1km cycle track. Organised activities also include karaoke and street dance workshops.

    o Saturday 25th July ? Quiet days: – Quiet days are specifically designed for families and children with disabilities who might prefer a quieter day. Numbers are limited to 30 children and are a birthday party free zone. Organised activities for the day include outdoor giant games from snakes and ladders, jenga, and connect 4.

    o Tuesday 28th July ? Disability preschool day: – For disabled pre-school toddlers and babies (up to the age of 6yrs but older siblings are also welcome) accompanied by their parents/ carers. Sensory art, craft and play ideas are available throughout the day to celebrate our teddy bear?s picnic event!

    o Saturday 1st August ? Community day – Open to all children (i.e. disabled and non-disabled) and their families to enjoy our all the usual activities from soft play to the 1km cycle track. Additional activities will be inspired by local museums around Thomley including rockets galore from Oxford Science Museum and George?s marvelous recipes from Roald Dahl?s museum in Bucks.

    o Tuesday 4th August – Adult day- Open to disabled adults (16+) and their carers to try out a variety of art and craft activities, relax in a rural environment, chill out in the sensory room and garden or just have a chat and a cup of tea. Additional activities include a drumming workshop by Umbanda between 1-3pm.

    o Saturday 8th August ? Family day – Open to disabled children, their families and friends to enjoy all the usual activities at Thomley but also have the opportunity to join in our ?Right Royal Fancy Dress Day!? From princesses to knights, there will also be the chance for creative outdoor fort building!

    o Tuesday 11th August – Preschool day- For all pre-school toddlers and babies (up to the age of 6yrs) with and without disabilities accompanied by their parents/ carers. Activities are designed for children to play, explore and most importantly get messy!

    o Saturday 15th August ? Family day – Open to disabled children, their families and friends to enjoy all the usual activities at Thomley. Additional activities include organised mini beast hunts throughout the day to look for creepy crawlies to birds of prey within the centre?s 7 acre site.

    o Wednesday 19th August ? Teenage day – For all disabled young people aged between 10- 19yrs, their parents/ carers and younger siblings are also welcome. Teenage days provide a great opportunity to socialise with other teenagers, to make new friends and try out various activities, including the very popular 1km cycle track. Additional activities for the day are inspired by relaxing spa treatments including foot spas and soothing creative activities e.g. candle making.

    o Saturday 22nd August ? Family day – Open to disabled children, their families and friends to enjoy all the usual activities at Thomley. Additional activities include sensory play inspired from around the world including Italian pasta, British jelly and Chinese rice play!

    o Tuesday 25th August – Adult day- Open to disabled adults (16+) and their carers to try out a variety of art and craft activities, relax in a rural environment, chill out in the sensory room or just have a chat and a cup of tea. Additional carnival themed activities include t-shirt screen printing so remember to bring your own t-shirt!

    o Saturday 29th August ? Annual Open Day (Open from 11am-3pm, no booking required and open to everyone) ? Carnival inspired open day with a variety of activities throughout the day including face painting, outdoor carnival float building, drumming workshop and a sponsored walk, push and cycle event! Call the office for more details of how to join in and raise money for the sponsored event.

    o Tuesday 1st ? Saturday 5th September ? Thomley will be closed for essential maintenance.

    o Wednesday to Friday ? school term time ? Open to special schools and mainstream schools who include students with additional learning needs. Activities can be tailor-made to compliment school projects.

    o Tuesday 8th September ? Adult day – Open to disabled adults (16+) and their carers to try out a variety of art and craft activities, relax in a rural environment, chill out in the sensory room or just have a chat and a cup of tea.

    o Saturday 12th September ? Family day – Open to disabled children, their families and friends to enjoy all the usual activities at Thomley including the soft play area, art and craft room and the 1km cycle track.

    o Tuesday 15th September – Preschool day – For all pre-school toddlers and babies (up to the age of 6yrs) with and without disabilities accompanied by their parents/ carers. Activities are designed for children to play, explore and most importantly get messy!

    o Saturday 19th September ? Family day – Open to disabled children, their families and friends to enjoy a variety of indoor activities and outdoor equipment at Thomley including the soft play area, art and craft room and the 1km cycle track.

    o Saturday 26th September – Quiet days: – Quiet days are specifically designed for families and children with disabilities who might prefer a quieter day. Numbers are limited to 30 children and are a birthday party free zone.

    o Saturday 3rd October ? Community Dad and male carers day- Lots of opportunities for Dads and male carers, accompanying children with and without disabilities, to meet others for a chat or to simply join in with a variety of activities. This includes our soft play room, music room, computer room, chill-out/reading room, craft room, play rooms, swings, roundabout, aerial zip wire and 1km cycle track etc.

    o Tuesday 6th October ? Adult day – Open to disabled adults (16+) and their carers to try out a variety of art and craft activities, relax in a rural environment, chill out in the sensory room or just have a chat and a cup of tea.

    o Saturday 10th October ? Family day – Open to disabled children, their families and friends to enjoy a variety of indoor activities and outdoor equipment at Thomley including the soft play area, art and craft room and the 1km cycle track.

    o Tuesday 13th October – Preschool day – For all pre-school toddlers and babies (up to the age of 6yrs) with and without disabilities accompanied by their parents/ carers. Activities are designed for children to play, explore and most importantly get messy!

    o Saturday 17th October – Family day – Open to disabled children, their families and friends to enjoy a variety of indoor activities and outdoor equipment at Thomley including the soft play area, art and craft room and the 1km cycle track.

    N.B. Open from 10am-3.30pm / All children must be accompanied by their parents/carers. Advance booking is essential.
    Thomley Activity Centre, Menmarsh Road, Worminghall, Bucks, HP18 9JZ,
    Tel/fax: 01844 338380. Web: www.thomleyhall.org, Email: enquiries@thomleyhall.org

  • Thame County Councillor questioned over special unit

    THAME’S county councillor, Nick Carter, was asked about a lack of finance for the Chinnor Resource Unit for Autistic children, at St Andrews school, which he described as “almost falling down.”

    The Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green, told Cllr Carter at Thame Town Council’s meeting last Tuesday (16.06.09): “This is very worrying because there are children from Thame who attend the unit.”

    Cllr Carter admitted that an enormous capital investment was need for the building, but that OCC’s stated intention to make the money available in four years time, would be too late as: “It will probably have fallen down by then!”

    He said he would look into the matter and see what could be done.

  • Thame therapist shaves head for charity

    DANI Dennington, a hypnotherapist from Croft Road, Thame, raised over

  • The ‘Wild Geese’ do it again! (Amended – apologies for calling then the Flying Geese !)

    THAME’S most successful pub quiz team, The Wild Geese, have once again taken the Thame Festival quiz trophy!

    The team has its name engraved on the Thame Festival Quiz Trophy, 13 times, having won most years since the quiz began in 1993.

    Although there were less teams this year (2009) than last year, the evening was once again interesting and testing, and above all, fun – thanks to the Festival Quiz’s long-time quiz master and MC, Sue Boyle.

    The quiz will once again take place next year, 2010, on the Friday before the Carnival, so put it in the diary now. (I have it on good authority that the trick is to make lists throughout the year, of sporting event winners, lakes around the world in size order, etc)

    I for one, will be trying to take more notice of the big sporting events throughout the year – our team scored one point on the Sports round – always a weakness. So come on – there’s a challenge for the year. Someone needs to topple those Wild Geese!

    Photo: From left to right – Brian Mace, Brian West, Caroline West (NO relation ? she belongs to the other Brian), Nigel Griffith, Sue Boyle ? quizmistress, Paul Furness, Nigel Maughan

  • The Chilterns Awards – Could you be a winner?

    THE Chilterns Conservation Board has launched an annual awards scheme, The Chilterns Awards, and is looking for great projects and outstanding people to reward for work that benefits the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Beauty.

    There are three categories of awards:

    The Chilterns Access and Education Award
     Encouraging projects that increase the use and understanding of the Chilterns by new and varied audiences. These could include special events or new information displays.
    The Chilterns Outstanding People Award
     Rewarding individuals or groups that have made an outstanding contribution to the conservation of the Chilterns or raising awareness of the area.
    The Chilterns Environment Award
     Recognising innovative work that benefits the conservation of the natural environment of the Chilterns, for example, restoring a pond or managing a wood for wildlife.

    The closing date of 31st July (2009) is fast approaching, so if you know of a person or project which deserves recognition get in touch!

    Entry forms and more information can be downloaded from: www.chilternsaonb.org
    or contact Cathy Rose on 01844 355 506 or crose@chilternsaonb.org Awards will be presented at the Chilterns Annual Forum in November.

    Photo: A previous winner, Mays Farm, Nuffield

  • Pack available to assess “How safe is your home?”

    THIS is a Ringmaster message from Thames Valley Police. The Home Office has introduced a new Self-assessment tool to help people check their home security. An online questionnaire “How Safe is Your Home” is available and takes approximately three minutes to complete.

    If you haven’t already completed this questionnaire, please visit: LINK

    There is also a FREE advice pack available from the Home Office which contains burglary leaflets, discount vouchers on home security products from some leading DIY stores and details of the Policing Pledge. This pack contains a copy of the Home Security Self Assessment questionnaire, for those of you who are unable to carry it out online.

    Only one pack will be issued per person, so each NHW member will have to order their own pack. Call the Home Office Publications Department FREE on 0800 456 1213.

    Please pass these details onto all members of your NHW scheme, thank you.

  • Ad hoc team wins junior tug-of-war

    A TEAM of students from Lord Williams’s school in Thame, one the junior tug-of-war challenge at the Carnival fete on Saturday – after coming together at the last minute!

    After seeing the adults in their contest, one of the students asked the organisers, Thame Lions, why there wasn’t a contest for young people. He was then told that if he went off and found enough of his friends for two teams, they could have a match. In the meantime, two other teams appeared and the resulting matches left that student’s ad hoc team the victors.

  • Chinnor & Sydenham School Reunion

    A SCHOOL Reunion is being held for pupils who attended Sydenham School (up until its closure in 1948), and also for Chinnor School, in the late 1940?s/50?s/early 60?s.

    The reunion will be held in Old School Room, Sydenham, on Friday 26th June, 2009, from 7.30pm. Please bring a bottle, and a plate of food.

    Contact Christine Bishop (Buckingham/Silver) 01844 281645. If you were at either school around this time, we hope to see you there!