Category: More News

A TEAM of Year six pupils at Barley Hill school in Thame, has won the annual ‘Fun in Athletics’ Tournament.
The competition was held on Wednesday, July 13, in the Lord Williams?s Lower School Sports Hall. Having won the semi-final against other local schools, the team went on to compete against schools from Kidmore End, Nettlebed, Henley and Watlington.
Track events included obstacle relays, sprint relays and other races. Field events included soft javelin throwing, chest pushes, long jump, triple jump and vertical jump.
“Even though our team was smaller than those from other schools, they competed really well to come out on top. I am delighted for them and the school,” said John Hulett, Headteacher. “Perhaps some of them will go on to the Olympics in 2012!”
The children involved were, Zara Sallis, Jess Aries, Ruth Underwood, Helena Mann, Gemma Williams, Molly Buszard, Thomas Scraton, Daniel Kimber, Max Bestley, Jonathan Spruce, Adam Dumville and Bryn Hopkins.

WOULD you be interested in forming an Oxfordshire branch of the Fabian So

THE Rycote Group of Artists, who are mainly from the Thame area, have been invited to exhibit at the prestigious Obsidian Gallery, at Stoke Mandeville.

The group of seven artists, each with very different artistic and professional backgrounds, came together in 2003 to form the Rycote Group.

Their first exhibition was held in Montesson, Thame’s twin town outside Paris, and subsiquently in 2004 they staged a very successful Arts Weeks Open Studio at Rycotwood College. In response to this show they have been invited by the Obsidian Gallery to stage another group exhibition at the gallery near Aylesbury from August 13-30. There will be an opportunity to meet the group and guest artists in person on Sunday, August 14.

The group is very diverse in its styles, skills and media, ranging from traditional watercolour, oils and acrylic to collagraph printing, mixed media, textiles, fabric design and photograghy which has provided an extremely stimulating working environment. Specialist workshops have been organised by individual members for the rest of the group, allowing them to develop both inside and outside their creative comfort zones.

As individuals, the Rycote artists have exhibited locally and nationally and have worked in public and private collections around the world.
The Rycote exhibition at Obsidian, with a mixture of paintings, drawings, prints, mixed media, sculpture and photography promises to be an exciting and stimulating event.

The exhibiting artists and guest artists are Di Burch, Jen Chamberlain, Clarissa Galliano,
Sally Ibbett, Alan Kidd, Diana Noel, Becky Wheal
and Rob Wheal.

LOOKING for fun activities for the kids over the school holidays?
School holidays can be full of mayhem and boredom; with CampSOLL this transforms into fun filled days packed full of sports, arts and crafts and games.

Why not bring them to CampSOLL? CampSOLL is an organised holiday play scheme taking place at leisure centres run by SOLL Leisure throughout Oxfordshire. CampSOLL is now available at 9 Oxfordshire leisure centres, including Thame,Holton nr Wheatley, during every school holiday. The centres can guarantee safe, creative and energetic activities suitable for children of all ages. CampSOLL staff are fully trained and will make your younger family members very welcome.

What happens during CampSOLL? Children can either enrol for individual sessions and coaching or take part in the themed day camps, taking part in a wide variety of fun sports and arts activities. Activities include team games, art, dance and drama workshops, football and trampolining coaching and lots more.

Visit www.soll-leisure.co.uk
for more details on CampSOLL or contact your nearest centre.

SOME of my happiest years in the Royal Air Force were spent at RAF Seletar, Singapore, one of the most colourful and historic of the RAF’s overseas bases.
RAF Seletar closed in 1971, but it is remembered with affection by members of ‘The RAF Seletar Association.’
The Association was formed in 1997, the intention being to bring together any personnel who served or were based there, in any capacity, service or civilian, including the families of those based there. Should any readers wish to join, with a view to renewing old friendships, please contact me, Ivor J. Congdon, RAF Seletar Association, Liaison Officer for Buckinghamshire, Berkshire & Oxfordshire, Bosuns, The Hill, Winchmore Hill, Amersham, Bucks HP7 0NY; of telephone 01494 432586

WHY not Spend an enjoyable weekend with a French family in your Twin Town of Montesson, just 12 kilometres away from Paris?
There are still some places on a coach leaving on the morning of Friday, September 16 and returning on Sunday evening, September 18.
A full programme of events is layed on to celebrate the annual Fete de Pate Carmen, and you can be certain that you will be received warmly by families in Montesson and afforded the best of French hospitality.
The cost for the trip, will be

THE Kebab van trader, who operates in the Upper High Street, must now pay an annual trading fee.
For several years, the owner of the mobile stall has sold kebabs on the site without paying any fee to Thame Town Council, unlike the Tuesday market traders who pay

OVER a hundred delegates from organisations across the UK are expected at a national conference being held in Oxfordshire this week to identify and assess global risks and disasters.

The Institution of Fire Engineers (Oxfordshire Group) has organised the Future Shock – Next Dimension Conference which will take place at Milton Hill House near Steventon tomorrow, Thursday 7 July.

Oxfordshire County Council?s Fire and Rescue Service is co-ordinating the event and John Parry, Chief Fire Officer and Director for Community Safety will be opening the conference.

Delegates will be from many national organisations and include emergency planners, fire and rescue services, representatives from the naval dockyard at Davenport, the police, local government and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Among the topics being discussed on Thursday by experts from around the country will be flooding, global warming and climate change, terrorist threat, major health threats and disaster management.

County Councillor Ray Jelf, Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: ?This promises to be an extremely interesting conference since the subjects under discussion are very pertinent to life in the 21st century, therefore I?m sure the delegates will be keen to hear from the wide range of experts about how these modern day challenges can be dealt with and hopefully overcome.?

EVER read about the work of Helen & Douglas House and wanted to help out? Well, from this month you can.

An exciting new Friends of Helen & Douglas House scheme is currently being set up to support and motivate willing volunteers who wish to work alongside the fundraising team of the Oxford hospice ? and anyone can join in. Local people in Oxford and beyond are invited to set up their very own Helen & Douglas House Friends Group to represent the hospice in their area and join in their fundraising activities. Initial approaches have already been made to some current enthusiastic supporters and the response has been very positive.

The Friends scheme is a response to numerous enquiries over the years from local people who wish to develop an ongoing active relationship with the fundraising work of Helen & Douglas House. By organising and nurturing the immensely practical and much-appreciated good will of the people of Oxfordshire and beyond, the fundraising team of Helen & Douglas House hopes that people?s enthusiasm will be maintained and that their relationship with their much-valued supporters is enhanced and strengthened.

Each Friends Group will be made up of a number of local people in a village, town or district. They will receive training, guidance and much practical and moral support from the fundraising team at the hospice. As well as helping to support our own events and campaigns, they would also be invited to devise and organise their own fundraising events and initiatives.

At a time when many people are aware of tremendous need in other countries, this new scheme provides an opportunity to offer help to the crucial work a charity much nearer to home. The Friends scheme is run by Joanna Mitchell, Community Fundraising Manager for Helen & Douglas House, and she commented:

“This exciting new scheme will enable groups of people in the community to support Helen & Douglas House in a more regular and positive way. They will be the ‘face’ of the charity in their area and, with lots of encouragement and support from us here in the fundraising team, will be able to plan appropriate events that not only raise money, but are fun for the people attending and organising them too. That?s what fundraising is all about!”

If you are interested in setting up or joining your own Friends of Helen & Douglas House please contact Joanna Mitchell on 01865 794749 OR email: jmitchell@helenanddouglas.org.uk or visit the website: www.helenanddouglas.org.uk

THAME Police would like information regarding the following incidents which have occurred in the Thame area over the past week or so:

JIMMY FIGGS, Thame – between 11.50pm and 12 mid-night, Friday night June 24, mobile phone and door key stolen.

SEDGEMOOR DRIVE, Thame – overnight June 23/24, between 10.50pm and 5am, plant pots and hanging basket smashed.

CROSS KEYS PUB, Thame – criminal damage to Mercedes car, June 17/18 between 8pm and 12.30 mid-day, off-side rear door kicked and dented.

WHEATLEY – Library, Oxford Road, June 29, between 12 and 5pm, credit cards stolen from wallet from pocket of jacket left on back of chair while owner visited the toilet.

THE BELFRY, Milton Common – Thursday, June 30, between 1.30am and 02.08 am, number of vehicles broken into – masked offenders smashed windows.

Anybody with information about any of the these incidents can contact the police enquiry line on 0845 5850 5505, or Crime Stoppers anonymously 0800 555111