THAMES Valley Police are seeking the help of the public for information after a young woman was punched in what appears to have been an unprovoked attack in Thame.
The incident happened on the Phoenix Trail in the early hours of Sunday morning, August 21.
A police spokesperson told Thame.Net: “The victim, an 18-year-old woman, was walking in that location when she was punched in the face by an unknown person. She then saw four people running away.
“Anyone with any information about the incident should please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.
“If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
“If you contact us about this investigation again please quote reference 43160231115.”
STUDENTS at Lord Williams’s School have achieved outstanding GCSE results with 76% of students achieving five or more passes at A*- C, including English and Mathematics. These results are the best ever in the history of the school!
Headteacher, David Wybron was full of praise for this year’s cohort, saying: “Following on from very successful A Level results last week for our Sixth Form students, this is now wonderful news for our Year 11 students. There is no substitute for hard work in terms of fulfilling potential and our students should feel very proud of their achievements. They are a very capable cohort of students who brought such positive energy to their studies and wider interests.
“Students also acknowledge that they couldn’t have achieved such results without the excellent support and encouragement from teachers and support staff in school and from parents and carers at home. Most of them will be returning to the Sixth Form where I am sure they will make a very big impression.”
The following students gained at least seveen passes at grade A* or A: Bethany Airstone, Matthew Bellars, Marcus Birmingham, Harriet Burdett, Harriet Caiger, Lara Carmichael, Daniel Collins, Laura Denton, Nikhil Desai, Eleanor Downer, Ellie Draper, Luke Eaton, Ella Ferris, Lois Freeman, Sam Goode, Alessia Grant, Chiara Gregory, Emily Hake, Nicholas Harbour, Clare Harman, Rufino Herreros-Richards, Jack Hudson, Elspeth Jackson, Imogen Krauze, Florence Lawlor, Adam Lockwood, Ashley Macdonald, Tessa Marsh, Georgia McDermott, James McStay, Lucy Miller, Oliver Moss, Josefine Ng, Lewis Niedzielski, Rory Pearce, Jacob Powell, Isobel Scarborough, Michael Shearwood, George Shreeve, Ella Simms, Sophie Smith, Katie Strathdee, Bex Surridge, Charley Sydenham, Jessica Thomas, Niamh Twyford, Rebecca Van Walwyk and Lucy Webb.
A Thame retailer praised the town’s street cleaner for ‘going the extra mile’ this week, after he cleaned and weeded the whole of a narrow passage way in the town, above and beyond his designated duties.
Alan Tipping, pictured during Thame Carnival procession last June
Sally Dickinson, who runs What’s Cooking in Cornmarket, Thame, was concerned about the untidiness of Pump Lane, that runs from her shop through to Brothers Hair Salon in the Buttermarket. Whilst discussing the problem with Alan Tipping, Thame’s popular street cleaner, she was surprised to learn that Alan had been told that Pump Lane wasn’t part of his area as it is not a designated ‘highway’.
However, after a visit to the town hall and phone calls to Oxfordshire County County and South Oxfordshire District Council, as well as Biffa, Sally was able to discover that Pump Lane can be designated as highway and, despite not having been given the official go-ahead by his Manager, Alan spent two hours of his own time making Pump Lane ‘spick and span’ !
Once again, Alan has proven to be worthy of his Service to the Town award, presented to him in 2012, by the then Mayor of Thame, Nigel Champken Woods.
THIS impressive sum was a result of Travelodge HQ in Thame’s fourth, annual Green Day fundraiser, so-called because of the charity’s official brand colour.
At the event, held at Thame Town Cricket Club last Wednesday, August 17, staff pitted their wits against each other in a range of fun activities throughout the day which included a welly wanging competition, a scavenger hunt, a tug of war and the annual cricket match which this year was held between the Travelodge head office team, the company’s tax advisors, FTI Consultancy, and the company’s energy consultants, Smart Metering Systems (SMS). The match was won by the Travelodge head office team
Peter Gowers, Travelodge, Chief Executive Officer with Colin Cousins, Sleepeezee, Finance Director and Sally Hill, Partnership Manager, Macmillan Cancer Support
Included in the £30,000 raised, was a donation of £20,000 from Travelodge’s bed manufacturer, Sleepeezee who produce the company’s popular luxurious king-size, Travelodge Dreamer bed – which has been installed into all of Travelodge’s 38,287 Rooms.
As the bed is so popular with customers, Travelodge and Sleepeezee have made the bed available for people to purchase and for every bed sold, Sleepeezee makes a donation towards Macmillan. The £20,000 donation payment was for Travelodge Dreamer beds sold during the last ten months.
Over 250 people attended Travelodge Green Day which included head office staff and their family and friends. For the first time ever, Travelodge held its own version of Crufts where thirteen dogs participated in the dog show with categories including Best in show, waggiest tail, dog agility, skills and walk to heel.
Meg, the Border Collier who won the dog show
Meg, the Border Collie, aged two years old, won Travelodge Crufts, scoring the highest marks overall. Meg won for scoring highly in all of the challenges, especially in skills and the agility round.
Tom Edwards, Travelodge, Revenue Director,said: “Our annual Green Day is a great opportunity for team building and raising money for our nominated charity. We are a competitive bunch and this year, the head office functions really went above and beyond and organised some truly innovative activities. We had an amazing day, full of fun and laughter and most importantly we raised a lot of money, for a truly deserving cause. I would like to thank everyone for their efforts and support and especially the manufacturers of our Travelodge Dreamer Bed, Sleepeezee, who boosted our total to £30,000, this year with their donation of £20,000.
“Since the charity partnership was launched in 2013, Travelodge’s 10,000 staff members across the company’s 515 UK hotels and at the head office in Thame have raised over £750,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support to help people affected by cancer.”
Sally Hill, from Macmillan Cancer Support said: “We are so grateful for all the support Travelodge staff have given to Macmillan. Their dedication and enthusiasm will ensure that no one has to face cancer alone and we look forward to their continued support.”
Colin Cousins, Sleepeezee, Finance Director, concluded: “Sleepeezee is delighted to participate in this year’s Travelodge Green Day and donate £20,000 to the company’s nominated charity, Macmillan Cancer Support. This donation is the result of a successful partnership between Sleepeezee and Travelodge and is a measure of customer satisfaction with the Travelodge Dreamer bed.”
OXFORDSHIRE Fire & Rescue Service were called at 09:28am today (18/08) to a fire in a garage which was quickly spreading to the attached bungalow, in Chestnut Avenue, Thame.
Image courtesy of @HeartThamesNews
Fire appliances from Wheatley, Slade, Watlington and Aylesbury, from neighbouring county Buckinghamshire, quickly attended the fire. The crews used hose reels and firefighting jets to quickly bring the fire under control. Crews were also committed inside the property wearing breathing apparatus to stop the fire from spreading to the adjoining property. Large fans were used to ventilate the property to reduce any further damage from smoke.
The fire was started when a battery for a model aircraft, that was charging in the garage, became overheated and caught fire.
The occupiers of the property got safely out of the house, however one of the occupiers of the property had breathed in smoke when removing dangerous hazards from the garage and was treated by South Central Ambulance service.
Station Manager Reay from OFRS said ” The crews did an excellent job working swiftly and effectively to stop the fire spreading and taking hold in the roof above the living accommodation. The gentleman was checked out by South Central Ambulance service at the scene for smoke inhalation and was given the all clear, having entered the property during the fire. Although this helped to reduce the intensity of the fire, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service always urge that once you are out of the building, and have called the fire service out, you stay out.”
Crews will be doing a hot-strike in the street in the next week giving fire safety advice to residents about the importance of having smoke alarms and the dangers of fire.
Visit www.365alive.co.uk for fire safety advice. If you have a fire safety question please call the free phone community safety helpline on 08000 325 999 or email: community.safety@oxfordshire.gov.uk
LONG Crendon Farmers’ wives and avid Archers fans, Claire Morris and Tracy Newman, are planning to bring the long running Radio 4’s programme the Archers to life over a fundraising breakfast on Sept 11.
With donated produce from Tracy and husband David’s Bucksum farm shop, and support from other local producers, The Pointer Butchers (Brill), Egg House Charcuterie (Haddenham), The Cottage Bakery (Thame) and Laceys farm in Lane End, they will be cooking up a traditional full English to be served at Claire and husband George’s College Farm venue.
“The Archers is a tale of everyday country life similar to our own and for us that means working together and supporting other local farms and businesses,” explainedClaire who recently hosted Tracy and David’s wedding at her College Farm venue.
“In everyday village life the dramas that unfold can impact on everyone in the wider community, and in the Farm Shop you do get to hear all sorts,” added Tracy. “In a recent storyline character, Helen Titchener, finally snapped and attacked her abusive husband and the case comes to court in the week beginning September 5. That’s why we wanted to use this event to raise money for the womens charity, Refuge.”
Tickets are available from Bucksum Farm Shop in Long Crendon at £10, and all proceeds go to the “Save Helen Titchener Fund” for Refuge.
STUDENTS at Lord Williams’s have again achieved highly in their A Level examinations. Headteacher, David Wybron, said: “A pass rate of 99% is impressive given the number of entries and the range of abilities of students studying at A Level. 47% of passes were at A*/A and B grades.”
He added: “We have very capable and hardworking students and this is very evident in their excellent A Level achievements. I want to pay a particular tribute to those students who have overcome considerable challenges over the last two years and have more than fulfilled the high expectations they and their teachers have had. On their behalf, I would like to acknowledge the dedication of their teachers and support staff, who have given so much, in order that so many individuals and their families can celebrate today.”
The following students achieved A* or A grades in three or more subjects: Lizzie Barratt, Jennifer Bernstein, Henry Glover, Eliza Goode, Olly Gough, Will Harrison, Luke Harvey, Elizabeth Kew, Daniel Kovacs, Jack Lawlor, Josh Lilley, Maddie Morrison, Abigail Spokes, Alistair Stewart and Emily Wignall.
THIS year’s Thame Market Community day was ‘the best yet’ with hundreds of people, including Thame’s MP John Howell, flocking to the event in warm sunshine.
People in Action provide Horticultural therapy for people with leaning difficulties
Free bear hugs and cakes help these students raise funds towards their World Challenge in 2017
Chris Hurdman, Secretary of the Thame Market Traders Co-operative, was delighted with the turnout. He said: “What a fantastic day! This was our 10th Community Day and what a great turn-out! I would like to thank all the stallholders and the public for their support and helping to raise hundreds of pounds for local charities and good causes.
The Mayor Cllr Linda Emery with David Laver, man the Thame Twinning Association stall
“Thame is a real, community market and it’s that which makes it continue to thrive and remain at the heart of the town.”
The Thame Market Traders’ Flash of the Year award went to Riff Raffs Sew & Sew, run by Jo Biggs Rafferty, who was presented with her award by the Mayor of Thame, Cllr Linda Emery. MORE pictures from Thame Market Community Day HERE
AS the people of Thame begin to take-in the implications for the town of the district council’s Draft Local Plan 2032, one resident, Norman Brand, shares his own response letter to the proposals encapsulated in the Draft plan.
“The people of Thame and its council worked hard, in good faith and considerable expense over months, not without disagreements but honestly and with fairness, to establish agreement on the current Thame Town Plan.
Retiree, Mr Norman Brand of Thame, until recently a stalwart volunteer at the Thame & District day Centre
“During that process everyone was conscious of and tried to take into account the growing pressure on all the town’s facilities and services, including medical and educational, from the existing population, which increases gradually anyway through ‘windfall’ construction.
“The requirement for a new Plan is in my view a breach of the trust and good faith demonstrated by everyone here in achieving agreement on the current plan – which was regarded and presented as a flagship product and an example to the nation, as I recall.
“Much love for this town and for the example it presents of neighbourliness and courtesy in everyday life was expressed at many meetings, despite signs of growing strain put upon it even at present
“I fully support Thame Town Council’s draft response to the plan.
“It makes no sense to leave Henley out of the proposals, assuming some sacrifice is demanded of everywhere else.
“There should be robust protests to Aylesbury Vale council about the proposals for thousands of houses at Haddenham, which is already showing signs of being suburb or town, rather than village. The effect on Thame’s traffic would be very severe indeed, to put it mildly.
“There is a genuine danger of a ‘Greater Aylesbury’ being developed.
“It seems that Thame is being dumped on as easy meat for the planners.
“I would urge the District Council to do all in its power – and more – to have this new plan dropped.”
Yours sincerely,
Norman Brand
YOU can read Thame Town Council’s Draft respone to the Draft Local Plan 2032 HERE – The consultation closes on August 19, at 4.30pm !! So follow the link to the ‘Preferred Options Consultation’ document HERE and have YOUR say on the plan.
A woman in remission from cancer is on track to have tried her hand at all 41 sports open to women at the Rio Olympics 2016, before the closing ceremony, on August 21.
Freya bravely takes to the trampoline, just one of her 41 sporting challenges
Freya Rodger, who was born in Brill, and attended Lord Williams’s School in Thame, 1971-8, explained how she came up with the idea of her Freyathlon : “As a middle-aged woman, carrying more weight than I need, and in remission from cancer, I wanted to encourage people affected by cancer and women, particularly older women, to move more, more often.
“I now live in SE London and I’m trying to do as many events as possible in and around SE London, to demonstrate the range of activities available and encourage other women to join me. I’m trying to do each event at no or low cost because I believe being active doesn’t have to break the bank.”
You can read Freya’s inspiring story and her experience having a go at the 39 different sports so far, on her blog page: http://freyathlon.com/ and follow her on twitter and Instagram – @freyathlon, and on Facebook: LINK HERE – it’s awe-inspiring – and funny too!
If you’re inspired to help support Bloodwise and Macmillan Cancer Support so they can support more people like Freya, visit her Virgin Money Giving page: LINK HERE
