Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Win Garden Centre Vouchers

    SIGN up to the district council’s new garden waste scheme for a chance to win

  • Good and Bad News From the Annual Town Meeting

    Notes From Thame Town Annual Meeting.

    AROUND 80 local electors took the opportunity to air their views and ask questions of town councillors and Thame Partnership members, at a lively Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, April 26, at Thame town hall.
    The speakers included Inspector Stewart Dunbar, who described how the new ?Neighbourhood Policing? would work; Peter Todd, the Chair to the Board of Trustees of the Citizens Advice Bureau, who appealed for more support for the CAB; Bob Davies, Chairman of the Thame Festival Committee, again appealing for more local support for the Festival and Keith Slater, Chair of the 21st Century Thame Partnership, whose talk was entitled, ?How can we put the ?community? back into Thame??

    The Mayor of Thame, Cllr David Laver, welcomed everyone to the meeting and summarised some of the achievements of the past year, including the VE/VJ Day celebrations, the re-dedication of the War Memorial by the Bishop of Oxford, the Christmas event and the St George?s Day Festival, and payed tribute to all the volunteers and groups who work for the town.
    In thanking councillors and council staff for their support during the year, he highlighted some of the achievements of council committees including approving a budget and plan for improving the Memorial Garden and the establishment of an Information Point at the One Stop Hall following the closure of the Tourist Information Centre.
    He said that he was glad to have seen the plans for an extended Meadowcroft Care Home approved which meant that the facility would stay in the town, and that the Open Spaces Working Group will be looking at the refurbishment of the Churchill Crescent Play area and Elms Park.
    The Mayor spoke of the complex processes, involving many agencies, in the Museum project and looked forward to its opening in the near future and congratulated the town clerk, Helen Stewart on the work she had put into negotiations to release the Windmill Suite for community use. ?We hope that the necessary infrastructure can now be put together to allow this to happen,? he added.
    The Mayor regretted that the council was unable to find a suitable site for the youth shelter but said that: ?Fruitful discussions with local residents had led to the formation of a Southern Road Recreation Working Group to look at the problems in this area. Cllr Laver applauded the involvement of young people in the form of the Youth Council, saying that their contribution indicated how much community involvement there is in the town.
    ?I think we are a happy, healthy and thriving community,? he said.

    Mr Eric Crouch pointed out that the arrangements for the Windmill Suite as a community facility were only for 18 months and asked the Mayor about any future plans for permanent Arts and Leisure facilities in the town, to which Cllr Laver replied: ?We are no further down the road in providing a dedicated Arts Centre.?
    He did, however, state that the developer had indicated that any new development on the Windmill Road site (Thame United?s old ground) would include a new function hall-type building for community use that would be built before any demolition of the Windmill Suite (Ed. or Phoenix Suite as it apparently will be known).
    Mary Stiles said that she assumed there would be public discussion about any replacement for the Windmill Suite and was told that the developer was working with the town council and SODC.
    The Mayor mentioned the feasibility study that is to be carried out into increased facilities at Town Farm football pitches, which could see Thame United finding a new home there.

    District Cllr David Dodds then presented his report, referring to the adoption of the 2011 Local Plan, after much consultation and inspection procedure, explaining that this will be replaced by a ?Local Development Framework? .
    Cllr Dodds mentioned

  • Thame Adult Learning

    New Courses For The Summer at the Adult Learning Centre, TOWERSEY ROAD, THAME. 01844 213400 OR 213114

    Tai Chi Workshop
    Saturday 6 May 10am-1pm
    Cost

  • Thame’s CCTV Turned On!

    A REDUCTION in crime and anti-social behaviour in Thame town centre, is one of the hoped for results of the towns new CCTV cameras, which were officially launched this afternoon.
    Cllr Patrick Greene, Chair of South Oxfordshire District Council, speaking at Thames Valley Police Headquarters in Abingdon, from where the cameras will be monitored, said that the scheme was an example of good partnership working between the local police, the local councils, the town?s businesses and all the other community groups that have helped bring the scheme to Thame.
    There are 16 CCTV cameras around the town, each placed on top of carefully designed, ?heritage style? posts in keeping with the town?s historic architecture. They will be monitored 24 hours a day, every day, digitally recording there wide-spread coverage.
    The Capital Cost for Thame?s scheme was

  • Thame Chairman Takes To The Field

    Southern League Division 1 West – Tuesday, April 25
    THAME United may have found the answer to its dire run of bad luck this season – send on the Chairman! The football team’s Chairman, Jake Collinge, was sponsored to the tune of

  • Good Clean Fun At St George’s Day Celebration

    THOUSANDS of people joined in the St George’s fun on Saturday (April 22), including the Mayor of Thame, Cllr David Laver, seen here having his feet washed by a supplicant, Cllr Lionel Morbey.
    The sun shone throughout the afternoon, the second St George’s day celebration organised by the Fusion Church jointly with other Thame churches, to be held on the Southern Road Recreation ground in Thame.
    Some of the most popular activities which attracted queues, included a childrens’ wind tunnel, stilts, face and nail painting, a bouncy castle and a BBQ.

    True to the ethos of the day – all parts of the Thame community pulling together to organise the event, and coming together to enjoy themselves – a potential crisis was averted when the crockery for refreshments failed to turn up.
    Very quickly and efficiently, dozens of volunteers rushed back to their homes to raid their own crockery supplies to save the day, culminating in a mass wash-up in the Scout headquarters building afterwards.

    Photo by Cathy Gaulter-Carter

  • Thame International Gymnasts Need Help!

    A GROUP of Acrobatic Gymnasts, based in Thame, who have just won their first International title, are desparately in need of sponsors and funds to help them move to purpose-built premises in the town.
    The Oxford School of Gymnastics won their first International title last week, taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in the Flanders International Acro Cup, age group competition.
    This incredible achievement was accomplished despite currently having to train for 15 hours per week, either in Lord Williams’s school sports hall or its general hall, where equipment, including huge mats, has to be dragged out and put away each night.
    The group recently performed for Sir Richard Branson, who has offered his support but if it is to be able to move into proper premises by the summer, will need to fundraise/ get grants/sponsorship for

  • Do Walkers Spend More Than Motorists?

    BUSINESS planners in the county may have to re-evaluate their parking and transport policies, following a recent study which indicated that people who walk to the shops spend more than motorists.
    The study was carried out in Bristol, following research originally published in Austria.
    Read the full article at LINK

  • The ‘Formula One’ Of The Equestrian World (Contributed)

    FOR those of you that have never seen the excitement of Scurry Driving, there are two small ponies in a scurry cart, galloping through cone obstacles against the clock.
    Small balls sit on top of the cones and if dislodged, occur penalty points. A groom sits behind the driver and leans right over to keep the weight over the wheel to stop it tipping.
    The recent Thame Country Show had a very enthusiastic commentator to get the crowds shouting for their favourite ponies.

    The weather was with us throughout the weekend (April 21,22 and 23)and although breezy, the sun was out and the show attracted a lot of people. As this was only the second show of the season, for some competitors, it was their first time out this year. There was a good turnout of drivers, all fighting for some really good prize money and a chance to qualify for the Living Heritage Championships at the end of the year.

    Derek Archer had a fantastic first round and won the under 12hh class in style with a great time. Philip Litchfield was on top form as usual and won the over 12hh and the championship, which puts him at the top of the points league so far.
    The championship was extremely exciting with some very fast times, slicing at least two or three seconds off the 1st round. Bill Huntley, one of the previous top scurry drivers, made a comeback after a hip operation and five years out of the sport, gaining a couple of very good places.

    Anyone interested in taking part in the sport of Scurry Driving in any form can take a look at our website for details and a list of future shows. Alternatively, come and talk to any of us. We are always happy to help. Link

  • Chinnor League Champions

    Match Report -Saturday, April 22, 2006
    Powergen South West First Division
    Spartans 6 – Chinnor 68

    THIS top versus bottom clash eventually went the way that the form book would recognise, with Chinnor running out 68-13 winners to finish the season as League champions.
    The first twenty minutes saw Chinnor on the back foot in their own half. The first points of the match went to Spartans? Teague, with a penalty goal as a result of a Chinnor indiscretion. Spartans continued to press and a smart drop goal by Teague saw them increase their lead to 6-0. Chinnor, managing to curb their habit of dropping the ball in promising positions, started to score regularly. Their first and second tries went to Jamie Hiscock after slick passing by the Chinnor backs. Tolich added a further, and then Ed Devine, one of several Chinnor players brought in from their equally successful second team, stormed Andy Ripley-style through the Spartans’ defence to lay on another try for Hiscock. At half time it was Spartans 6, Chinnor 26.

    Chinnor brought on Ben Hewitt to join his brother James, whose near faultless place kicking contributed much to Chinnor?s score. Hewitt Senior was next to score before the two brothers combined unselflessly to allow Oxley in for Chinnor. A near length of the pitch break out by Tolich was Chinnor?s next try to make the score 45-5. Burns pounced on a Spartans’ mistake for another Chinnor try. Chinnor brought on their forward replacements who immediately caused problems for the Spartans? scrum. Spartans’ stuck in and, pinching the ball as Chinnor pressed their line, fed Daniel Norton, fresh back from England u18 duty. Norton?s pace saw an easy score under the posts, converted by Aaron Fowke, to bring the score to 13 -54. Chinnor scored next with a delightful dummy by Oxley and the day?s final score went to Hiscock ? his fourth of the match.
    Final score: Spartans 13 Chinnor 68.

    After a sticky start, Chinnor managed to show the difference between top and bottom in this league. With several players brought up from the seconds, Chinnor showed promising squad depth for their new challenges in National Three South next season.

    Photo; Chinnor No.12, Darren Oxley Touches down a Try

    Chinnor: M Buckley (rep B Hewitt 40) J Hewitt, D Oxley, R Tolich, J Hiscock, R Williams, D Burns, T Whelan, JP Immelman, J Winpenny (rep R Harris 60), C Burrows (c) (rep A Millburn 60), M Hutchings, R Maxwell, E Devine, P Hennessy