Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Thame tells Tesco to ‘bog off’

    SUPERMARKET giant, Tesco, has failed in its third attempt to build a large supermarket on the outskirts of the Thame (1998 and 2002).

    no thanks Tesco 2

    South Oxfordshire District Councillors, sitting on the authority’s Planning Committee, accepted the recommendation of its Planning Officer to refuse the application on the grounds that ‘although the development might reduce car journeys out of Thame and would offer more choice to shoppers, on balance, it would divert linked shopping and have a significantly adverse effect on Thame town centre’.

    Speaking after the meeting, Duncan Nickless of the Thame Centre First group which lead opposition to the Tesco store, said: “We obviously welcome the decision made by the district planning committee to unanimously reject this application for an edge of town supermarket.  We are pleased the Committee recognised the importance of our Town Centre.  Their decision will ensure our High Street continues to thrive and be at the heart of our community.  We hope now that Tesco respect the committee’s decision and the strong view of local people who want our High Street to remain vital and vibrant.”

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1The committee’s decision was unanimous. More details tomorrow. LINK HERE for previous posts on this subject

  • New National Squash Champion Simon dedicates his win to his late dad

    RACQUETS Fitness Centre players, Tom White, Oz Mustafa and Simon Martin, all competed in the National Racketball Championships 2016 at Edgbaston Priory in Birmingham last weekend – and Simon is now National Racketball Over 45s Champion 2016.

    Simon Martin (left) receiving the winner's trophy
    Simon Martin (left) receiving the winner’s prize from Mike Edwards, Head coach at Edgbaston Priory squash club & Squash England representative

    Attracting over 200 players from all over the country and he Channel Islands, the tournament was played at the squash and tennis centre, recently in receipt of a £15 million refurbishment.  Tom, with his amazing racket skills, was battling with injury. He lost closely to last year’s’champion in the over 50s. Oz lost closely to the number two seed in five games.

    “Simon had a good run and made it to the Over 45’s final,” reported Racquets coach and Simon’s wife, Sue Martin Downhill, “surprisingly after some heavy socialising and seemed to find some puff from somewhere to beat last year’s champion from Yorkshire, Mark Francis.”

    “I am pleased to have come back from a hip resurfacing five years ago,” said a proud Simon, “to achieve another national title. It was 24 years ago when I won the Open Championships last time. I had a good draw and great support from the boys. It just goes to show that with good strength and conditioning work in the gym you can recover from major surgery and gain all your mobility and fitness back. I must thank the Racquets gym and massage team for their help with all our players, and would recommend anyone to play racketball whatever age or level as it’s very easy to play and a fun workout!

    “I would like to dedicate this battle to my family, especially my late Dad who passed away in February this year. I wore my Cancer Research T-shirts throughout the tournament!”

    Good luck to Racquets in the final of the Buckinghamshire racketball league finals this Saturday (16/07) being held at Aylesbury Squash and Tennis club. The club is looking to retain the team’s winning form from last year.

  • Exhibition of material from Thame archeological excavation

    WHO could have predicted that a new housing development in Thame would reveal an archaeological site of immense national importance, with evidence of continuous settlement in Thame spanning a period of 6000 years ?

    Roman coins found at site F in Thame (Image courtesy of John Moore Heritage Services)
    Roman coins found at site F in Thame (Image courtesy of John Moore Heritage Services)

    From a Neolithic henge, and a causewayed enclosure through to Iron Age roundhouses and a ritual burial, moving on to a Roman well and sunken featured buildings from the Saxon period, all supported by artefacts in the form of tools, coinage, pottery and human remains.

    All of this was unearthed in 2016 on the old pig farm to the north of Thame, known as site F in the Neighbourhood Plan, through a joint excavation by Oxford Archaeology and Cotswold Archaeology, who are now bringing their findings to a public exhibition at Thame Town Hall.

    On Saturday, July 23 (10.30 – 4.00) maps, plans, photographs, and actual artefacts from the site will be on display and archaeologists who worked on the dig will be on hand to explain the significance of the site and to answer any questions. The last admission will be at 3.30pm

    All are welcome to this free event which will feature two introductory talks in the morning, followed by an afternoon for browsing, object handling, and children’s activities, making a unique opportunity for Thame residents to get hands-on with local history.

    SOURCE: Contributed by Phil Williams

  • Inspiring authors, Workshops and wine at TAL 2016

    NICHOLAS Parsons, Tom Paulin, Hugh Sebag Montefiore and Charlotte Green are just a few of the big names lined up to entertain, inform and inspire at this year’s Thame Arts and Literary (TAL) Festival.

    Beano illustrator, Kev F Sutherland who will be appearing at TAL Festival 2016
    Beano illustrator, Kev F Sutherland who will be appearing at TAL Festival 2016

    As well as the 2016 short story competition, Tales of the Unexpected, and a colouring competition for children, this year’s TAL Festival will offer forty events over five days will include a mix of history, biography, art, crime, fiction, music, drama, inspiring workshops and wine – so something to cover all interests.

    The TAL Festival kicks off on October 12, with Roger McGough and LiTTLe MACHiNe, in a gala evening of poetry and music. More information, including how to buy tickets, on the TAL website: http://www.talfestival.org/

  • Ex pro signs for Thame United

    THAME United has received a major boost with the signing of former professional Steve Gregory for the forthcoming season.

    Steve Gregory
    Steve Gregory

    Gregory, a 29-year old midfielder, played over twenty-five games for AFC Bournemouth in the 2011/12 season before moving on to Gillingham, for whom he made over fifty appearances in the 2013/14 season, with two spells at AFC Wimbledon, including a victorious play-off final victory against Luton Town that secured League status for the Dons.

    Gregory has also appeared twice for England C, playing in matches against Wales (2010) and Belgium (2011).

    Commenting on the signing, Thame assistant-manager Stuart Blaik said: ‘Steve is a fantastic signing for us and comes with wealth of recent Football League experience.

    SOURCE: http://nonleague.pitchero.com/

  • Thame businesses ‘Open Doors’ event today!

    What? An open air event with stalls and demonstrations that aims to introduces all the larger businesses in Thame to the community.

    come and learn (500x482)When? TODAY !! Saturday, July 9, 2016 – 9am to 2 pm

    Where? Thame town centre

  • Lord Williams’s Pupil’s ‘struck’ by visiting author

    LORD Williams’s School welcomed popular author, Julia Golding last week to talk to students about her many books for children and young adults.

    Julia Golding with a group of fans of her books at Lord Williams's School, Thame
    Julia Golding with a group of fans of her books at Lord Williams’s School, Thame

    Oxford-based Julia has written over 30 books and has won many awards; she also writes under the pen names Joss Stirling and Eve Edwards. The third book in her award winning Struck series, Shaken, was released recently and the sixth book in her much acclaimed Finding Sky series, Summer Shadows, was released just this week, on July 7.

    “Julia was fantastic,” said Library Manager, Bina Malde. “She spoke throughout the day to groups of students in different year groups and also to Year Six students from one of our feeder schools. The students were very inspired by her interactive sessions when she engaged them in the creative process that goes behind beginning a new story.”

    Many of the students were already fans: “I love her Struck series,” ’commented one Year Eight student; “I like the character Kieran. He is a Sherlock-type but he has to learn to dance as part of his undercover work – it’s great fun!”

  • Fire fighters rescue horse trapped in a horsebox

    FIRE crews from Thame and the Specialist Rescue crew from Kidlington were called out on a very unusual mission yesterday (July 8), to deal with a horse that had become trapped over the internal partition inside the back of a horsebox.

    The damaged horsebox after he horse had been released by Thame fire crew
    The damaged horsebox after he horse had been released by Thame fire crew

    Station Manager Reay explained: “The partition was not easily removable, so the crews needed to use hydraulic rescue equipment and battery powered saws to cut the partition away. The horse was distressed at times so a vet who was on scene throughout the incident, administered at sedative to help calm the horse whilst the firefighters carried out the rescue.

    Independent Mortgae Solutions (RGB) - R1“We had to be very careful working around the horse and firefighters used special protective shields to make sure everyone including the horse was safe. I am glad to report that the horse was successfully released with only minor injuries.”

  • Mission accomplished by sky-diving Erroll

    THAME Rotary Club’s President, Erroll Bateman, completed his charity sky dive from 12,500ft on Tuesday, July 5, raising valuable funds for Thame’s Children’s Centre which is threatened with closure when county council funds are withdrawn in a year’s time.

    erroll_dive (500x446)

    Erroll’s 45 second free fall took place at the Old Sarum Airfield and was organised by the Parachute Regiment’s Free Fall Team, the famous Red Devils.

    Erroll, 81, commented: “Rotary Club of Thame’s major charity this year is Red Kite Children’s Centre, in thame which, as many know, is threatened with closure, making life even more difficult for their 1,500 clients all of whom come from Thame and the surrounding district.”

    Red Kite provides parenting programmes, “stay and play” sessions, family health services, plus much needed help for young mothers and many other like services. Erroll described their work as absolutely essential to the wider community in and around Thame.

    Erroll added: “The last free fall jump I did was in 1969, so before exiting the aircraft with my instructor LCpl Lee Crudgington, nerves were at a high level! However, previous training clicked in, massively helped by Corporal Lee, which made the whole experience very exciting.”

    Should people wish to make a donation, they can do so via www.thame.rotary1090.org

    An album of photos with Erroll’s sky dive is also available on www.facebook.com/thamerotary

  • Catkids rock!

    The Catkids Theatre for Kids cast, based in Thame,  recently played to packed houses at Thame Players Theatre with a double bill of their summer musical production, Turn Your Radio On.

    Catkids 1 (500x375)The show – filled with music, dancing and laughs a plenty – is based around the emergence of rock and roll in 1950s Britain as youth culture starts to find its voice; and the Catkids certainly found their voice with a series of upbeat songs which has the sold-out crowd tapping their feet and clapping along in delight.

    Confident, word-perfect lead roles were backed up by tight musical numbers and beautifully delivered one-liners as the well directed musical kept the scenes rolling along at a high tempo and the entertainment turned up to ten.

    All the months of rehearsal paid off, as director Lexi Cheesman reflected: “The cast were all superb and did all the people working so hard behind the scenes proud. All the children get so much out of being involved and its lovely to see, especially when performances go so well.”

    From it’s rock and roll, the focus is on next Catkids’ January’s pantomime production.