Author: Sonja Francis

A THAME Town Councillor, who is fighting against the removal of subsidies for some rural bus routes, intends to travel on the threatened buses to gain signatures for a petition.

In a letter to the Editor of Thame.Net today, Cllr Mary Stiles explains what’s behind her petition and why these rural routes are so important for many local people:

“DEAR Editor, I write in my capacity as Thame Town Council’s Parish Transport Representative.

On Tuesday, January 26, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet voted to recommend to the full council their proposed budget, which in addition to drastic cuts to many other county council services (e.g. children’s centres and day centres for elderly people), includes withdrawing all bus subsidies. (See Thame.Net’s report)

In Thame this would mean ending the contract in June, with Vale Travel to operate the 120/121/123/124 service.

Many local residents have contacted me to explain how this bus service is a lifeline for them, because it is the only way they have of getting into town from the eastern part of town e.g. Garden City and Towersey Drive, as they do not have their own transport and are unable to walk that far. It is also the only way many people in Tetsworth have to get to the doctor’s surgery.

I addressed the Cabinet on the 26th to ask them to rethink the policy to abolish all bus subsidies and, despite failing to get cabinet members to change their minds then, I intend to address the full council meeting on February 16, to ask all councillors to vote against this devastating budget. I will also present a petition from local residents asking all councillors to vote against the budget and to keep the 120/121/123/124 service running.

It does not have to be a daily service, as residents have told me that two or three times a week would suffice. That is not asking for much.
There will be a copy of the petition in the information bureau at Thame Town Hall during office hours and I shall be travelling on the bus to collect signatures between now and Monday, February 15.

I urge as many of your readers as possible to sign the petition, if they agree that it is important to keep this service running, whether or not they themselves actually use it.
Thank you.
Mary Stiles
Willow Road
Thame

CHINNOR’S Forget-Me-Not, Monday morning Café is there to provide information, peer support and fun activities aimed at helping with co-ordination, brain stimulation, and general health and wellbeing, for people suffering with dementia, mental health issues, old age or isolation. Everyone is welcome to go along with their carer.

The group meets twice monthly 10.30-12.30pm at Chinnor Village Centre and visitors will be welcomed with a cup of tea and biscuit. The morning starts with fun, seated exercises, followed by a visiting expert. At the end of the session, they play parachute games, juggling, throwing balls, flat football and floor netball, finishing the session with a poem, lyrical or a reading.

The Forget-Me-Not cafe’s Winter programme of events, from January to April 2016, is as follows:

04 Jan— Music for Health – Dorothy Howlett
18 Jan – Line/Circle/Seated dancing for Fun – Barbara Jordan
01 Feb – Tea Dance – cup cakes, tea, dancing, drumming and fun
15 Feb – Music and Singing
29 Feb — Singing for Health – Julia Hollander

14 March- Singing for Health – Julia Hollander –
04 April – Music Therapist – Ellie Ruddock
18 April – Hands on Heritage Museum

For further information, contact 01844 353733 chinnorvc@hotmail.co.uk or Michele on 01844 353154/07779732097 info@holisticmassageuk.co.uk.

Chinnor Village Centre is run by volunteers and is a Registered Charity No 1007949

THE work of Oxfordshire children’s reading charity ARCh has been given a massive ‘thumbs up’ from schools throughout the county in its 2015 Pupil Survey.

More than 100 primary schools, including the three Thame primary schools, were invited to respond to ARCh’s annual survey, which measures the impact that providing one-to-one assistance from a trained volunteer reader can have on a pupil’s reading and wider learning performance.

Elaine Adams, Development Manager of the Bicester-based charity said: “Schools reported that 92% of pupils who participated in our assisted reading scheme in 2015 showed a marked improvement in reading and writing coupled with a valuable uplift in concentration and self-confidence.

“The findings are a fantastic reward for the work of our army of volunteer reading helpers who regularly mentor over 700 Oxfordshire schoolchildren between the ages of 6-11 years.”

There are eight ARCh volunteers working in the Thame schools and following the charity’s latest training course, a ninth will start this term.

Elaine Adams, ARCh’s Development Manager said: “Our volunteers come from different backgrounds and choose to volunteer for ARCh for many reasons. Some are recently retired and are looking for a useful way to use their spare time. Others may be looking for work and find volunteering in a school setting through ARCh for one year gives them the valuable experience and insight into schools enabling them to gain employment in an education setting.

“One such volunteer has recently moved on from ARCh to do teacher training and has quoted: “I have absolutely loved spending this time encouraging reading for pleasure and forging great relationships with three amazing young people. I hope that I will have access to an ARCh volunteer when I am a teacher.”

The results of the ARCh Pupil Survey were compiled and independently analysed by Research Oxford.

For information about volunteering or supporting the charity’s work in other ways please contact: info@archoxfordshire.org.uk
www.archoxfordshire.org.uk

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a robbery at the petrol station in Postcombe.

The police have said that at 7.59pm on Tuesday (26/1) a man entered the Postcombe Service Station, London Road, A40, Postcombe and threatened the staff with a crow bar and demanded money from the till and cigarettes. The till however was empty, as it had been cashed up and the cigarettes had been put away. The offender left empty handed.

The offender is described as a white man, around 5ft 6ins, of medium build, and wearing a balaclava and dark clothing including a jacket and gloves.

Investigating officer Det Con Rachel Jackson, from Abingdon Force CID, said: “Detectives are investigating the incident and we are appealing for anyone with information to contact police. If you saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at around the time of the incident please come forward.”

If you have any information about the incident which could assist the investigation please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.

If you don’t 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.

DO you know a new, restored or extended building in the Chilterns area which you think is worthy of an award? Why not enter it for the prestigious Chilterns Buildings Design Awards, there is one month until the deadline! This competition has been run every year for the past 17 years by the Chilterns Conservation Board and the Chiltern Society to highlight examples of great building design which conserve and enhance all that we love about the Chilterns.

This year the public, as well as planners, architects and builders, are being asked to let us know about projects that deserve this award. Entries can be new builds, renovations or extensions and can be any sort of use including homes, workplaces, public buildings, farm buildings, bridges etc. They must have been completed during the past three years and should put in practice the principles in the Chilterns Building Design Guide, published by the Conservation Board.

The Chiltern Society and the Chilterns Conservation Board are dedicated to safeguarding what’s best in the Chilterns, one of the most outstanding areas of countryside in England, and to encouraging high standards for new development.

“We want to encourage better building design, and to encourage architects and developers to use traditional, local materials and designs in their work. We are not trying to turn back the clock, but we do believe that new buildings in the Chilterns should fit in with the beautiful countryside that’s around them”, said Lucy Murfett, Planning Officer at the Conservation Board.

Past Oxfordshire winners include a new barn in Britwell Salome near Watlington which received a Special Project Award in 2014 and a new office building near Henley-on-Thames, now housing Bremont Watch company, which received a Highly Commended Award in 2013.

The closing date for entries or nominations is March 1st 2016. The application form is available at www.chilternsaonb.org/annual-design-awards or can be obtained from the Conservation Board office (01844 355500), email: office@chilternsaonb.org) or from the Chiltern Society, White Hill Centre, Chesham (tel: 01494 771250, email office@chilternsociety.org.uk).