Dear Editor, Amidst all the worries about the future of the centre of our unique and beautiful town I will say, as I have before, that it was a mistake for our separate Tourism Office to have been closed.
A tourism office would confer on us the status of being a place for people from far and wide to visit, to savour the character of this quintessential English market town in beautiful countryside, and the visitors would bring ‘footfall’ to all the small shops which are the kind of places which attract holidaymakers wanting to explore, and who are looking for something different.
FOLLOWING the news today that Oxfordshire County Council is considering closing some Childrens’ Homes in the county to save money, Thame’s county councillor, Nick Carter, has assured Thame.Net that any closures will not include the new Assessment Centre, currently being build on the outskirts of Thame, as it is being built in order to save the huge cost of placing ‘looked after’ children in facilities outside the county.
Cllr Carter was not, however, able to say that Thame’s Red Kite Childrens’ Centre, will escape closure, and issued the following statement:
Cllr Nick Carter
“The County Council has 44 children’s centres, including the Red Kite centre in Thame. These have been in existence for about ten years, and because of big cuts in funding, we have to start looking for different ways of running them or of providing an equivalent service.
“The County Cabinet is looking at how to deliver these services, and next week it will decide whether to accept the principle that changes could be made. If so, the options will be worked out and everyone will be able to consider them during a thorough consultation in the autumn.
“The County Council provides about 85% of everyone’s services in Oxfordshire, and a large part of the funds for this come from the Government. However, the national finances are still in deficit and more cuts are inevitable.
“Since 2010 when the deficit reduction began, the County Council has achieved £200 million of savings. This has had a massive impact on how services are delivered, but so far, we have managed to avoid affecting aspects such as children’s centres. But those savings are nowhere near finished yet. By 2018, we know that total savings have to reach £290 million. And now, on top of all this, there’s likely to be about £60m more to add to that total.
“This will be a huge challenge, particularly with the increasing pressure on both adult and children’s social care – currently around 50% of the County Council’s budget is spent on just 2% of Oxfordshire’s population. We can no longer avoid the fact that more than £6m has to be saved from what is known as the early intervention service, which includes children’s centres.
“What happens after this will start to become apparent next month. The Government Budget on July 8, along with the spending review later in the autumn, will provide more details about the impact of further cuts in funding.”
THAMES Valley Police is appealing for information following the theft of a tractor from Milton Common, Thame.
At around 2.11 am yesterday morning (15/06), offender(s) stole an old model green John Deere 7530 tractor, registration number OU59 AY0 from a business premises in Rycote Lane.
If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message, please call the police on the 24 hour non-emergency telephone number 101.
Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
TOWERSEY festival has some lovely big sign boards that they want to get up in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire so that passing traffic get an eyeful of Towersey magic. So that they don’t get into bother with land owners and highways they are looking for private sites for them.
These need to be peoples fences, gardens, fields on good busy roads ideally or at least somewhere with enough traffic to make it worthwhile.
The signs are about 1m sq. and festival folk will come and erect them and take them down (no fuss or bother).
They will be in the area doing this on July 1 and 2, so let Joe Heap, via joe@towerseyfestival.com know as soon as you can if you have a spot in mind. Do ask friends and neighbours, friendly local farmers, land and fence owners. In return there are some FREE Day tickets to give away for the use of the site. (Please note, the image here is NOT what the signs will look like !)
THAME Town Cricket Club’s First team maintained its great start to the season with a nail-biting, two-wicket win at Leighton Buzzard on Saturday, June 6. Thame’s opponents won the toss and elected to bat first, starting quickly and racing to 60 off 12 overs.
Hassam Mushtaq
However, tight spells from Sam Lachlan and Mike Higgs put Thame back in control. At the halfway point, Buzzard were 90 for 2 and Phil Watmore’s 52 helped steer them to 194 for 9 off their 53 overs. Thame’s Hassam Mushtaq ended up with figures of 4-56. In reply, the in-form Will Sutcliffe smashed 60 off 40 balls to get Thame to 77 off 11 overs, for the loss of no wicket.
However, Buzzard’s veteran bowler, Lee Selfe, then took 5-45, leaving Thame precariously set on 120 for 6. Thanks to Honey Garg (35) and Jarryd McPhee (35 not out) Thame reached the victory with 9 balls to spare.
CUMNOR TOO SUCCUMB TO THAME
Lying second in the Cherwell League 1st division, Thame then went on to entertain Cumnor at Church Meadow last Saturday, June 13, where, after another thrilling 2-wicket victory, Thame Firsts remain unbeaten and now stand clear at the head of the table.
Mike Higgs
In a rain-reduced game, one of only two to be played in the 1st division, Thame elected to field in a 33/30 over game. Sam Lachlan and Jarryd McPhee put pressure on the Cumnor openers and when spin twins Hassam Mushtaq (3-26) and captain Mike Higgs (6-61) were introduced, Cumnor were soon in trouble, with the score at 60 for 6.
However, D. Warmer’s 57 not out steered Cumnor to what looked like a below-par 138 all out in 28 overs, giving Thame five, much-needed extra overs. In response, Thame made a shaky start, finding themselves 30 for 4, but the new-found belief and spirit amongst the camp meant the team wanted to gamble and win.
Gritty knocks from Matt Furness (26) and Sam Lachlan (26 not out) steered Thame to victory in the 34th over.
Thame travel to Great Brickhill next Saturday, June 20, for a top-of-the-table clash, with both sides currently unbeaten.
IN response to the Thame Centre First campaign against a proposed large supermarket on the outskirts of Thame, a group of residents in favour of the proposal have started a campaign of their own and have issued the following statement:
“Thame NEEDS Tesco – TNT, was formed to represent the views and opinions of people in the town who welcome the prospect of a Tesco supermarket on Howland Road. We are all local people living in and around Thame. Many of us have lived here most of our lives. We have no vested business interests or political ambitions. We represent a broad cross section of the Thame community; working people with young families, retired folk, young people keen to get a start in life.
“We care for Thame and are concerned about the future of the town as it faces changing times involving the building of hundreds of new homes.
We support the vibrant town centre with its mix of shops and services, but recognise that it does not meet the everyday shopping needs of many residents. We strongly believe that Thame needs another supermarket that can offer what is currently unavailable, or unaffordable, in the town centre. Many of us shop in big supermarkets in Aylesbury, Wheatley, Princes Risborough, Oxford or Bicester. But we’d prefer to spend our time and money in Tesco, in Thame.
“Wanting Tesco does not mean we do not support the town centre shops. We will continue to use them as we do at present if Tesco is built.
The argument that Tesco will affect town centre businesses carries little weight if the people who currently shop there continue to do so. And why would they change their habits when they already have the choice of shopping in other out-of-town supermarkets if they wished to?
“Thame is likely to have to cope with over 700 new homes in the next 10-15 years. Where will those new families do their shopping? The town centre is already congested with very limited parking; it certainly will not be able to cope with the predicted influx. If new homes are built, the town has a moral duty to provide the services needed to encourage owners to become part of the community. That includes adequate local supermarket choice. Forcing people to spend time and money in other towns will limit their involvement in, and appreciation of, the town they have chosen to live in.
As well as a much-needed choice of shopping, Tesco will bring new employment to the town. We are lucky to live in an area of low official unemployment, but the figures disguise the fact that new jobs would be very welcome among young people, parents with pre-school children, older people and those looking for part-time work. And let’s not forget that this is not just about a supermarket but also about providing other commercial employment on the site with DAF and or other businesses.
“In the weeks ahead we will continue to talk to people in Thame, seek their support for our campaign and represent their views to the town council, the district council and other parties involved in the decision making process. ”
Details of the supermarket’s plans can be seen on the SODC website, Planning Application P15/S1637/O where comments of support can be made.
TNT, like the Thame Centre First group, has set up an e-petition for supporters to sign: LINK HERE FOR PETITION
IF you were one of the brave souls at the Thame Carnival Fete on Saturday, and you bought raffle tickets for one of the fabulous prizes, you will want to know the numbers of the winning raffle tickets that were not claimed during the rain!
Despite the rain, after having a guess at the length of the giant scarf, this young man was determined to enjoy a giant icecream
And if you had a go at guessing the length of the giant scarf at Thame to Thame’s stall, see below to find out how long it actually is!
The organisers have asked that ticket holders should be aware that prizes will only be given out on production of the raffle ticket, and that the book code will be checked against the books from which they came.
Raffle prizes can be collected from Racquets Fitness Centre, North Street, Thame (behind the Cattle Market) from 9am to 4pm each day this week. For collections outside this time please speak to Sue Martin-Downhill by calling 01844 261754. And here are the winning numbers:
White 19 Pink 388
Yellow 60 White 82
Pink 7 Pink 187
White 56 Pink 243
Pink 321 Yellow 62
White 29 Pink 285
White 40 Pink 400
Pink 68
Pink 382
Please ask for Sue Martin-Downhill when collecting your prize.
The giant scarf in 7 metre folds, before it was completely rolled up again
Thame to Thame’s stall, ‘Guess the length of the giant ‘Sherpa’ scarf’, raised a magnificent £100.90p towards helping to fund the rebuilding of the school in Thame’s namesake village of Thame (Tam-ay) severely damaged in April’s earthquakes in Nepal. This included £20 in donations and a contribution from Anne Croxford who sold her hand-made cards from the stall.
The length of the scarf when unrolled measured just under 356 ft, that’s 108 metres ! Thame’s ex Mayor, Jeannette Matelot Green, came very close with a guess of 327′ 2″, and Lewis too was quite close with a guess of 370 ft, but the closest – with an estimate of 348 ft, was Becky, pink ticket no. 246 – just 7″ short of the actual measurement!
Becky wins a Cream Tea for two. FOR MORE Carnival Fete pictures, go to LINK (apologies for poor quality of some of the pictures; camera was very wet by the end of the afternoon)
THE out-going Headteacher of John Hampden Primary School, Thame, lead his ‘crew’ through the centre of the town for the last time today, to the stirring sound of the theme music to the film, Pirate’s of the Caribbean.
Alan Haigh leads his ‘crew’ in today’s carnival procession through Thame
As the drizzle relentlessly descended, Alan Haigh, who is retiring from teaching at Christmas, nevertheless went ‘out with a splash’ as he cheerfully waved to well-wishing on-lookers, some sheltering under umbrellas and others determinedly ignoring the weather and making the best of it as the people of Thame always do.
Other entries in the carnival, themed this year around ‘The Movies’, included Frozen, Lego the Movie, Lion King, The Wizard of Oz and Hairspray – all equally as cheerfully and bravely in some cases, displaying a true, carnival spirit despite the weather.
The Mayor of Thame, Nichola Dixon, helped by the new Town Clerk, Graham Hunt, cut the ribbon to declare the start of Carnival 2015, and after much deliberation, declared John Hampden School and Tetsworth School (apologies for reporting it was ‘Tiddington’ earlier), joint winners of the Carnival Cup. But the winners’ good fortune came at a price – they have to go and search and find this coveted treasure themselves, for the cup seems to have gone missing and is proving difficult to trace. So, whichever school manages to track down who has the Thame Carnival Cup, will get to keep it in their school’s trophy cupboard – just until next year.
Follow the LINK to see pictures of today’s Carnival procession. (More about the Carnival Fete tomorrow)
IT’S HERE! Thame Carnival day. And not forgetting the festival fete at Southern Road Recreation ground from 1pm onwards. As the carnival procession wends its way through the town from mid-day, Thame Lions will be doing the official street collection so members of the public are invited to bring their small change for one of the eight bucket-carriers along the route.
All collectors will have official Thame Carnival buckets and will be wearing yellow tabbards. All monies collected will go to the two nominated charities, Rosie’s Rainbow and Thame Skatepark Proect. Look out also for the Thame Lions float, LION KING.
Once down at the fete, there will be live music throughout the afternoon, Beer and Pimms tents, Classic Cars, Dog show, Food Stalls, Face painting, Bouncy castles, Doughnut stall, BBQ and adding some glamour to the occasion will be Miss Oxfordshire and some of the other Miss Great Britain finalists.
You can find all you need to know over on the Thame Carnival 2015 page – LINK HERE
A group that is probably Thame’s most successful quiz team, tonight won the Thame Festival Quiz shield, in an annual event that has been running since 1993, on the Thursday before Thame Carnival.
The triumphant ‘Flying Guess’ with their winners’ wine and the coveted Thame Festival Shield
Posting on her Facebook page tonight, Quizmaster Sue Boyle, who has run the Carnival quiz for most of those years, reported: “I have once again had the pleasure of presenting the Thame Festival Quiz Shield to the fantastic Wild Geese – deserved winners of this year’s quiz with a magnificent 200 points! Congratulations!
“The win tonight will mean that their name appears on the shield for the 10th time! Thank you to everyone who took part and helped us keep this important Thame tradition going – we first awarded the shield in 1993. Thank you too to Sue and Simon for their hospitality at Racquets.”
Most of the question rounds were based around the theme of the Carnival this year, ‘The World of the Movies’ and included a very challenging round where film posters, promoting films with an American place-name in them had to be matched with a geographical location on a map of the US states.
The last question of the last round of the evening, ‘Spot the movie connection in the song’, brought the evening to a fitting end with quizzers joining in with ‘Saturday night at the movies’ by The Drifters.
Money raised from tonight’s event will go to the two charities chosen to benefit from this year’s Carnival (which is on Saturday, June 13), Rosie’s Rainbow Fund and The Skatepark Project.
