FOLLOWING the agreement of Thame Town Council to support forging links with Thame’s namesake village in Nepal, so badly damaged in the recent earthquake, the Town Clerk, Graham Hunt, has issued a letter expressing the town’s sadness at the disaster and offering support now and for the future as Thame (pronounced ‘Tah-may’) rebuilds.
A villager of Thame, in Nepal, with a bandaged head, sits in a tent, his home destroyed in the earthquake
A Facebook page, called ‘Thame to Thame’ has been set up for anyone to share information and news from Thame, Nepal, messages of support and fundraising ideas. A dedicated bank account is also in the process of being set up for donations that will be used to help people in Thame, Nepal, directly.
In the meantime, donations can be made online to the Nepal Appeal via Disasters Emergency Committee or Oxfam or donate in person at either of the two Oxfam shops in Cornmarket, Thame. In just four days, over £1,500 in donations has been received by the Oxfam Book shop.
A Thame Town Councillor is concerned that there is some confusion among residents about how many votes electors can have on polling day, after reading in one election leaflet that they have 12 votes.
Cllr Tom Wyse explained: “The position as I understand it is, that you can vote for the following:
One vote for a Member of Parliament UP TO three votes for SODC Councillors UP TO eight votes for the Thame Town Councillors
“Electors do not have to vote for three SODC candidates if they just want to vote for one.
“Electors do not have to vote for eight Thame Town Councillors if they just want to vote for one (or 2, or 3 etc).”
Information about how to vote etc can be found on SODC’s website: LINK HERE
You can contact SODC by phone: 01235 520202 and ask for Democratic Services is you have any further questions. Instructions about how to vote will be given on the ballot papers and there will be people on duty at the polling stations if you have any queries.
YOUNG Thame squash players particularly have been showing off their skills recently, when they took part in the Racquets Graded squash tournament, held at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame, over the weekend of April 17 – 19.
Josh Franklin and the other competitors after receiving their prizes
The club was very proud to see their up and coming juniors given the chance to showcase their skills.
The girls’ event was one of the closest tournaments held over the weekend. The winner, Zoe Martin-Downhill, managed to fend of Catherine Fotherby and Emily Withey, both daughters of the Guinness Squash World record holders at Racquets Fitness Centre.
Zoe’s proud father and manager of the club, Simon Martin, commented “As parents, it was a wonderful weekend to see our children competing and excelling at a sport they love. I have always had a passion for squash and to see my daughter share that same passion is something special.”
Josh Franklin who has only been playing for eight weeks, won the boys event, no doubt his rapid improvement aided by the fact that he was a regular participant of the successful Easter Squash Camps that Racquets ran over the school holidays.
Sue Martin-Downhill, Josh’s coach, said: “I am so happy to see Josh coming through to win all of his matches. He is such a pleasure to coach; he listens to what I tell him and immediately does it!” Other close competitors in this event were James Wood, Ollie Coulcher-Porter, Evan Littler and Jamie Mather.
William John, the club professional added: “It is so inspiring to see these young players competing against each other and really enjoying their squash matches. They were all trying so hard to perform at their best and it was such a pleasure to be involved.” Will was keen to stress that while everyone wants to win at Racquets, the centre really tries to educate everyone about the importance of fair play and how to win and lose in an appropriate way.
Will added: “Whilst winning is obviously important there is an art to being able to lose, take on board the improvements you need to make and at the same time staying positive and optimistic.”
The younger boys’ event saw Fionn Leaney coming through to win his tournament, but there was very close competition from Chris Watts and Finlay Wright who both performed extremely well, three boys who are all friends and play regularly at Thame’s local squash club and gym.
The young winners of each event had beaming smiles when they were handed their prizes of a brand new Pointfore racket, made possible by the sponsor Trevor Cox Motors.
In another particularly notable grade in the tournament, the Mixed E grade in which Tanya Wright (Finlay’s mum) reached the final, losing narrowly to visitor Jess Thorne. New players, Neil Shorter and Mark Owen, played in the 3rd/4th play-off. Mark has been playing squash for about just three months!
Will John concluded: “Our tournaments really are great competition and fun for all standards. Overall it was a very successful weekend with lots of kids and adults coming together and playing squash in the great spirit that it should be. The team at Racquets Fitness Centre are actively encouraging more and more kids and new adults to play squash in the local community with John Hampden, Barley Hill and St Joseph’s schools coming to squash courses throughout the year.”
THE next First Thursday Music Club event will be taking place on General Election night on Thursday, May 7. After April’s event, which included record crowds, another very big night is expected with up to 15 different Open Mic’ acts including recording artist, Casey Leigh, and her band in the 10pm Feature Spot.
Casey Leigh
Casey Leigh was born in South Africa, and emigrated to Ireland in 2001. In July 2014, Casey relocated to the United Kingdom in order to be closer to the producers of her album and to prepare for the UK release of the album that was launched in March of this year. Also in 2014, her self-penned track ‘Don’t Walk Away’ reached Number three in the Irish download charts and she was invited to perform for the Irish President, Michael Higgins, and his guests at his residence.
FTMC is the biggest Open Mic night in the District with artists travelling from as far afield as London, Reading, Oxford and Northampton to come and play in front of a very large and appreciative audience. Entrance is FREE!
As a direct result of playing FTMC, a number of artists and bands have been invited to play at Festivals such as Towersey and Beaconfest. Indeed, FTMC has its own stage at the next Towersey Festival in August.
Anyone can play by signing up at the venue before 7.45pm. Check out the club on Facebook “The First Thursday Music Club For more background on Casey Leigh:
THAME Town Council is to send a letter to Thame (Tam-ay) in Nepal, to express its sympathy and support following the Sherpa village’s devastation caused by last weekend’s massive earthquake.
Phur Tenzing Sherpa stands in front of what was his home in the village of Thame (image courtesy of Dave Morton of The Juniper Fund)
The council’s resolution to write to Thame in Nepal, and an agreement to help set up a formal link between the two Thames, came after Cllr Mary Stiles spoke of her chance-meeting with Thame resident, Charlie Tyson-Taylor, founder of the Nepal tour organisation, Snow Line, while out canvassing in the town.
At last night’s Town council meeting, Charlie gave a compelling description of the plight of his Sherpa friends and colleagues in Thame, Nepal, currently surviving in tents because most of the buildings had been reduced to rubble, and because they are scared to sleep indoors because of strong after-shocks that are still being felt.
Charlie explained that his and Mary’s original idea, that it would be fun to form a cultural link between the two Thames, with links to schools etc, now had a more serious and urgent imperative, as the village of Thame would now need help for many years to come – “and it will be fun!” he added.
Charlie said that he had been impressed by the communications already set up between people in Thame, Nepal, and here in Thame, drawing attention to the villagers’ plight, and explained that he was sure money could be raised very quickly in the town, making the comparison that the £4,000 raised at the Mayor’s dinner last week for the skatepark, was the equivalent of a year’s salary for 15 people in Nepal.
More news about how this ‘twinning’ between the two Thames, will be announced very soon.
In the meantime, follow ThameNews on facebook for the latest news from Thame, Nepal, and about how to help.
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NEW PICTURE: ONE of the villages devastated in Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal, is the Sherpa village of Thame, the childhood home of Tenzing Norgay, who was (with Sir Edmund Hillary) one of the first men to climb Mt Everest.
A villager in a make-shift shelter, in the Nepalese Sherpa village of Thame
Thame and its neighbouring Thameteng are small Sherpa villages in Namche VDC of the Solukhumbu District in Nepal. These were the last year-round villages on the salt trading route that existed between Tibet, Nepal and India.
Thame.Net has been in contact with a local journalist and trekking guide in Thame, Nepal, who has reported terrible damage to buildings and many injured villagers, including broken bones, although thankfully, no fatalities. Here are some of Shankar Dahal’s and other’s in Thame’s heard-rending tweets:
” Roads to village r linked, but nbdy can walk, bz (because) of rock falling and landslides; roads are unsafe and blocked. No option 4 heli.”
” I am trying my support to the helpless ppl in Thame. They are in critical condition”
annie garneau to @annishky @Dahal_Shankar @editorsonja: ” @ApaSherpa is in namche/thame and needs food water shelter first aid hygiene products, all is burried”
From Apa Sherpa @ApaSherpa: “Thame Nepal very bad. Need food, tents, tarps, sleeping bags. Please donate apasherpafoundation.org help Thame”
Saurav Dhakal @DhakalSaurav: “Village of @ApaSherpa Thame. They have NOTHING! No food or shelter.
A Thame villager in Nepal, in a make-shift shelter outside his ruined home
This facebook entry from Mark Williams, who is stranded in Thame: “The villages of Thame and Upper Thame have been devastated. So far not one relief mission has arrived and all the homes are uninhabitable. It’s now cold, and raining. The local population desperately need better quality temporary shelters and much more help. So far at least seven empty commercial helicopter flights have flown in to the Yeti Mountain Home luxury hotel to evacuate its customers but not one brought anything. ” (The photographs are courtesy of Mark)
Because Thame is so remote, and the Nepalese government is overwhelmed by the disaster, such villages are slow to receive help. Thame.Net is talking to the Nepalese embassy and Oxfam to see if there is anyway the people of Thame in Oxfordshire can directly get help to Thame in Nepal. In the mean time, we are asking that people take donations of either cash or books and DVDs to the Oxfam Bookshop in Thame, for their Nepal disaster appeal, which will help the people of Nepal generally. Also, Marianne Parslow deputy Bookshop Manager, has said that if people would like to donate blankets to the Oxfam clothes shop in Cornmarket, these will be sold and the money sent to the Nepal Earthquake appeal.
But if you would like to help Thame in Nepal more directly in the meantime, you may donate to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund which has been set up at the request by the local monastery and nunnery to provide tents and essentials the Thame area: Visit LINK HERE for details, or visit the Apa Sherpa Foundation blog page and donate there: LINK HERE
Follow the Thamenews.net facebook page for updates from Thame, Nepal, and Thamenews on twitter @ThameNews
THAME’S Labour candidate for the Parliamentary elections in May, has hit back at remarks made the Conservative candidate, John Howell, about young people and their political leanings.
Labour Parliamentary candidate Sam Juthani is interviewed by the foreign press in Thame
Referring to a report on this website of a public meeting at Thame Town Hall last Wednesday, called by John Howell, the Conservative candidate, Sam Juthani, the Labour candidate said:
“Last week, John Howell made the incredible claim “young people are generally socialist but they grow out it!” He was trying to defend his extremely poor reception at the Lord Williams School hustings, in which I received 65% of the students’ votes, whilst he slumped to just 10.8%.
“There are a number of problems with this.
“Firstly, it is hugely disrespectful to the audience that voted in the hustings. They were engaged in politics and were active questioners- the exact opposite of what young people are often criticised of being. They did not give any of us an easy time, and John Howell is wrong to dismiss them.
“Secondly, it is disrespectful to the electorate in the constituency. The voters of Thame, regardless of their age, deserve to have their questions answered on their terms, not to be dismissed because their views might be inconvenient.
“And finally, it is disrespectful to all those who believe that Britain can be better than it has been over the last few years. Socialists like Nye Bevan created the NHS. Socialists outlawed gender and racial discrimination in jobs (something incidentally that Nigel Farage wants to repeal) and helped make bigger strides towards equality for LGBT people than anyone else. That’s because Socialists, like me, believe that we should be treated equally.
“John Howell’s dismissive behaviour is something we have seen all too often from him. As any constituent who contacts him to disagree with him has found, this will not be a surprise, and it’s something I have previously challenged him on, over the Elms. The audience at Lord Bill’s clearly thought so. Their vote of confidence in me is just a confirmation that my approach, which involves proper engagement with my constituents, will ensure that I would make the best MP for Thame.”
THAME ATTRACTS THE FOREIGN MEDIA
Last Thursday, Sam Juthani and District Council and Town Council Labour candidate, Mary Stiles, attracted the attention of the foreign media when they had a stall out in Montesson Square, in Thame, to engage voters. (See photo)
Sam was interviewed by Mr Yasuo Naito, London Bureau Chief of the Japanese newspaper ‘Sankei’ (http://www.sankei.com/). Its circulation is two million per day and nine million daily Internet viewing. Yasuo spent half a day following Sam around as he campaigned at the stall and out canvassing residents, and interviewed in great detail.
Sam said: “Mr Yasuo Naito was interested in the nature of our democracy, and in me as a young candidate.
I was also interviewed by Stephen Beard of ‘Marketplace‘, the flagship business and economic affairs show broadcast on American NPR (National Public Radio)- a network of over 500 public radio stations with a regular audience of around 10m people. He interviewed me about the failure of this Government’s economic record, Labour’s policy to abolish non-dom status, and the potential threat of withdrawing from the EU.”
THE last match of the season was a somewhat haphazard affair with Chinnor blasting to an early lead and then holding out from a sustained Dings attack in the last quarter to win 38-21. Chinnor end the season in sixth place.
Chinnor got off to a flyer when Jack Hayes, in his last game for Chinnor, pounced on a loose ball from a lineout and scorched under the posts for the opening try with less than a minute played. Keohane added the extras for a 7-0 lead. Three minutes later, Ben Manning charged down a clearing Dings kick and dotted the ball down just before it crossed touch in goal to increase Chinnor’s lead to 12-0. The importance of these early tries became apparent late in the match.
On the ninth minute, Dings, from an attacking scrum on the Chinnor 22, used a well executed backline ploy to confuse the Chinnor defence and allow Oliver Reyland a score under the posts. Woodrow’s conversion bought the deficit back to 12-7. The referee, Mr Leal, lost patience with a series of Chinnor offences and sin binned Christian Ostberg. Just before the break, Chinnor went further ahead when Ian Stock barrelled over for a converted try to put the visitors 19-7 ahead at the break.
On the 52nd minute, Keohane made a mazy centre field break and looked destined to score when pulled down metres from the line. He had the presence of mind to immediately pop the ball up for the supporting Boughton to dot down. Five minutes later, Robbie Martey, in the tram lines on the half way line showed some Billy Whizz foot skills and sheer pace to score in the corner. Keohane banged the conversion over from the touchline to give Chinnor a 31-7 lead. Chinnor kept the pressure up and from a shortened lineout, the ball was worked to prop Stock in midfield who showed a startingly rapid turn of pace to slice untouched through Dings defence from 25 metres out. Keohane converted for a 38-7 lead.
Undaunted, Dings Crusaders started to take the game to Chinnor causing the visitors to commit a series of offences ending in a driven lineout for a try with Michele Canulli touching down. Woodrow did the necessary to close the gap to 38-14. Chinnor’s Cano was sin binned and, from the resultant scrum, Dings walked the scrum over the line for their third converted try, courtesy of Vincent Murrell, three minutes from time. Chinnor held on against the Dings resurgence, grateful for the early tries, for the 38-21 victory and sixth place in the league.
Chinnor scorers:
Tries: Jack Hayes (01 Min) Ben Manning (05) Ian Stock (39, 60 Min), Reece Boughton (52) Robbie Martey (57)
Conversions: Ed Keohane (01, 40, 58, 61 Min)
TWO naval veterans from Thame have been honoured by The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, for their individual contributions to the Arctic Convoys during the second World War.
Jack Kirtland (left) a Russian naval officer called Dmitrii (centre) and Jim Barrett
At a special ceremony at Oxford Town Hall yesterday, April 23, Jim Barrett and Jack Kirtland were among a group of British veterans presented with the Ushakov Medal, by Alexander Kramarenko, Minister –Counsellor at the Russian embassy.
Jim’s daughters, Gillian and Jane and his son, Roy, and Jack’s daughter, Denise Cousins, were all there to share their fathers’ proud moments.
Jim Barrett and his wife Clare ran the Three Horse Shoes pub in Towersey for 16 years following his 25 years serving in the Royal Navy, mostly in Destroyers but also serving aboard Battleships, Cruisers and Aircraft Carriers. Jim joined the Royal Navy at the age of 14 in 1936. One of the first ships Jim served on was the Battleship HMS Iron Duke, which was later sunk at Scapa Flow.
After a spell in the Far East, he joined HMS Faulknor in 1942. As Leader of ‘F’ Flotilla group of destroyers, HMS Faulknor was soon in the thick of things, being sent to escort and protect the Arctic Convoys of merchant ships delivering essential supplies to the Soviet Union.These convoys suffered continual attacks and many sailors and their ships were lost.
From Dennis and Sheila Manners, and Jim and Clare, the idea of the Towersey Folk Weekends was born, which has now grown into a national, annual event.
Jack Kirtland was also a wartime sailor with the Arctic Convoys. His ship, HMS Mounsey, was hit by a torpedo in November 1944, killing many on board. The torpedo hit the ship’s water tanks which exploded, and the huge force threw Jack Kirtland across the deck. Although several of his fellow crew members died of suffocation in the horrifying attack, luckily Jack escaped suffering any serious injury.
In his tribute to the Arctic Convoy veterans, Alexander Kramarenko explained why, after 70 years, they (the Russians) still care and want to honour the veterans: “We have a word ‘rodnye’. In its original meaning it refers to blood relations. But more often it is used to refer to other people, neighbours and others, with whom one shared the burden of everyday life, quite tough most of the time, with whom one has been through various trials, shared all, grief and misfortune, joy and triumph. It explains why we survived as a nation.”
He continued that it was about……..”an inherent need for some sort of collective life, for caring for others and for being cared for. For mutual support, for mutual foregiveness, for mutual confession…..it has everything to do with Christian love and laying down one’s life for one’s friends.
“It is a relationship born out of shared experience…….By virtue of our common experience, you are ‘rodnye’ to us.”
Mr Kramarenko added: “Simply, it is recognition, pure and clear, of our common humanity that is timeless and transcends everything else. That is why we remember and seek to express our appreciation of your effort in the ways available to us.”
He concluded on a personal note: “In my 40 years on Diplomatic Service I have never had a mission more important than this, and I am sure I will never have (in the future).
“It is about the debt all of us living owe to those brave men.”
