ON Saturday morning (26/10), from 9.30 am, volunteers are planning to trim back the trunks of the Lime Trees in St Mary’s Churchyard. As the Churchyard belongs to everyone in the Town, anyone wishing to lend a hand, even for just half an hour, would be a great help.
Just go along with secateurs and/or pruners and help trim off the excess growth,leaving the Churchyard tidy for the winter months.
Posted 24/10/13
IT seems that those of us lucky enough to live in Thame, are probably among the happiest and most satisfied with out lot, of any townsfolk in the nation. According to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) living in large, rural or market towns is linked to the highest levels of “personal well-being” and life satisfaction.
The data, published as part of the ONS Measuring National Well-being Programme, revealed that “personal well-being’ improved in the UK between 2011/12 and 2012/13. Ratings for life satisfaction and feeling that the things we do in life are worthwhile increased on average, whilst anxiety levels fell.”
Analysis of the data reveals that large market towns possess all the factors leading to the highest levels of well-being and happiness.
The BBC’s Home Editor, Mark Easton, commented in a Radio 4 news bulletin “the secret of market towns’ high well-being levels is their sense of distinct identity, community spirit, and perfect size: small enough for people to feel included, and large enough to remain private.”
Chris Wade, chief executive of AMT Towns Alive ( a National charity, Action for Market Towns) has worked with and supported market towns for 15 years and has recently been called upon to support towns of all sizes and even some cities. He commented today: “Market towns’ community spirit has been born out of doing things for themselves and decades of self reliance. Many have faced the challenging economic climate with community-led ideas that involve and engage their residents, helping them to thrive, and to be great places to live and to work.
“We’re now seeing the lessons that AMT has shared from working with market towns for 15 years benefiting other communities and high streets.
“In fact, this year the entrants to our Towns Alive Awards – the UK’s most prestigious Awards for town community improvement projects – demonstrate this perfectly, with real community spirit, creativity and the drive to make projects happen in their towns that increase economic and social vitality. We’ve rewarded projects created by communities from all sorts of towns – and we can’t wait to announce our national winners next month at Towns Alive ’13, where market towns will share their happiness secrets with small and large towns, and even cities from all over the UK.”
THE Thame Charities Pre-Christmas Fair, this year involving 18 local groups, will be held on Saturday, November 9, at Thame Town Hall.
It will be open to the public from 10am until 1.30pm.
On offer during the day will be stalls selling gifts and other Christmas essentials as diverse as Floral arrangements, plants, preserves, books , cards, toys etc. There will also be tombolas and raffles for adults and children. Refreshments will also be available.
If you would like to support some of your local charitable organisations and shop early for Christmas, then drop in and take a look. Admission is free.
THAME residents finding it hard to make ends meet economically, will soon be able to borrow money from the town’s own Community Bank, enabling them to avoid the possible pitfalls of ‘loan sharks’ and so called ‘payday loans’ companies, who often charge extremely high interest rates that only serve to trap people into more debt.
Launching on November 11, in Thame Town Hall, Thame Community Bank is a collaboration between the local charity, Sharing Life Trust (which already runs the Thame Food Bank), the Citizens Advice Bureau and Thame Town Council, with support from local Housing Associations, caring agencies and the high street banks.
In a statement, The Sharing Life Trust said: “With the aggressive marketing and astronomical interest rates of the payday loans companies, there has never been a greater need in our community for a fair and affordable option for borrowers who aren’t a good fit for the high street banks.
“This is an enterprise from the community for the community.
“With loans at 2% per month, instead of 1% per day, borrowers will be able to manage their accounts online or, if needed, get help from the staff at the Information Centre in the Town Hall. With savings covered by the Government’s guarantee scheme, Thame Community Bank will provide a safe, fair and affordable banking service to the people of Thame and the surrounding villages.”
Thame Community Bank is a local branch of Swan Credit Union, a recent merger of two neighbouring Credit Unions in Milton Keynes and Aylesbury. Credit Unions are mutual societies – not-for-profit companies owned and run by their members to promote regular saving and to offer loans at reasonable rates.
THE team at The Thatch in Thame are raising their glasses today in celebration of being recognised in not one but three categories of this year’s Observer Food Monthly Awards, which celebrate the very best in British food and drink, from grass-root producers to the most famous chefs.
The popular Thame gastropub was singled out for the good food and drink it serves every day of the week by being named runner-up in Best Restaurants, Best Sunday Lunch and Best Place to Drink in the south, as voted for by readers of Observer Food Monthly.
“We’re absolutely over the moon to have done this well in these prestigious awards that everyone in the food and drink world wants to win,” said The Thatch’s Manager, Evelin Rae. “There’s tremendous competition and so many big names in every single category. So to be honoured alongside them is really fantastic, especially when the voting is completely in the hands of the public. Simply being nominated for an Observer Food Monthly Award is brilliant in itself, but being runner-up in three different categories is more than we could have hoped for – an amazing hat-trick.
“We do work hard to make the pub a good place to eat and drink and to put great food on our guests’ plates and great wine and beer in their glasses. It takes a great team to do this, and of course great guests to appreciate it by voting for us, and we’d like to thank every single one of them for doing that.”
In awarding a runners-up place in the Sunday lunch category, the judges commented that The Thatch was a “superior gastropub, serious about its beef, with a lovely market town setting.” They also singled out the pub’s ‘impressive wine list’ and said that the pub’s food warranted a visit throughout the week, as well as for Sunday lunch. The pub’s salad and veg supplier, David Newman from Bucksum Salads in Long Crendon, also picked up an award of his own, being named Best Local Farmer.
The 10th Observer Food Monthly Awards took place at a show-stopping ceremony in London, where even the trophies themselves were edible. Co-hosted by Jay Rayner and The Great British Bake Off presenter Sue Perkins, they rank among the UK’s most prestigious food awards. For more information, go to www.theguardian.com/observer-food-monthly-awards
The Thatch is at 29-30 Lower High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2AA. Tel: 01844 214 340. www.thethatchthame.co.uk
BETWEEN Wednesday (16/10) and Saturday (19/10), a vehicle was stolen from a driveway in Glenham Road, Thame.
The vehicle is described as a grey BMW 530d, vehicle registration number YL07 YBA.
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 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.
THAME Cinema 4 All will be showing ‘Behind the Candelabra’, on FRIDAY, October 25, at the Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame, at 8pm. The doors will open at 7.30pm and there is a licenced bar.
FILM DETAILS: USA, 2013, 118 minutes, 15 Certificate; Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Starring Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Rob Lowe, Debbie Reynolds and Dan Ackroyd.
Sensationally flamboyant, the very definition of camp excess the like of which has never been seen before or since, Liberace was the highest paid entertainer in the world when he met 17 year old Scott Thorson. It is pretty difficult to imagine more innocent times, times when people really believed that Liberace was heterosexual, but such times there were, and the man himself rigorously and successfully defended himself against claims about his sexual preferences (famously ‘crying all the way to the bank’) at the same time as he pursued a prodigious number of young men, an entourage of lovers employed under the guise of chauffeurs and houseboys and paid companions.
After meeting back stage in Las Vegas in 1976, Scott became Liberace’s lover for a tempestuous five years, and Soderbergh’s final movie tells the story of their consuming and volatile relationship, based on Thorson’s memoir of the same name. It is very funny, furiously paced, riotously entertaining. The humour is often on the dark side, in particular the story of Thorson’s extensive plastic surgery, paid for by his lover in an alleged attempt to make Scott into a younger version of Liberace himself. Rob Lowe as the wonderfully macabre plastic surgeon is a real treat, and a universally brilliant cast is led by Michael Douglas’ career-defining turn as Liberace, which is quite awesomely fabulous. And aside from the theatre of his love life, the film also manages to pay tribute to the effortless genius of a performer who never needed to practice, and who could thump out a virtuoso piano performance at formidable pace, technically flawless, often with only one hand.
A winner with audiences and critics alike – one not to miss.
THAME United’s winning run came to an end at the ASM Stadium on Saturday (19/10), when they were defeated three-nil, by their bogey team, Ascot United. It must be said however that the score flattered the visitors. Thame worked hard, and had their fair share of possession but, after three games of clinical finishing, Saturday frustratingly saw the return of ‘near misses’.
The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges and Thame keeper, Lee Farrow, was called into action after a few minutes play, making a good save. Ascot’s first goal came after 30 minutes when Ian Pykett pulled back an opponent in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Leon Yarney took the spot kick well, giving Farrow no chance. Although Niall Hodgkins, Lynton Goss, Ellis Hercules and Ben Connelly all had half chances, it was one-nil to Ascot at the break.
Ascot’s second goal came five minutes after the restart when some slick passing allowed Matt Jones to fire home from 12-yards. Thame countered and forced a series of corners, and Taylor Collins was unlucky to see his goal-bound shot blocked. Luke Ricketts and Lewis Cordice came on for Thame and both looked sharp. Farrow made an outstanding save from an unexpected 30-yard shot, and all was not lost until, with about 15 minutes to play, Rob Saunders hit a 35-yard free kick past a surprised Farrow to finish the scoring. Goss had two further chances but both were off–target.
Thame United: Farrow, I Pykett, P Pykett, Hercules, Rhodes, Lynch, Connelly, Johnston (Ricketts), Hodgkins (Davis), Collins (Cordice), Goss.
Thame’s first team are without a game next Saturday (26th) but coincidentally the reserve team are at home to Ascot United Dev. The next first team home game is on Tuesday, October 29, when Kidlington are the visitors.
Match report contributed by Bob Dixon
FROM September 2014 decisions about teachers’ pay will have to be based on their performance against National Teachers’ Standards. These standards alone are not enough to justify pay decisions to OFSTED, nor are they able to identify where development needs are for future leaders, according to Thame’s education HR specialists, SYLO and Associates.
Sylo and Associates are therefore holding a FREE seminar, aimed at Head Teachers, to help them understand more about how to implement the pay changes through their Schools Assessment and Appraisal Framework.
TEACHERS NEW PAY CHANGES – EVIDENCE VERSUS WHIM
SYLO Associates are talking to schools across the county to suggest a competency framework is used alongside the National Standards. Managing Partner, Sally White believes that whilst Oxfordshire teachers need to focus on what they are achieving and what they lack, it is only one aspect which needs to be balanced against their personal development needs.
Sally explained: “Whilst every school has to evidence each teacher has met the eight standards of competence the system as a standalone is flawed. In the first instance the standards are not detailed enough so schools will struggle to provide sufficient evidence and could face appeals because of the perception that pay decisions have been made on a whim without a detailed underpinning framework. It is highly subjective to define what is lacking in competence or indeed what is highly competent.
“Our competency framework gives the detail needed to look at expected requirements together with indicators to show progression and where there are development needs. Heads are already working every hour of the day and many need external help to develop the detail needed to put in place a better framework.
“Additionally the focus on schools needing to prove that a teacher isn’t meeting the regulated standards creates a very negative culture which should be balanced with a focus put on personal development. It is important to create a more positive culture by not just focusing on evidencing pay rises, but in providing clear development opportunities for individuals and teams and spotting future leaders.”
On this basis, SYLO Associates is hosting a ‘Pay Changes in Education’ Seminar on November 14, in Oxford, aimed at Headteachers in the region, showing what was achieved from the successful pilot at Rush Common School, Abingdon.
Sally said: “What we have done at Rush Common is unique in providing a detailed framework and through our approach a positive culture to support the school in the development of their teachers. By working with the Senior Leadership team and teachers themselves, we got them to describe what they expected to see from a competent and excellent teacher.”
Maxine Evans, Head Teacher, Rush Common School said: “Utilising a competency framework alongside the Teachers’ Standards will support our leaders and managers in their relentless focus on improving teaching and learning and, allow us to implement relevant and targeted professional development at all levels.”
CASE STUDY
Rush Common School recognised the detail did not exist in the National Teachers’ Standards to effectively evidence and justify decisions and to support the personal or professional development of teachers. The challenges were:
School requirement to implement a new pay policy
Rush Common School identified a gap in assessment capability
School identified support required for leadership and organisational development
Support required to define the granular detail for a Competency Framework
Need to update all appraisal documentation to ensure competencies supported development and improve standards
Solutions
Held an exploratory meeting with Head Teacher & Assistant Head to agree the process and developed a project plan.
Facilitated workshop with Senior Leadership Team to determine granular detail for a Competency Framework which was then designed to be aligned to Teaching Standards professional development but look at the fine detail of the progression through the main and upper pay scales
Reviewed appraisal documentation
Results
Fully developed Competency Framework, Schools Assessment & Appraisal Framework – (SAAF) ™ with granular definitions
Updated and implemented appraisal documentation
Supported all the communication, including presentation of Framework to the teaching staff and liaison with the local trade union representatives, to help successfully embed the Competency Framework and revised appraisal processes.
Sally concluded: “Teacher evaluation systems are not just there to serve the purpose of documenting accountability but should be there to help improve professionalism and practise. More and more schools need external support to assess talent management, employee engagement and wellbeing, manage change and create personal development plans.”
“Pay Changes – evidence vs. whim”
Thursday, November 14, 2013
2.00pm – 4.00pm
Magdalen Centre, The Oxford Science Park, OX4 4GA
By joining this seminar, you will learn more about the successful pilot we ran at a school in Oxfordshire and understand more about how to implement the pay changes through our Schools Assessment & Appraisal Framework (SAAF)™. Our goal is to support your school and assist the raising of teaching standards by utilising robust appraisal methods.
To secure your FREE place email enquiries@sylo-associates.co.uk or call one of the team on 01844 216290.
www.sylo-associates.co.uk/education_development.html