Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • 08/07/13….There’s more’ beyond the music’ at Towersey 2013

    TOWERSEY Festival is preparing to be ?lit up? this August Bank Holiday with the arrival of Spread The Word. Part of the Oxfordshire festival?s Beyond The Music strand, which also includes theatre, visual arts and a range of workshops, Spread The Word presents a range of literature, poetry, and comedy performances and workshops at venues across the festival site.

    Former Towersey Festival Resident Writer, Paul ?Shez? Sherreard, will be joined by Esther Poyer, David McGrath and Cherry Potts, plus Towersey 2013 ?Word Wrangler? Debs Newbold, and Thame lad, Tom Banks, for a range of activities and events. These include storytelling for grown-ups and late night poetry at a special Live Lit night on Saturday (August 24)), a series of surprise ?pop up? sessions in the Ceilidh Tent, Big Club and Village Hall, plus a range of workshops filled with tips and tricks for aspiring, emerging and experienced wordsmiths.

    In addition, there?s also an Open Mic Night, where all writers inspired by the workshops and performances over the weekend can share their work in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

    ?We?ve very pleased to bring together such an acclaimed and experienced group of storytellers, poets, writers and performers,? said Towersey Festival Director Joe Heap. ?Shez was our resident festival writer for 2011 and 2012, while Deb?s was voted one of the Top 10 Towersey artists by festival attendees last year ? the first time we?ve had a spoken word artist in our Top 10.?

    Towersey Festival runs from Thursday, August 22 to Monday, August 26, 2013, at Towersey, Oxfordshire. Headline acts include The Blockheads, The Unthanks, Bellowhead?s Spiers and Boden, Show Of Hands, Home Service, featuring War Horse composer John Tams, and Swiss Cajun punk trio, Mama Rosin.

    Day tickets begin at

  • 08/07/13…..Attempted break-in – Lupton Road, Thame

    THE Police are asking for information about suspicious vehicles in the area, following an attempted break-in at Lupton Road, Thame on Saturday, June 6, between 9am and 9pm.

    The offfender/s attempted to gain entry to an outbuilding but were unsuccessful and nothing was stolen. No further information is available at this time.

    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.

  • First ‘Café Bridge’ tournament coming to Thame

    FOLLOWING the success of a similar event in Henley, the Oxfordshire Bridge Association (OBA) is planning a Café Bridge tournement in Thame, which will take place across five venues in the town, including the old Thame Courthouse, now a museum.

    OBA Social Bridge are inviting enthusiasts to join them for a relaxing day playing friendly duplicate bridge in Thame. 

    After meeting at the famous Spread Eagle Hotel at 10am for registration and coffee, before the first session, players will be given playing instructions for the rest of the day. Subsequent sessions will take place at Rumsey’s Chocolaterie, The House of Spice, Mia Capri and finally the Thame Museum. 

    Although participants will need to buy any drinks as and when they need them at the venues, a two-course lunch at the venue just played at will be supplied. The House of Spice will be putting on their Lebanese Menu and those playing their pre lunch session at the Museum will lunch opposite at The Thatch. 

    When play has finished at around 4pm, all players will return to the Spread Eagle where complimentary drinks will be waiting for them and scoring will be completed and prizes presented.

    Cost for the day’s bridge, which includes the coffee at the start, the lunch and the drinks at the end is, £60 per pair, all proceeds to Thame Museum.

    To book your place contact Claire MacDonagh
    Tel: 07584 047140 email: obasocial@gmail.com

    For more information contact : Barbara Jordan, OBA Social Bridge. 01844 212195 Banjo44@btinternet.com

  • 08/07/13….Ex Thame Mayor is new Rotary President

    IT’S all change at the top for Thame Rotararians who have welcomed Town Councillor and ex Mayor, Jeannette Matelot Green, as its President for the coming year.

    Speaking for Thame Rotary, Marius Ciortan said: “Jeannette has been a Rotarian for almost four years and her commitment to the club has earned the respect of fellow members who were only too pleased to vote her in as their new president in the 2013-2014 Rotary year at the Spread Eagle, Thame, on July 3.

    Jeannette said: ?I am looking forward to my year as president of our club. We have some two major fundraising events in the calendar ? the Thame Swimathon on October 13, and the Thame Art Show the weekend of November 30. We are supporting four local charities: SAFARI, Sharing Life Trust, Thame Day Centre and Thame Players.

    “For our international charity, we are hoping to set up a project with APAE, a group of vulnerable adults in Brazil.

    ?We are joining the Thame Lions in supporting the Thame Food Festival this year and will continue with our usual programme of practical work in the community including the Stroke Awareness Day, collecting Tools for Self Reliance and joining the Town Council to organize the Christmas Party for our senior residents.?

    Marius added: “We also have a varied and exciting social calendar and we would love to hear from anyone interested in joining us to help make a real difference to our community.

    “To find out more about the Rotary Club of Thame, or to find out how to join, please visit: www.thame.rotaryweb.org or ring/text us on 07764 85 49 49

  • 05/07/13……..Have you lost a white, fluffy cat in Thame?

    THE owner of a white cat is being sought, after it turned up on the doorstep of a couple in Marston Road, Thame.

    Jamie Hazeldine who found the cat, or rather, who was found by the cat, explained: “We found the cat on Wednesday night (03/07). It was crying outside our house so we brought it in and every time we tried to put it back outside it stayed outside crying. We looked after it all night and took it to the vets on Thursday morning to check for a micro chip. It didn’t have one so they are keeping hold of it for a week to see if anyone comes forward to claim it.

    “It’s a white fluffy cat. It wasn’t injured and the vets have also checked it over. It seems to have been well looked after so hopefully someone will come forward.”

    Anyone with any information about the cat’s ownership can contact Jamie via ThameNews.Net: 07792 487 030 or via facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayhazeldine

  • 04/07/13…..Pig agility, horse-whispering & more at Thame Show

    AFTER a year of absence last year, 2012, the Oxfordshire County & Thame Show will be back on Saturday, July 13, and the new Committee is hoping that this summer is a good one after last year?s washout.

    Demonstrations and displays throughout the day in the Countryside arena will range from the new Pig Agility and Horse Whisperer displays to Falconry, Sheepdogs with Ducks, Terrier Racing and Gun dogs. The arena will be surrounded by a superb selection of countrymen demonstrating their skills such as hedge laying, stone walling, broom making, a blacksmith and more.

    The Main Ring will host two top class show jumping competitions including the Oxfordshire Area Trial and there will be the galloping ponies of the Scurry Driving as well as the Lamb National sheep race. There will be the regular cattle parade, classic cars, agricultural display and the parade of hounds. The Band this year is the 1066 Pipes and Drums (Hastings) who will be performing twice. Around the showground there will be the usual competitions for cattle, sheep, horses and donkeys along with displays of rabbits, birds, and alpacas. For the first time this year, there will be a fun dog to which visitors can bring their dogs along and enter on the day.

    The Thame Show will also feature for the first time, a Food and Drink Village where food retailers and local producers will be selling a wide range of food and beers. A separate Food Hall will again be selling foods and drinks to sample and the Home and Garden marquee, formerly the Domestic tent, will have a number of new classes to suit everyone.

  • 04/07/13…Woman rescued by ladder in three-car crash near Thame

    FIRE & Rescue crews needed a ladder to release an injured woman from a car this morning, after it ended up on top of the roof of a second vehicle.

    Four people were involved in a collision in Haddenham this morning, in Lower Road between Haddenham and Dinton at around 11.15am, which left two people injured.

    The rescued woman was taken to hospital and another woman and a younger girl were assessed by medics at the scene.

    (Picture courtesy Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue)

  • 04/07/13….District Council expected to incorporate Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan

    THAME’S Neighbourhood Plan is expected to become part of the Development Plan for South Oxfordshire after next Thursday, when by the district council’s Cabinet considers whether or not to recommend its acceptance to the Council.

    The Neighbourhood Plan was developed by Thame Town Council with the local community and submitted to the district council. The submitted version of the plan was publicised and comments were invited from the public and stakeholders. The consultation period closed on 24 January 2013.

    The district council then appointed independent Examiner Nigel McGurk, to review whether the plan met the basic conditions required by legislation and whether the plan should proceed to referendum.

    The Examiner concluded that, subject to the modifications proposed in his report, the plan met the ?basic conditions? set out in paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 4B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, was compatible with EU obligations and the Convention rights and complied with relevant provision made by or under Section 38A and B of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and that it should proceed to a Referendum.

    A referendum was held on May 2, 2013, when 76.47 per cent of those who voted were in favour of the plan.

  • 04/07/13…Mixed fortunes for Thame cricketers

    THAME Town Cricket Club’s Firsts came unstuck defending a decent total at Shipton-under-Wychwood on Saturday (29/06), eventually losing by four wickets in the Cherwell League Division One.

    Batting first, Thame got off to a good start, and a middle-order stand of 83 between Deon Laubscher and Will Sutcliffe (33) put the visitors on course for a big score. Laubscher was eventually out for 90, but the remaining Thame batsmen could not maintain the momentum in the face of good spin bowling from Shaun Miller, and they finished on 230 for 8.

    When Shipton batted, the home side exploited their ground’s small boundaries, and Jason Hunt scored 85. Sam Lachlan (3 for 53) and Mike Higgs (3 for 58) pegged them back, but the total was eventually overhauled in the penultimate over for the loss of six wickets.

    Didcot vs Thame Town

    Thame had a better result in the Bernard Tollett Cup, when they travelled to Didcot on Tuesday (02/07) and won by 22 runs. Thame scored 113 off their 18 overs, with Mike Higgs smashing 44 in five overs to set up the win.

    Didcot could not get the accurate Thame bowling away, with seamer John Phippen (3 for 12) and spinner Higgs (2 for 12) the most impressive. Thame are now in the semi-finals and next face either Horspath, Banbury or Great Tew.

  • 04/07/13……Gawkey to Headline First Thursday Music Club

    After a stunning event last month which featured Strings Attached, a marriage proposal live on stage and 15 other acts, Gawkey take the Feature Spot at The First Thursday Music Club on Thursday, July 4. Gawkey are booked out throughout the summer playing many festivals culminating in a spot at Towersey Festival in August. With Matthew Morton on guitar and vocals and Nigel Walker on fiddle they are the rising stars of the circuit.

    At least another dozen acts will also be on the night?s bill ranging from solo, singer songwriters through to full on rock and roll bands ? and almost every stop in between. And it?s all FREE!

    FTMC has become the regular monthly music event in Thame. Round up some friends, get along, and have a great night out. Anyone can play just by signing up at the venue from 7.45pm. The music starts at 8.15pm.

    Check out the club on Facebook ?The First Thursday Music Club? or at www.firstthursdaymusicclub.com where you can find more info? including contact numbers and addresses for the organisers.