Author: Sonja Francis

JUST in case anyone?s wondering ?waddle we do on the morning after Thame Carnival?? Thame Round Table are egg-cited to announce the return of the town?s annual duck race for another year. The event is a popular town fixture that has long had its beak wedged into the Thame calendar.

This year, it will be held on Sunday, June 16 ? back in its usual slot on the day after Thame Carnival, following several wet weather postponements last year.

The duck race involves tipping nearly 2,500 individually numbered yellow, rubber ducks into the River Thame from old Town Bridge and following them as they paddle downstream to the finish. The first three ducks over the line will win their lucky ticket holders a cash prize.

Thame Duck Race is organised every year by Thame & District Round Table and raises money for local causes. This year, the groups being supported are Making Waves For Alex, Thame Safari, Barley Hill PTA, John Hampden Nursery, Oxford School of Gymnastics, Thame Day Centre, CAB, Explorer Scouts, Air Cadets and Thame Netball Club.

Tickets are on sale now at the Town Council Information Centre, the Cross Keys pub and through the various groups who will benefit from the proceeds of the race. They will also be on sale during Thame Carnival, on the Round Table stall and also at the start line on the morning of the race.

Gates open at 10.45am and the race will start at 11am.

FOLLOWING concerns about the safety of the pedestrian entrance to Elms Park, Thame Town Council is to test various layouts using a temporary barrier, and will seek the advice of the road safety organisation, RoSPA.

At a meeting of the council’s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee on Tuesday (04/06), Richard Jeffries, who lives opposite the park in Park Street, spoke about safety concerns on behalf of the Headteacher of John Hampden School, Alan Haigh, other neighbours and the school’s parent governors, and said that a previous RoSPA report had clearly highlighted ‘a medium risk to cyclists’. It goes on to suggest that installing a gate could reduce the risk. Full report HERE

Mr Jeffries wanted to know what had changed the council’s mind between 2008, when it approved a side, pedestrian gate (now missing) and now, when it deems one unnecessary. He asked: “Are you happy to shoulder the responsibility for any accident that may occur here?”

During the debate at Tuesday’s meeting, there was much discussion about whether a self-closing gate would be practical or could trap fingers, and about alternatives, including creating a chicane at right-angles to the path further inside the entrance.

The Clerk reported that there had been no reported incidents or safety issues raised since the entrance had been changed. Cllr Champken Woods however, said: “The problem will be when there is an accident. I do not want to be a part of that. There is a perceived risk to cyclists. We should act as quickly as possible. This is urgent.”

In her report to the council, the Clerk, Helen Stewart, said: “The plans that accompanied the planning application did show a matching iron gate in the public access entrance and the design and access statement when reviewed recently did refer to a self closing gate.

“The mystery as to both of these points is still unresolved; there are no Minutes agreeing the
commissioning of such a gate and there isn?t a matching one available from catalogues. The practicalities of the gate being self closing had also never been assessed from an access audit position either.”

Background

It seems that the town council’s Planning committee did consider the plan for a side gate LINK HERE in July 2008, expressing ‘No Strong Views’ before the application was sent on to SODC who approved it. No mention is made of leaving out the side gate from the plans.

In the end, at Tuesday’s meeting, the committee agreed to a proposal to place a temporary barrier at various places, get the comments of users, and assess where the best place for something permanent would be. It was also agreed to ask RoSPA for further advice.

IN celebration of the life of local gardener, Ray Stockewell, a family from 18 Willow Road, Thame, alongside the Mayor, Peter Lambert, opened their garden on Sunday (09/06) to the public.

The event, called ?Pots n Rocks,?is part of the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity?s (FNHC) annual Sunny Sunflower Month taking place throughout June – a spectacular open garden event, which will showcase over 300 plants available to buy on the day.

The fun kicked off at 10am through until 6pm with visitors asked to pay

FOLLOWING concerns raised by local people about a sloped path where cyclists and skateboarders travel at speed from a Thame play area into a road, Thame Town Council has agreed to install a permanent safety barrier.

The path in question leads from the Queen Elizabeth play are into Harrison Place, in Thame.

The perceived dangers posed by the path were raised at the recent annual town meeting and, following a site visit by Councillors and the subsequent installation of a temporary barrier, the matter was discussed at last week?s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee. Two residents from the area expressed their fears for the safety of bikers and skaters ?flying? out into the road, and for cars parked near by.

In a report to Councillors, the town clerk, Helen Stewart, said: ?The path has a gradient that invites both cyclists and skate boarders to use it as a run way. The momentum gained going down the path is quite significant and since there is no barrier between the road and the path there is no mechanism to stop egress directly onto the road.?

Various ideas, including those for a cattle grid and humps, were rejected in favour of installing a staggered barrier plus a fence line along the line of the bollards that are currently in situ. A sign to indicate traffic was also proposed.

The total cost was estimated to be

A NOVELTY Dog Show, including classes for the ‘Prettiest Bitch’ and the ‘scruffiest pooch’, will be just one of the attractions at this year’s Thame Carnival on June 15.

The dog show will be sponsored by Petcare of Thame. The theme for the Carnival is Musicals, and all funds raised will go to the recently launched, Thame Youth Cafe, held every Wednesday at the Youth Centre building at Lord Williams’s Lower school. This recently released video about the Centre, was made by local young filmmaker, Joe Phippen.

Here’s a full list of the Classes for the Thame Carnival Novelty Dog Show:

Best Puppy Girl (under year)
Best Puppy Boy (under 1 year)
Prettiest Bitch
Most Handsome Dog
Scruffiest Pooch
Golden Oldie (over 7 years old)
The Dog the Judge would most like to take home
BEST IN SHOW

As well as the dog show there will be three other small events going on. These are:-

AGILITY TEST
Scurry Run
Temptation Alley
On My Command

Entry forms available from: Petcare – 15 Cornmarket – Thame – 01844 213710

Carnival Parade through the town centre from noon. Fete 1pm to 5pm at Southern Road Recreation Ground.

THE Helen & Douglas House charity shop in Thame is celebrating its fifth birthday during National Volunteer Week, 1-7 June. It is five years since Sister Frances Dominica opened the shop in Upper High Street and customers and volunteers will celebrate with a birthday cake, and the shop is decorated with colourful balloons which will be given out to children visiting the shop or to passing by.

During National Volunteer Week, Helen & Douglas House is asking people in the community to think about what they can do to support their local hospice charity for children and young adults with life-shortening conditions.

There are two volunteering opportunities; helping occasionally at local fundraising events, or becoming a volunteer at one of the charity’s shops in Oxfordshire. The image of volunteering has changed and Helen & Douglas House attracts people of all ages and abilities, male and female, and those that have a lot of time to give, or very little. The charity was awarded the Queens Award for Volunteering in 2011.

Debbie Sharp, Helen & Douglas House’s Thame Shop Manager, said “We are delighted to be celebrating our 5th birthday today and would like to thank all our customers who shop with us, donate goods and all our amazing volunteers. Without your support we would not be able to raise the money to provide vital support to families with children and young adults with life shortening illnesses living in Thame and the surrounding areas.”

The Helen & Douglas House charity shop in Thame has 22 volunteers, as well as half a dozen local Duke of Edinburgh Award student volunteers and other work experience placements. Debbie, who has worked at the Helen & Douglas House shop since it opened, said “As a local charity we are really part of the community in Thame. Look out for our stand at the upcoming Carnival too.”

If you are interested in volunteering for community fundraising activities contact Thame Community Fundraiser, Helen Archer on 07538 553252 or call 01865 794749 to find out more about retail volunteering, or pop into the shop. For more information about Helen & Douglas House go to www.helenanddouglas.og.uk