Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • 14/05/13….Here come the girls !

    THIS year’s FA Girls? Football Festival is to be held in Thame, at Meadowview Park, this coming Saturday, May 18.

    The festival, which is run in association with Continental Tyres, is a free programme aimed at encouraging girls to participate in football, and will run from 10.30am – 2.30pm at the home of Thame United.

    England and Arsenal Ladies stars, Steph Houghton and Ellen White, and Eni Aluko from Chelsea Ladies, will be making an appearance on the day, when around 300 girls will competing in the Oxford Mail Girls Football League Finals Day 2013, organised through the support of the Oxfordshire FA.

    Last year, nearly 7,000 girls experienced festivals across the country. The programme, travelling around England for the second year, is a joint initiative by The FA and Continental Tyres providing girls aged 5 ? 17 with an exciting, interactive football experience for both those new to the game and regular players. The format of the day is fun and active, combining football, lifestyle and music.

    The festival is led by FA approved coaches and includes skills and drills, interactive games and mini matches. An interactive trailer will house trophies and digital stations to entertain girls during intervals and a range of innovative equipment, including inflatable pitch, target shots, speed cage and batak boards will feature, as well as hair braiding and face painting to add to the festival atmosphere.

    In addition, coaches from across the county are invited to experience a new coaching tool; The ContiWarmUp Programme – the newest endorsed coaching programme by The FA. Coaches can find out more about ContiWarmUp, take part in a demonstration and discuss the benefits of warming up in a structured way with a Continental Coach in a question and answer session.

    The League Cup Finals across all the age groups from U10 through to U16 will kick off at 10am followed by a day of celebration with the League Presentation Day going on all day from 11.25am until 4.30pm. The Cup Winners and Runners-up will receive their awards along with the presentations to the League Winners and Runners-up.

    Chris Webb, Chairman of the Oxford Mail Girls Football League, said ?We are really pleased to be able to host an FA Girls? Football Festival alongside our event, with all the recent promotion of the female game and Oxford United Ladies FC successful application to the FA WSL 2, we hope this will raise the profile of the female game and attract more girls to want to play football. An exciting time for Oxfordshire!?

    Kelly Simmons, The FA Head of National Game, said: ?The FA Girls? Football Festivals in association with Continental Tyres are a fantastic platform for girls of all ages and abilities to develop their skills and understanding of the game in an informal, enjoyable and engaging way.

    ?This year we aim to reach more girls across England and provide them with a fun experience, as well as the chance to meet and interact with role models from The FA WSL. We hope to ignite an interest in the game that they will be able to develop through their local schools, clubs and County FA?s.?

    Laura Hardy, sponsorship manager at Continental Tyres, added: ?We are really proud to be taking The FA Girls? Football Festivals around England for the second year. With football now the number one female team participation sport in England, our aim is to ensure its continued growth amongst youngsters and provide as many girls as possible with the opportunity to experience football with fantastic role models through fun and informal interactive games. For more information about our activities with women’s and girls? football, visit www.contisoccerworld.co.uk

    For more information on The FA Girls? Football Festivals in association with Continental Tyres please visit: www.TheFA.com/girlsfootball

    SOURCE: Press release

  • 14/05/13….Thame publican pulls top job

    THAME’S new Mayor, elected this evening by fellow town councillors, is popular publican, Peter Lambert, who runs the Thame Microbrewery and pub, The Cross Keys.

    Cllr Lambert, who was Deputy to the outgoing Mayor, Cllr Nigel Champken Woods, was elected unanimously. His Deputy, elected after a paper ballot, is Cllr Jeannette Matelot Green, herself Mayor of Thame in 2009.

    PHOTO: Outgoing Mayor, Nigel Champken Woods (Left), The new Lady Mayoress, Trudy Lambert & Cllr Peter Lambert, the new Mayor of Thame

  • 14/05/13…….Do something amazing – Give Blood in Thame

    BLOOD Donor Session in Thame – Tuesday 14th May; at The Spread Eagle Hotel, Eden Suite, 16/17 Cornmarket, Thame.

    TIMES: 13.30 – 15.30, 16.15 – 19.30

    Regular and New Donors always Welcome.
    please call 0300 123 23 23 or visit the website:
    www.blood.co.uk to book an appointment

  • 13/05/13……Damp but not down at Music In the Park

    WELL, it wasn?t exactly Glastonbury, but regular horizontal rain showers and strong winds failed to dampen the musical spirit of Thame, when around 2,000 people attended Sunday?s annual Music In the Park event.

    Spandau Ballet frontman, Tony Hadley, spent several hours enjoying the afternoon with his family, after being introduced to Thame?s MP John Howell and the Mayor or Thame, Nigel Champken Woods, before officially declaring the event open and wishing everyone a successful afternoon.

    As well as being a showcase for talented musicians of several genres from the local area, and further afield, Music In The Park is fast becoming the social event of the year in Thame, where local people and visitors of all ages come together in family and friendship groups, and where you can be sure of bumping into people you may not have seen around since last year!

    Despite a power cut holding up the proceedings at one point, the organisers soon had the problem fixed and they were back on schedule with a far-reaching line-up that included a Led Zeppelin tribute band and the choir of John Hampden Primary School?s performance of local composer, Barry Gibson?s new piece, ?Music In The Park? written especially for this year?s event.

    There was much to do to keep the kids happy with a Mega-slide, Doom dome, face painting and games, while the grown-ups could keep themselves topped up at either of the two bars, or with cakes and teas at the Girl Guides? tea tent, and with food ranging from crepes, Indian food and burgers.

    The rain having stopped at last, the Headline band, Bolt From the Blue, with their unique blend of Soul and Funk, sent the damp but enthusiastic crowd home smiling.

    Music In the Park is now in its third year, and it is testament to the spirit of Thame where an army of volunteers like the Army Cadets who litter-picked all day, Thame Lions, local businesses like Crash Records, K & A Scaffolding and others, work with the town council to produce a wonderful event that contributes to the cultural life of the town and brings people together.

    The Mayor, whose wife Alison is Chair of The Friends of Elms Park, said today: ?I thought that, considering the weather, we did OK. I thought it was really good to see how happy Tony Hadley and his family were to stay and chat to people and sign autographs.

    ?What amazed me was that despite the rain, a lot of people stayed to the very end – even insisting that Bolt from the Blue did another number!?

    ?I think we have now placed Music in the Park on the map as far as Thame is concerned. Now we will have a couple of weeks rest then start planning for next year?s event again in May. Apparently the average is one year of rain in three so we are looking forward to better weather and another great event next year.?

    Profits from the event will contribute to providing lighting in Elms Park.

  • 13/05/13…..Ice cream, fun and ‘thank yous’ at the fete

    THE Manager of the Thame and District Day Centre, Gill Coleman, has paid tribute to the work of volunteers and helpers from the hospital and the Day Centre, who made Saturday’s fete such a success. She also thanked the people of Thame for their support.

    The Fete, held on Saturday, May 11, was organised jointly by Thame Community Hospital League of Friends and Thame and District Day Centre.

    The Mayor of Thame, Nigel Champken Woods (photographed) joined in the fun of the Fete attempting to pin the tail on an elephant, made and painted by members of the Day Centre. In the background is Denis Branch, a long-serving volunteer with the Day Centre.

    Members of Thame WI provided a delicious range of refreshments, including homemade cakes throughout the afternoon and Sainsbury’s in Thame donated ice cream for the ice cream stall.

  • 13/05/13…..Thame man fined for possession of drugs

    A MAN from Thame was fined this week after admitting the possession cannabis, a Class B drug, in Pearce Way, Thame, on February 7.

    John Way, 37, of Pearce Way, Thame, was fined

  • 10/05/13….Thame MP backs campaign to ‘save the pub’

    THAME’S MP, John Howell, is backing a Government campaign to save endangered pubs, by the introduction of a new Code of Practice and a powerful new Adjudicator.

    The proposals will mean that pubs tied to one brewery will be no worse off than Free Houses. As well as being able to complain to a powerful Adjudicator for the first time, tied pubs would also be allowed to have independently picked guest beers which the government believes would help the growth of small beer and ale manufacturers across the UK.

    John Howell said: “The pub is an institution of great social and economic value. Concern over the beer tie is an issue frequently raised by pub tenants in the constituency. I want to make sure that pub tenants are treated fairly by pub companies. I am glad that the Government has launched a consultation on a Code of Practice which would be backed by a powerful Adjudicator that will save tenants

  • 11/05/13…..Fatboy Getting Slimmer Disco at Racquets

    NATHAN Swift was going to run the Thame 10K in June, but unfortunately he took a tumble and messed up his Knee. But instead of giving up, he has decided to organise a Charity disco.

    Join Nathan on May 11, at Racquets, Thame, at 7pm ’til late. All the proceeds will go to the Making Waves for Alex fund. Tickets:

  • 11/05/13…..Time is running out for the runaway bride

    A Thame bride-to-be is currently trying to get as far as she can away from a secret location, in 24 hours, with just a ‘tenner’! And if she succeeds she will be able to bring over her relatives from her native Australia for her own wedding.

    Alex Wynn, who works in sales and promotional risk management in Chilton, just outside Thame, has got to the final two of the Runaway Bride competition being run by Mix 96, getting there by votes from friends and colleagues.

    Alex’s fiance is Matt Baker, a Thame piano teacher. He told ThameNews.Net: “Alex is Australian but moved over here to live with me in 2009. We got engaged on her birthday 18 months ago and haven’t been able to plan for the wedding because of the financial costs involved in an ‘International Wedding’ and we really want her family to be here as well as mine. So winning the wedding would mean the world as we can help Alex’s family and friends to come over.”

    About an hour ago, Alex who had bagged a seat on a train bound for Perth (Perth, Scotland – not Australia).

    You can follow Alex’s progress on the Mix 96 Facebook page: www.facebook.com/insidemix96

  • 10/05/13…It’s a deal! ‘Indies’ join Conservatives to form administration

    INDEPENDENT councillors have agreed to join the Conservative group at Oxfordshire County Council to form a majority administration following the elections on May 2.

    The election left the Conservatives one short of an overall majority with 31 of the 63 seats. Four independent councillors were elected along with 15 Labour councillors, 11 Liberal Democrats and two Greens.

    Three of them, Lynda Atkins, Les Sibley and Mark Gray have agreed to support an administration.

    Cllr Ian Hudspeth, the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council’s Conservative group, said: “It was essential that we formed a stable administration to give direction and purpose to the county council looking forward to the period 2013-2017.

    “With the assistance of the three independent councillors elected to represent communities in Wallingford, Bicester West and Benson and Cholsey I believe we will provide that.”