Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • 04/03/13…Chinnor ‘seconds’ beat Henley in season treble

    CHINNOR RFC seconds completed a season treble over local rivals, Henley, on Saturday. In another closely contested encounter, Chinnor came out on top 20-14.

    Having beaten Henley at home in the league and then in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup, we knew this was going to be a tough challenge at Dry Leas.

    The game started with a bang as Tristan Corpe ghosted through the Henley midfield defence to score a great try under the posts after only two minutes. The try was then converted by Alex Stephenson. Chinnor had the better of the opening exchanges but with seven minutes on the clock, Henley reduced the deficit to 7-3 with a penalty. This was to be a recurring pattern in the game with a penalty count stacked heavily against Chinnor. The referee’s interpretation at the breakdown left Chinnor players and official baffled.

    With defences on top, it took until the 16th minute for the next score with Alex Stephenson converting a penalty from out wide, to make the score 10-3.

    Henley then responded in the 26th minute with a well worked try scored in the left hand corner. A missed conversion left the score at 10-8 to Chinnor.

    A string of penalties against Chinnor followed. With 25 minutes gone the penalty count was already 12-2 against Chinnor. However, the Henley Fly Half was having an off day with the boot and it was Chinnor who extended the lead through a penalty conversion in the 31st minute by Stephenson.

    With a minute left of the half, Ed Rixon was yellow carded and Henley reduced the half time score to 13-11.

    Henley started the stronger in the second half and deservedly took the lead, albeit for the first and last time in the game, with a penalty that gave them a 14-13 lead.

    However, once restored to 15 men, Chinnor showed some real class. From a ruck in midfield, forwards and backs combined in flowing movements, leading to a great run and offload from Ian Stock to Corpe. His pace enabled him to rip through Henley’s backline defence and after standing up the fullback, he popped a pass inside for Max Williams to score. This was converted by Stephenson to put Chinnor ahead 20-14, a lead they never surrendered despite the continuing penalty count and a further yellow card for Ed Vickers.

    Once again Chinnor showed true determination to win with great displays by Hastings, Vickers and Rixon. However, Man of the Match goes to Tristan Corpe (pictured) for his all round display.

  • 04/03/13…..Thame becomes the news story!

    REGULAR listeners to BBC Radio Oxford who live in Thame, were pleasantly surprised this morning when they realised that their town had become the news story of the day.

    Following the release of a recent empty retail premises survey showing that Thame was the third most successful High Street in the country, Radio Oxford’s outside broadcast team hit town.

    The ‘road show’ was fronted by the station’s Morning Show host, Phil Gayle who, camped out at Time Out in the High Street, interviewed local people about why they thought Thame’s High Street shops were managing to ‘hold their own’ while shops in other towns seemed to be closing down more frequently.

    Phil interviewed Angie Newitt, from the family butchers in the High Street, Sonja Francis as former Chair of Thame4Business and member of 21st Century Thame, Tim Preston, who is the current Chair of T4B, Town Cllr Andy Gunn, shop owner, Trish Morrison and other local residents and passers-by.

    The general consensus seemed to be that the town’s relative success was down to its plethora of family and independently run shops, good customer service, team-working to organise festivals and events, Economic Development initiatives like the Loyalty Card scheme and Shop Front Improvement schemes, and a general air of community and well-being.

    The full programme can be listened to again by visiting BBC Radio Oxford’s website HERE

    NB A recent survey carried out by The Local Data Company, found that Thame was the third most successful high street in the country, having only one empty shop premises in January, when the survey was carried out.

    PHOTO: A budding young radio programme host tries on BBC Radio Oxford presenter, Phil Gayles’s headphone for size, at the Time Out cafe in Thame this morning.

  • 01/03/13…..Council Tax rise for Thame residents

    THAME households can expect to pay more annual Community Charge next year, 2013-14.

    For a Band D house in Thame, this will mean a payment of

  • 01/02/13…..Home wanted for lop-eared bunny

    GOOD HOME wanted for a lop-eared rabbit.

    Hutch available if wanted to buy. Call: 07970190128

  • Single bed wanted

    SINGLE BED wanted urgently. If anyone has such a thing they want to find a new home for, please contact:

    Email: camillagc93@gmail.com or call: 07710879322 direct.

  • Listed 28/02/13….Thame Fitness Centre to host South Regional Racketball contest

    UPDATE: The closing date for the South Regional Racketball Closed has been extended until Friday, March 1st,(12pm).

    RACQUETS Fitness Centre in Thame will be hosting the prestigious South Regional Closed Racketball competition on Saturday, March 9. Full details as follows:

    Grades:
    A ? Regional / County players
    B ? Club players
    C ? Beginner / Recreational players
    Over 50’s
    Women’s

    *please note, if you are female you are able to enter the graded competition if you prefer

    Racquets warns that if they receive a large number of entries, they may need to play some matches on the evening of Friday, March 8.

    Entry fee is

  • 28/02/13…….Latest news on climate change

    FLOODS, droughts, hurricanes & heatwaves: a talk about the latest news on climate change followed by a discussion – Thursday, February 28, 2013 – 8pm – 10pm

    Venue: Rose & Thistle Pub, Station Road, Haddenham.

    Dr Martin Hodson will bring the meeting up to date with a short talk which will then be followed by a group discussion.

    Martin is Visiting Researcher in Environmental Biology, Oxford Brookes University, having been on the staff since 1989. His research interests include plant mineral relations, archaeology and palaeoecology. He has over 75 publications, mostly in international scientific journals.

  • 28/02/13….Thame lose to Ardley after missing first half penalty

    LEAGUE game – February 23: Thame United 1, Ardley United 2; Match report: (Contributed by Bob Dixon)- THAME United were defeated 1-2 by Ardley United at the ASM stadium on Saturday. The score-line could have been so easily reversed as Thame missed a first half penalty, but the visitors scored from the spot in the second half.

    Thame started brightly and went ahead after seven minutes when Matt Hall hit a 25-yard shot, which to everyone?s surprise beat the keeper. Whilst well-placed, it was not a particularly strong shot but the surprised keeper, who may have been unsighted, misjudged it and Thame were in the lead. The home side looked sharper and, on 25 minutes Dan West was fouled in the box. Regular penalty taker Mitchell Meredith, who had a penalty saved in Thame?s last game, sent the keeper ?the wrong way? but his effort hit the foot of the goalpost, and bounced out of play. Ardley settled towards the end of the half but Thame were rightly still in the lead at half time.

    The visitors came out ?fired up? for the second half and equalised two minutes after the restart when some sloppy defending allowed Troy Bryan to tap in from close range. The game ebbed and flowed and Ardley were looking more dangerous. Then, 17 minutes into the half, Phil Pykett made what even the visiting officials saw as a fair tackle in the box but to the spectators’ surprise Referee O?Shea awarded a penalty. He then unbelievably dismissed Pykett from the pitch. Steve Howkins scored from the spot giving lee Farrow no chance.

    Down to 10 men, Niall Hodgkins moved back into midfield and Thame spent much of the remaining game penned into their own half. Ardley could have scored again but Nik Rhodes did well to head the goal-bound shot clear. Thame mounted the occasional attack and Ellis Hercules went close when he headed just wide from a free kick. All three substitutes were brought on to replace tired legs but frustratingly it was Ardley who collected the points.

    Thame United: Farrow, Meredith, Pykett, Hercules, Rhodes, Hall, Connelly (Evans), West, Hodgkins (Davis), Gray (Johnston), Ricketts.

  • 28/02/13……Lord Bill’s student elected to UK Youth Parliament

    A Sixth Form student from Lord Williams’s School in Thame, has beaten 11 other candidates to be elected as a Member of the UK Youth Parliament, representing Oxfordshire.

    Obviously very proud of his win, Michael Oatway said: “I’m thrilled and delighted to have been elected as South Oxfordshire’s MYP. I would like to say a huge thank you to all those who voted for me and for those who helped me through my campaign. I look forward to the challenges during my term and am excited to be working alongside Hammod Munir and Zoe Adams, the deputy MYP and Ambassador for South Oxfordshire, in promoting the views of the young people of South Oxfordshire – hopefully we can make a difference.”

    The results of the hotly-fought contest were announced at Oxford Town Hall last Thursday, February 21, for the three Oxfordshire areas (North, South and City Centre). Michael secured over 1100 of the 7,500 votes cast at Oxfordshire schools.

    The UK Youth Parliament gives young people aged between 11 and 18 the opportunity to express their views on the issues that affect them. The current manifesto includes lowering the voting age, re-writing the national curriculum and providing more jobs for young people.

    Michael Oatway is an active member of the Lord Williams?s Youth Theatre and a keen student of Government and Politics. He has a passion for public service and has already completed a work placement at the House of Commons. Michael is committed to bringing the issues concerning young people in the Thame and South Oxfordshire area to regional and national political attention.

    Lord Williams’s School’s Head Teacher, David Wybron, expressed his pleasure at the news. ?We are very proud of Michael?s achievement, becoming the first Member of the Youth Parliament from the School,” he said. “This is an impressive achievement and I am sure he will make a big impression in the role.”

  • 28/02/13….Thame students receive Gold Awards from the Earl of Wessex

    A group of former students at Lord Williams?s School, Thame, recently attended a reception at St James? Palace where they received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh?s Awards from the Earl of Wessex.

    Their Awards were the culmination of several years involved in a range of challenging activities including expeditions, volunteering in the local community, undertaking physical activity and developing new skills and interests.

    The proud Award winners were Sam Abbott, Martin Bloomfield, Mark Brougham, James Cheung, Emily Clarke, Matthew Hopgood, Oliver Jackson and Jonathan Scowen.
    The students were supported by their parents, by Lord Williams?s School and Thame Community DofE (Duke of Edinburgh) Partnership Committee members, Wendy Bloomfield and David Doulin.

    One of the participants, Jonathan Scowen, said:
    ?DofE was such a fulfilling experience, from which I have many happy memories. The presentation day
    at St James? Palace was an amazing celebration of all we had achieved over the years doing the Award.

    “It was brilliant to see Prince Edward and talk to him about our favourite bits, as well as hearing from
    Richard Stillgoe, who hosted the afternoon. I would recommend the DofE Award to everyone and would like to thank the many volunteers who make the Lord Williams’s scheme so successful.?

    Headteacher of Lord Williams?s School, David Wybron, added: ?To achieve Gold in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award represents a very impressive achievement. Our
    students have been successful because of their strength of character, resourcefulness, enjoyment of
    teamwork and service to others. They will be joining a special band of young people.”

    This year a further 20 students at Lord Williams?s are pursuing their Gold Award, with a further 65
    students working at Silver level and 126 students working towards their Bronze Award – all made possible by the continued support of local volunteers and a wide range of community organisations, clubs and societies that welcome the young people into their regular activities.