Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • 26/09/12…An ‘alphabet soup’ of housing sites

    Dear Editor, I’ve been trying to catch up on the situation relating to the Thame Neighbourhod Plan and was perplexed for some time with an alphabet soup of proposed sites – A… F.. D… B…C etc. Have I left one out? I remember the original proposals and attended two meetings but I found today that I had to hunt for the key to these areas, as I had forgotten the details.

    This is not a criticism of the Thame Council’s information service. There’s a welter of stuff to deal with. Anyway, here’s a reference if anyone else has the problem I did: /www.thametowncouncil.gov.uk See pages 18 -21 . I’m not entirely sure now that I’ve found the latest version of the proposed sites. I’m happy to be corrected, even to be regarded as a bit dim. I gather people’s views have to be submitted by October 3.

    I hope to send in mine but for the purpose of this letter, I would venture to say that if the natural boundary of the by-pass is breached by building housing on its eastern side, that could be the thin end of a very large wedge, extending towards Towersey and Princes Risborough. I should perhaps declare an interest because of where I live, but I think that concern would be with me wherever I lived in Thame.

    Norman Brand
    Thame resident

  • 26/09/12….POSTPONED BECAUSE OF WATERLOGED PITCH: Calling all ladies!

    NEW DATE: Wednesday, October 3, 7:30 start, Whites Field, Chinnor. DO you want to try something new? Build on existing skills? Make some new friends or just enjoy a new way of keeping fit? If the answer to any of the above is ‘yes’ then Chinnor Girls and Ladies F.C want to hear from you! The club are actively recruiting for new members for the current season 2012-13.

    Providing opportunities for mums and daughters alike, Chinnor is a thriving local club with a great atmosphere and are extremely proud of what they bring to the local community. With several of members of the open age section of the club making the journey to university this year, there is a big push on recruitment for the ladies squad in order to continue their good form in Division 1 of the Thames Valley County Women?s Football League.

    Club Founder, Ladies squad member and U12?s Coach/Manager Katie Wales has left the local area but still makes the twice weekly commute back from the West Midlands to be a part of the club.

    ?From the humble beginnings of our one, under 14 squad back in 2002,” she explained, “the club has grown to rival the biggest clubs in Oxfordshire. We still have a core of our original members and management whose continued commitment demonstrates what a great place this club is to be involved with. We are all keen to attract more members to the club so that they, as well as us, can continue to enjoy the beautiful game.?

    The club is also expanding to provide football for girls aged 10 and under. Kayleigh Bennett, who is largely responsible for developing the youth section of the club said: ?I would love to hear from any girls who would like to come along to training and give it a go. We are always happy to welcome new players to our existing squads and also aiming to run a development squad to provide football for girls not yet old enough to enter the league competitions.?

    There will be a Ladies’ taster session on Wednesday, September 26, for all ages (16+) and abilities welcome. Please contact Katie Wales (Katie.d.wales@gmail.com) for more details. Anybody wishing to join the youth or under 10 development squads should contact Kayleigh Bennett (kayleighbennett88@yahoo.co.uk) who will forward information on to the relevant manager.

  • 25/09/12…..Chinnor victorious in first match of the season

    MATCH REPORT: Saturday, September 22, 2012; CHINNOR’S long wait to play rugby at Kingsey Road this season was rewarded with a bonus point, 38-14 victory against strugglers Barking.

    With Mowbray back from injury, Chinnor gave a debut to back rower Evan Sawyer. The match also saw the return of hooker Alan Cawston, starting his 16th consecutive season of first team rugby for Chinnor.

    Although Barking made a bright start, first points of the afternoon came from Chinnor?s James Cathcart on 5 minutes who slotted a penalty goal after a scrum infringement by the visitors from Essex. Chinnor were back on the scoreboard some 11 minutes later when a powerful midfield break from Goode allowed Stoop to canter under the posts for the opening try. Cathcart converted to give Chinnor a 10-0 lead.

    Barking?s fullback Forrest kicked a penalty goal in the 22nd minute to open Barking?s account. Cathcart and Forrest then exchanged penalty goals to put the home side in at the break 13-6 ahead.

    Chinnor attacked right from the restart and Seymour?s industry down the right was rewarded when number 8 Joe Kava powered over for Chinnor?s second try. Cathcart?s conversion now gave Chinnor a 20-6 lead. Minutes later, Cathcart dummied and scythed through the midfield and slipped what looked to be the perfect pass to Colver in acres of space. Unfortunately for Chinnor, a Barking hand managed to intercept to prevent a certain try. A similar thing happened minutes later when Kava, bursting through the visitor?s defence, passed the ball to the intercepting Barking full back Woollard, who was yellow carded for being offside. From the resultant scrum, quick ball was zipped along the back line to fullback Colver to touch down for Chinnor?s third the try of the afternoon. Cathcart converted on the 53rd minute to increase Chinnor?s lead to 27-6.

    Barking then had a good period attacking the Chinnor line which resulted in a try for Sinfield on 55 minutes in from a smart inside pass to reduce Chinnor?s lead to 27-11. Chinnor then went vigorously in hunt of the fourth and bonus point try without result ? caused by stout Barking resistance and some mishandling. The fourth try eventually came in the 75th minute from Liam Gilbert and, with the conversion from James Cathcart, Chinnor?s lead increased to 34-11. Barking did not give up and were rewarded with a last minute try from full back Woollard and Forrest?s conversion made the final score 34-18 to Chinnor.

    Barking struggled at times in the match and looked underpowered in the scrum. However, their resilience made the score line respectable.
    Chinnor had a mixed match and eschewed a number of scoring chances but will be happy to gain a bonus point victory for the first home match of the season.
    Scorers:
    Chinnor: Stoop T; Colver T; Kava T; Gilbert T; Cathcart 4C, 2PG

    Barking: Sinfield T; Woollard T; Forrest C, 2PG

    Chinnor team:
    Colver, Seymour (Gray 58), Goode, Stoop, Corpe (Fielding 74), Cathcart, Jones, Winpenny (Whelan 68,) Cawston, Pickett (Berry 67), Mowbray, Smith (Wood 61), Gilbert, Sawyer, Kava
    Replacements: Berry, Whelan, Wood, Fielding, Gray

    SOURCE: Contributed

  • 25/09/12….The first Thame football Derby?

    IN what is thought to be the first Thame football Derby,
    F.C Thame will take on Thame Town Wanderers F.C on Sunday, September 29.

    The game is expected to kick off at 10:30am on the Thame Recreation Ground. Thame Town Wanderers won their opening game of the season 6-1, but have fallen short in their last couple of games. F.C Thame will be looking to pick their first points of the campaign having lost all their games so far.

    www.footballaylesbury.co.uk

    www.ttwfc.tk/www.pitchero.com/club/thametownwanderersfc

  • 30/10/12…..DATE for your diary: Autumn Junior Squash Camp

    RACQUETS FITNESS CENTRE will be once again running a Junior Squash camp on October 30/31 2012, for chilldren between six and 13 years-old.

    More information HERE

  • 24/09/12……Thame Food Festival?s Recipe for Success

    RECIPE: Plans for Thame Food Festival, the wonderful showcase celebration of regional food and drink, food and drink producers and retailers, are in the mixing bowl and will shortly be put in the oven on gas mark 4, to finally appear at 9am in Thame town centre on Saturday, September 29.

    Ingredients:

    8oz Alison Isherwood
    1 Lotte Duncan (Unpeeled)
    2 Generous Helpings of Frazer Sutherland
    2 Drops of Imaging Essence
    A Pinch of Sally Dorling

    Method:

    8oz of ex South Oxfordshire market towns co-coordinator Alison Isherwood doesn?t sound much, but a little of Alison goes a long way. From her previous role Alison knows nearly all the businesses in Thame and provides a vital link between them and the festival. Her outgoing and friendly manner allows her to sort issues out on the spot before they become trouble. Alison also has the vital role of overseeing stallholder applications for the festival and ?laying the table? – setting out the stallholder plan.

    Anyone who knows the bubbly and irrepressible Debbie Jones from food photography company, Imaging Essence of Aylesbury, would be amazed that you could contain her in two drops. Debbie adds huge amounts of energy and enthusiasm to the recipe as well as her expert eye as official festival photographer; capturing all those amazing images on the day.

    It is vital that you remove the outer peel of your Lotte Duncan before adding her to your bowl. She has more than enough zest for anybody. Lotte is patron of the festival and her enthusiasm for the event is incredible and wonderfully infectious. If any of the organizers ever have any doubts they simply call up Lotte and leave feeling a whole lot better.

    Several versions of this recipe have been tried over the years, but the end product seems better with the inclusion of generous helpings of the effervescent Frazer Sutherland, of the James Figg and The Thatch pubs in Thame, part of the Peach Pubs chain. He is becoming the glue that holds the recipe together and is increasingly known as that vital ?Mr Fixit? ingredient.

    Last, but not least, the marketing twist that is Sally Dorling of Marketing Foods: a pinch of magic that enhances all the flavours around her and ensures that they combine in the most rewarding and tasty way. It?s no good having a great final product if you don?t tell anybody about it. Sally knows how good the recipe is and wants everyone to know. So, make sure you get a slice of the action next Saturday, September 29. Your reservation awaits you in Thame town centre from 9am onwards.

  • 24/09/12…..Residents’ Association ‘not a true balance of the community’

    Dear Editor, Following last Wednesday’s Thame Neighbourhood Plan, public Topic group meeting at the town hall, I would like to make the following comments:

    My main concern was about the secret meetings about the various site options for new housing. It is my belief that the Residents Associations who WERE invited to the meetings, were not a true balance of the community to make observations as to where the housing was best suited, and also that housing isn?t the full issue as it also involves footpaths, parking, employment, shopping etc. I felt the Residents Associations were purely ensuring NIMBYism.

    I am also bothered by the planned presentations of possible developers as I fear ‘Jo Public’ will think they have already got Planning Permissions and that their proposals are a fait accompli.

    My one other concern about the Draft Neighbourhood Plan, which I have already raised, is the last-minute thought that the Town Council has to provide burial space somewhere in the town, and that it is suggesting that it goes somewhere up near Thame Park Road or in that area of the Town. This is nonsense as, unless they also build a Chapel which is unlikely, funerals will take place in the Parish Church, St Josephs or Christ Church and then have to either go through the town or around the ring road for burial. This is just not on as regardless of whether people have any sense of ?religion? of any sort they still usually feel a need to go into the Church, both at the time and for some time afterwards.

    We often find people come in to St Mary?s Church just to sit and be quite and reflect. I think they get a real comfort from that. The Council really needs to identify somewhere at the Parish Church end of the Town. It?s no good once they have started to put houses on a site because they won?t be able to pull them down again.

    Rosalie Gibson
    Thame Resident

  • 24/09/12….Binfield end Thame’s winning run

    MATCH REPORT: League game – Saturday, 22/09/12 – Thame United 0, Binfield 1.

    THAME United?s unbeaten run of five games ended at the ASM Stadium on Saturday when they were defeated 0-1 by Binfield. It was a close game in which defences dominated and chances were few. United were without regulars Matt Willett and Connor Hayes who have both returned to their universities. Despite this Thame?s line up looked strong, but although they want close, they could not break through a competitive and disciplined Binfield side.

    Binfield harassed Thame from the start, trying to push them back and pen them in. There was a bad tempered moment when visiting captain, Gary Callaway retaliated to an overenthusiastic challenge by Alex Stewart, and they were both booked. United created some chances with Luke Rickets forcing a decent save and Mitchell Meredith unlucky to see his goal bound shot blocked. The only goal came in the 37th minute when Joss Millar got in front of his marker and managed to get his foot to a pass, finding the target from 8-yards. United?s best chance came just before the break when, following a corner, there was a goalmouth scrabble which ended when Nik Rhodes deflected the ball onto the wrong side of the goalpost.

    Both teams cancelled each other out in the second half and it felt that only mistakes or magic could bring a goal for Thame. A Dan West shot was high, a shot from Stewart was blocked and an Ellis Hercules header flew wide from the resulting corner. A few minutes later a long ball from Stewart created a chance for Ricketts but the keeper came out and made a good save. United?s only other chance came just before time when Stewart met a Dan West corner with an on-target header which did not trouble the keeper.

    Overall there was little to choose between the sides but it was Binfield who claimed the points.

    Thame United: Farrow, Meredith, Hall, Hercules, N Rhodes, A Rhodes, Connelly, West, Stewart, Barr (Lagan), Ricketts.

    United are away next to Letcome in a challenge cup game next Saturday (29th). The reserves however play Finchamstead reserves at the ASM Stadium.

  • 22/09/12……Watlington Art Show

    THE 23rd Annual Watlington Art Exhibition will be held at Watlington Primary School, Love Lane,Watlington on Saturday, 22nd September, (10am ? 5pm) and Sunday, 23rd September (11am ? 3pm).

    Professional and amateur artists from Oxfordshire and beyond will offer for sale a wide range of original work in watercolours, oils and acrylics, plus a selection of limited-edition prints, including lithographs and photography. The exhibition also boasts an ever-increasing range of 3D works in ceramic, wood, iron and stone. It is expected that there will be around 400 pieces on display.

    All proceeds from the event are given to Watlington Primary School to support the artistic development of the children. Watlington Primary School holds the prestigious Artsmark Gold award and offers pupils a rich and diverse range of arts opportunities. A special display of pupils? artwork will be on show throughout the exhibition.

    Art-based activities will be available for children during the exhibition.

    Refreshments and delicious home-made cakes will be on sale all weekend.

  • 21/09/12….Treat your taste buds at Thame Food Festival

    NEXT Saturday, September 29, is set to be a major landmark in the history of Thame Food Festival 2012. With the closure of roads in the centre of the town for the first time and a vastly expanded area for the 100 plus stallholders – a festival record – this fifth festival has an amazing line-up of events, exhibitors and celebrity chefs.

    Appearing live and performing fantastic mouth-watering and audience enticing demos in the Cookery Theatre are the following food ?super stars?:-

    Appetizers: Beverley Glock of Splat Cooking (on stage 10am)

    Starters: Laurie Gear, patron and chef of The Artichoke restaurant in Amersham (10.45am) and Adam Simmonds of restaurant Adam Simmonds at Danesfield House, Marlow (11.30am)

    Main Courses: Steve Love and Ian Craddock from headline sponsors, McCormick UK, the home of Schwartz herbs, spices and seasonings (12.15pm) and Raymond Blanc OBE, festival ambassador, with Kush from Le Manoir aux Quat?Saisons and the BBC?s ?Very Hungry Frenchman? (13.00)

    Dish of the Day: Festival patron, Lotte Duncan (13.45)

    More Mains: Marcus Bean of The New Inn in Baschurch, Shropshire (14.30) and festival regulars Katie & Giancarlo Caldesi of Caldesi in Campagna, Bray and Caffe Caldesi and La Cucina Caldesi in central London (15.15)

    Dessert: Nigel Rumsey of Rumsey?s Chocolateries in Thame & Wendover (16.00)

    Followed by: The Big Cook Off Mark & Adam from The Raymond Blanc Cookery School v Harding?s Restaurant at Aylesbury College (16.30)

    This awe inspiring line-up of cookery performers is followed at approx 17.30 by the Raffle draw featuring some amazing prizes, including the set of Raymond Blanc by Anolon Professional Cookware used on the day in the Cookery Theatre, a one day course worth