Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Darwin film to be showed this Saturday in Thame 06/02/10

    THAME CINEMA 4 ALL – Next showing – CREATION; UK, 2009 108 minutes PG certificate – Directed by Jon Amiel, starring Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Toby Jones, Jeremy Northam, Jim Carter, Benedict Cumberbatch

    JON Amiel’s considered and reasoned film was released last year to mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his Origin of Species.

    The events of the film take place in the years before this publication, at a time when Darwin found himself in personal conflict over the implications of his emerging convictions. Charles, once a churchgoer whose faith had been destroyed by his increasingly held scientific beliefs, was married to a woman who put Christian faith before everything else in her life.

    The stresses created by these circumstances form the basis of the film, a microcosm of the impact of his evolutionary theory on a predominantly God-fearing world, and writer John Collee intelligently uses supporting characters Thomas Huxley (Toby Jones) and the Reverend John Innes (Jeremy Northam) to explore the wider evolutionary debate. The film does justice to Darwin’s theories, but it also celebrates intellectual endeavour, a time when scientific breakthrough was the result of individual, private thinking, the importance of eloquent prose, handwritten in manuscripts of pen and ink. Paul Bettany’s Darwin is not an intellectual firebrand and religious iconoclast, but a softly spoken man of humility – Darwin fans and detractors are reminded that that far from taking an axe to an ordered world, the ‘man who killed God’ expressed his beliefs with polite eloquence, reasoned intelligence and with considerable courage.

    This Saturday 6th February 2010
    Doors open 7.30pm Film 8pm. Admission

  • Swine flu jabs now available for under 5s (Status: press release)

    THE swine flu vaccination programme for children has begun in the Buckinghamshire PCT area, including Thame

    All children over six months and under five years of age are now being offered the vaccine to protect them from swine flu and its possible complications.

    Thousands of frontline healthcare workers and patients in at risk groups accross the county have already received the vaccine. Pre-school children have been identified by the Department of Health as the next priority for vaccination as figures show that they are a higher risk of hospitalisation compared to other age groups.

    Acting Public Health Consultant, Dr Karthik Paranthaman, said: ?It is important for parents to get young children vaccinated, even if they are healthy, to protect against future waves of the virus. Evidence shows that pre-school children seem to be particularly vulnerable to severe illness as a result of swine flu, so having the vaccination is the best way to protect them from possible complications.?

    GPs will be contacting parents over the coming weeks to invite their children to have the vaccine.

  • Chinnor RFC seconds meet top of the National One team (Contributed)

    CHINNOR seconds match report for 30th January 2010.

    Chinnor Seconds travelled away to Esher RFC another big London club encounter whose first team is top of National one. The boys did us proud by coming home with another 3 points. This was destined to be another hard game for the village team. Six players were not available from last week?s team and with only one replacement. This was another game played between two good teams displaying good rugby.

    Chinnor started the game looking like they were stronger team, and it wasn?t long before they added the first points with a try by Ben Ramsdale.
    The two teams soon found their rhythm and played very well with Chinnor having the advantage in the forwards. But it was Esher that got the next points with a penalty. Chinnor once again put Esher under a lot of pressure with them defending the try line but Chinnor just kept driving them back and were rewarded with a well earned try by Baz Corpe. Chinnor continued to lead 10 points to 3. The next twenty minutes of the first half saw Chinnor forwards putting Esher under a lot of pressure and were rewarded for their hard work with a converted try by Johnny Vaughan. Thankfully Johnny who is 42 stepped in and helped the seconds out due to the shortage of players. The first half finished 17 points to 3 in Chinnor?s favour.

    The second half started with a more determined Esher taking the game to Chinnor, and the Chinnor forwards once again dominated at all the set pieces as they had in the first half. Once again most of the game was played between the two twenty two metre lines exhibiting some real physical rugby from both sides. Chinnor again added the first points of the half with the forwards driving Ben Ramsdale over the try line and Green adding the two extra points.

    In the 20th minute Esher caught Chinnor napping and ran in a great try from their own 22-metre line, which they converted. Chinnor?s lead was cut down to 24 points to 10. Chinnor then came back with another try by James Serrano that was converted by Green. Esher came right back with another converted try of their own, and Chinnor again replied with a try by Jack Green. Esher were not finished and added another converted try in the 5th minute of injury time, and the game ended 36 points to 24 to Chinnor. The five players from the colts who played in the team helped greatly in making it a great result. Well-played boys.
    Although everyone had good games the man of the match goes to two players Ben Ramsdale and Max Williams who were both outstanding.

  • Thame Police Surgery – 06/02/10

    Thame Neighbourhood Policing Surgery – PC Russell Hounslow – for Thame residents on Saturday 6th February, 2010, between 10:00 ? 12:00 at Thame Town Hall.
    No appointment necessary.

  • 03/02/10 Thame United go top! (Contributed)

    MATCH REPORT – Milton United 1 Thame United 3 – Hellenic League Division 1 East; Monday 1st February, 2010.

    UNITED stormed to the top of the league on Monday evening with a convincing win over fancied promotion rivals Milton United.

    With the band of Thame supporters still re-living the performance of the season the previous week at Rayners Lane, few could have anticipated that performance would be surpassed so quickly. Surpassed it was as United put on a clinical and professional display, with the final score line doing little to reflect their dominance and control of the game.

    In cold, frosty conditions, it was United who were fastest out of the blocks, with Luke Ricketts and Stuart Barr causing problems down the flanks, and the inter-play between the strike pairing of Aaron Rogers and Stuart Braun resulting in confusion in the home defence. Indeed, it was Rogers who went closest in the opening ten minutes, clipping the crossbar with a 20 yard effort from wide right. Ten minutes later and his strike partner Braun did well to connect with a cross from Ricketts, heading the ball powerfully against the bar for a second time. At this stage Milton rarely troubled the Thame defence, which was well marshalled throughout the game by captain Nik Rhodes. Thame continued to pile on the pressure and were rewarded with the opening goal five minutes before half time. Luke Ricketts beat his marker on the wide left and did well to deliver an inch perfect cross from the by-line for Stuart Barr who headed home confidently from close range. It was no less than United deserved for their dominance of the opening half.

    The second half started in similar vein and was only five minutes old when United increased their lead. Rogers did well to collect the ball on the wide right and crossed to Braun who, sandwiched between two defenders, controlled the ball on his in-step before confidently finishing low in to the bottom left from the edge of the box. At this stage, United could have been forgiven for sitting back, but they continued to press forward and the third goal duly arrived 15 minutes later when Rogers again crossed from the right but this time it was Barr who controlled the ball on his chest before drilling home from 8 yards. Three nearly became four five minutes later when Rogers crashed a header from Ricketts corner against the bar for a third time.

    With ten minutes still to play, Searl in the Thame goal had rarely been threatened, but he was beaten by a deflected shot from the experienced Milton striker Concannon in the 81st minute. However, by this stage it was game over and United took the three points to send them top of the league, two points clear of nearest rivals, Wokingham.

    United are without a game this weekend, but return to league action on 13th February with their first home fixture since December. United entertain Didcot Town Reserves with a 3:00pm kick off at AFC Wallingford.

    Thame United: Searl, Newell, Meredith, Boult, N.Rhodes, El-Kassir, A.Rhodes, Barr, Rogers (Jones), Braun (Way), Ricketts

  • Live, open music nights new for Thame

    A NEW outlet for Thame’s talented musicians, and those beginning their journey along the music performance road, is to be launched tomorrow, Thursday (04/02/10).

    The First Thursday Music Club will run, obviously, on the first Thursday of every month, at The Stables, behind The James Figg pub, in Cornmarket, Thame.

    See the website
     for details and how to get involved.

  • Thame crash victim vows to repay cost of saving his life

    A young Thame man, who recovered from life-threatening injuries in a fatal car crash, has vowed to pay back the

  • Archeological dig starts at new Thame football ground

    THE diggers and archeologists have moved on to the site of the new Thame football stadium, at Church Farm, Thame.

    The investigation is necessary as part of the pre-site investigations before building work begins on the news facility, planned for the middle of February.

    Full details and plans are available on the Thame Football Partnership’s website:

    www.thamefootball.co.uk

  • New green belt survey published

    NATURAL England and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have joined forces to publish Green Belts: a Greener Future, the first major national survey of the environmental state of Green Belt land, and the benefits it provides for people and wildlife.

    Together, Green Belts cover 13% of the land surface of England and 30 million people live in or next to a Green Belt.

    New research presented in this report concludes that the Oxford Green Belt, established over fifty years ago, and covering 66,868 hectares, is a vital environmental asset.

    It is, states the report:

    * the best means of protecting the Oxfordshire
    countryside from urban sprawl

    * a valuable resource in providing space for people
    to exercise and enjoy peace and quiet

    * a large area of truly rural landscape on the edge
    of our historic city
    * important for agriculture

    * and of growing importance for wildlife

    The report continues: “Oxford?s Green Belt remains under constant threat from inappropriate development, including the proposed urban extension into the Green Belt south of the City, for a mixed development of at least 4,000 houses, the proposed Northern Gateway scheme which could include two parcels of Green Belt land and the proposed development of Green Belt land around Wheatley and Berinsfield in South Oxfordshire.”

    CPRE and Natural England have agreed a series of actions that they feel need to be taken to improve Oxford?s Green Belt, through:

    “continuing to uphold existing Government planning policy which restricts new development in the Green Belt;

    focusing on better and more co-ordinated land management to help the Green Belt deliver vital environmental services ? such as attractive landscapes, wildlife rich habitats, places for recreation, healthy soils, fresh water, woodland and improved air quality;

    maintaining and improving the Green Belt as part of an ecological network between the city, the surrounding countryside, and nationally important landscapes; and
    encouraging more public use of the Green Belt, while maintaining the Green Belt?s open, rural character (the Oxford Green Belt Way allows city residents to walk the Green Belt and get there and back by public transport).

    Helena Whall, Campaign Manager for CPRE Oxfordshire, said: ?By protecting land from development, the Oxford Green Belt has protected the setting of the historic city of Oxford and prevented the uncontrolled urban sprawl witnessed in many other cities. This report shows that the Green Belt is much more than a planning designation. It is a vital environmental resource than can help with the production of locally grown food, support wildlife and provide breathing places for city dwellers and others.?

    She concluded: ?The report confirms that the countryside around the city of Oxford is a vital, but fragile, environmental asset. It underpins what we at CPRE have been saying for decades ? that we must continue to not only defend, but strengthen our Green Belt.

    “We must continue to make full use of the opportunities it provides to allow people to enjoy their local countryside. We must not sacrifice the health of the city of Oxford and the surrounding environment by allowing plans to build homes in protected countryside.?

  • Apprentices are good for business (Status: Press release)

    OXFORDSHIRE County Council is stepping up its efforts to help young people into work by encouraging local businesses to take on young apprentices.

    As part of national Apprenticeship Week, which runs from 1st to 5th February 2010, the county council is running a number of events to celebrate the role apprentices can play in Oxfordshire?s business community and to publicise schemes to help young people into work and training.

    On Tuesday 2nd February, Keith Mitchell, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council and Richard Dick, the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, will host a Business Breakfast at Egrove Park in Kennington. The event will be an opportunity for employers to hear from apprentices themselves and to find out about government plans for apprenticeships, local schemes and the training and salary funding available.

    Throughout the week, Connexions Personal Advisers will be visiting locations where large numbers of young people are currently unemployed to inform them of apprenticeship schemes. The Connexions Opportunities Team, which helps employers to advertise jobs and matches employers with potential young employees, will be promoting apprenticeships to employers over the phone.

    Leading by example

    Oxfordshire County Council has had an Apprenticeship Programme in place since 2006 and currently employs 60 apprentices in five areas of work – social and health care, business administration, outdoor education, IT and civil engineering.

    In 2010, the programme will be extended and apprenticeships will be offered in youth work, playwork, creative arts (based at the Oxfordshire Museum Resource Centre), customer service and schools.

    The county council also coordinates the Future Jobs Fund for the county, which provides salary subsidies for businesses willing to offer work placements to long-term unemployed 18-24 year olds.

    A win-win arrangement

    Councillor Keith Mitchell, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council said: ?The recession has greatly reduced the number of job opportunities for school leavers in our county and we are seeing a worrying increase in the number of long-term unemployed young people.

    ?Apprenticeships are a wonderful way to give young people some paid work and invaluable experience and to bring new energy to local businesses. In February, the county council will take on its 100th apprentice and we want to laud the benefits of these schemes.?

    If you are a local employer and would like to find out more about apprenticeships, please contact the Connexions Opportunities Team on: Tel: 0845 6029375 or email: opportunities@connexionsoxfordshire.co.uk

    PHOTO: Courtesy of rafmaf.org