Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Three Thame gymnasts win Young Achievers Awards 20/01/10

    THREE Thame gymnasts, all pupils at the Thame based Oxfordshire School of Gymnastics, were presented with Young Achievers Awards at a special ceremony yesterday.

    As well as Emerald Baxter and Cosette Jackson (see previous reports
    ) 16 year-old Gabrielle Jackson also received funding support from South Oxfordshire District Council. She achieved gold at three events this year and plans to progress from the National Development Plan to Junior Federation of International Gymnastics level to compete in further competitions abroad in June 2010.

    PHOTO: Cllr Malcolm Leonard (left), Emerald Baxter and Cosette Jackson, Gabrielle Jackson and Cllr Mike Welply

  • Chinnor young people receive Young Achievers Award 20/01/10

    AS well as musician, Matthew Hopgood, mentioned yesterday
     as a deserving winner of a 2010 Young Achivers Arts Award, a second young person from Chinnor has been recognised for her achievements in her discipline, swimming.

    Charley Messenger, 14, from Chinnor, swims for Wycombe District swimming club. She has competed in numerous events over the past twelve months, winning medals at Wycombe, Milton Keynes and Reading. Charley’s level
    of commitment is extensive, training six to eight times per week – getting up at 5am to train!

    Both Charley and Matthew, along with three Thame gymnasts, received their awards at a ceremony yesterday January 19, 2010, at the Cornerstones Centre in Didcot.

    photo: Matt Hopgood (right) and Charley Messenger (front left)

  • 29/01/10 Do your bit to make sure A & E is available to those in need

    AS A & E departments across the region have been battling with an unusually high level of demand this week, NHS Buckinghamshire is urging the public to ?Choose Well? to ensure that emergency treatment is available to those who need it most.

    People with less serious conditions can do their bit to help relieve the strain on their local hospitals by visiting an Emergency Medical Centre, Minor Injuries Unit, their GP, the pharmacist, or self caring for their condition at home.

    Buckinghamshire GP, Dr Geoff Payne says: ?Accident and Emergency Departments are there to treat people whose conditions are crtical or life threatening. Turning up at A&E with a minor ailment could mean a long wait while someone with a more serious condition gets the emergency treatment they need.

    ?By choosing the right service for their condition rather than going to hospital, the public can not only help to relieve the pressure on critical services, but may also find that they are seen by a qualified medical professional more quickly and conveniently.?

    For more information about the alternative services that are available, go to either LINK
     or www.nhschoices.nhs
     or call NHS Direct on
    0845 46 47

  • The World After Copenhagen – Meeting tonight!

    AN evening with Dr Miguel Mesquita da Cunha, 7.30pm to 9.15pm at St Mary?s Church, Thame. Miguel Mesquita has been invited again from Brussels by Lord Williams School to give the key-note speech and act as consultant for the Model United Nations General Assembly at the School and he has kindly agreed to lead a discussion organised by the Men?s and Women?s groups based at St Mary?s.

    Miguel Mesquita has been policy adviser to the EC President and the NATO Secretary General; he has a particular interest in climate change issues although his most recent work has been around EU strategy issues and the Europe/North America axis, strengths and weaknesses of the EU, security, defence, terrorism, etc. As last year, we can expect a fascinating and challenging evening. Refreshments will be available from 7 30pm. All invited. Enquiries to Owen Davies: 214466 or davies2399@yahoo.co.uk

  • Thame residents warned – Beware tool thieves 19/01/10

    THAMES Valley Police is appealing for information after some gardening equipment was stolen from a car in Towersey, near Thame.

    Between 5pm yesterday (18/1) and 8am this morning (19/1), thieves broke into a vehicle at a property in Towersey and stolen a large quantity of gardening tools, including two hedge trimmers, 12 chain saws and two pulse saws.

    Crime reduction advisor, Malcolm Wills, said: “Unfortunatley, the majority of tools are not easily traceable as they are not security marked with the owner?s postcode and business name. We strongly advise that tools are visibly and permanently marked with these details by engraving or etching. Property marking also acts as a deterrent to thieves who have to cause permanent damage to remove the marking, making it difficult to sell these items on.

    ?In addition to ensuring that tools are locked away whenever they are not being used, we also advise that alarms are fitted to vans and outbuildings containing tools and that the alarm is set whenever they are not occupied.

    ?I would also like to take this opportunity to warn anyone who is offered cheap tools for sale not to buy them as they may be stolen and that handling stolen goods is not only a criminal offence, but it also fuels the demand and increases crime.?

    Anyone who has any information that could help the police with their inquiries is asked to call 0845 8 505 505 or the charity Crimestoppers if they wish to remain anonymous on 0800 555 111.

  • Thame businesses support Youth Memorial 19/01/10

    A MEMORIAL to the young people of Thame who have lost their lives prematurely, came closer to being a reality today when a cheque for

  • Donations for Haiti disaster pour in to Thame Oxfam shop 19/01/10

    THE horrific plight of the earthquake victims of Haiti has touched the people of Thame and district, who have been going into the Oxfam Book Shop in Cornmarket, Thame, in every increasing numbers with their donations.

    As of 5pm today, the figure stood at almost

  • Double Bill at Thame Cinema 4 All – January 26, 2010

    MESRINE: KILLER INSTINCT and MESRINE: PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE – France 2008 113 minutes(part 1) 133 minutes (part 2) 15 certificate – Directed by Jean-Francois Richet, starring Vincent Cassel.

    Jacques Mesrine was perhaps little known this side of the channel, but in his native France he was something of a folk hero – bank robber, killer, serial jail breaker, relentless self publicist and media darling. Revelling in his very public notoriety, he spent his time inside in the embellishment of his own mythology, and wrote an autobiography – Death Instinct – the source material for Richet’s thrilling, edge-of-your-seat two-parter.

    The films chart Mesrine’s two decades of legendary criminal feats (including numerous, increasingly spectacular, prison breaks), finishing on 2 November, 1979, when he was executed in a hail of police bullets, an extra-judicial operation for which no prosecution was ever made.

    Vincent Cassel is mesmerising in the role of his career: Mesrine is a brutal man, a properly nasty character, and his account of his own life is sufficiently warts and all to avoid hagiography. However, he is also ambiguous and compellingly charismatic – quick witted, man of his word, master of disguise – to the extent that we are reluctantly persuaded of his frightening allure.

    The two films were inexplicably released in the UK during July and August, meaning that those of us who ignore the summer film schedules missed the opportunity to enjoy one of the year’s most blistering movie experiences. So, as a special treat, we bring you the two of them back to back for an evening of quality gritty gangster cinema – we’re talking more The Long Good Friday than The Untouchables – what the Guardian described as “muscular, forthright storytelling, hard-smoking, hard-drinking action, horribly incorrect attitudes… and bushy moustaches..”

    This Saturday 23rd January, 2010

    The first film is at the much earlier time of 6pm (doors 5.30) with the second starting a little later than usual at 8.15. i.e.there will be a 20 minute interval between the two films.

    Admission to either film is

  • Baby remains critical after fatal collision

    THE young son of a Thame teacher who died after a fatal collision just before Christmas, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

    15 month-old Joseph Bongers was seriously injured in the crash which killed his mother, Ellie Bongers, who taught English at Lord Williams’s school in Thame.

    AA RECOVEREY DRIVER SOUGHT

    PC Dave Mitchell, who is investigating the collision, said: “It has been nearly a month since the collision but we are still appealing for witnesses to come forward.

    ?We are especially keen to trace the driver of an AA recovery van or similar vehicle that was travelling north on the A4260 at the time of the collision with its orange lights illuminated.?

    Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Mitchell at Bicester Roads Policing base via 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to talk to police or leave your name, please contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

    The fatal collision occurred between the Bongers family’s silver Ford KA and a silver Renault Clio, at around 4.20pm on the A4260, on Sunday, December 20, 2009, in Tackley, Oxfordshire,

    Mrs Bongers was critically injured and died later,in hospital, on Christmas Eve.

    Mrs Bongers’ husband, who was driving the Ford KA, was taken to JR2 with injuries to his hand. He has since been discharged.

    The driver of the Renault Clio, a 71-year-old woman, was taken to the Horton General Hospital with serious injuries. She has since been discharged.

  • Two more talented young people to receive cash awards

    AS well as Emerald Baxter
     another Thame gymnast, and a guitarist from Chinnor, are to receive Young Achievers Awards.

    Joining Emerald at the special awards ceremony tomorrow at the Cornerstones Centre in Didcot, will be fellow Oxford School of Gymnastics pupil, 12 year-old Cosette Jackson, and musician, Matthew Hopgood from Chinnor.

    Matthew plays the classical guitar at grade VI and as well as playing in his worship group in church most weeks, has a band with friends from school, who are currently composing their own material. He helps teach classical guitar and is currently working towards his grade VIII.

    PHOTO: Cosette and her partner Sophie at a recent award competition – (Courtesey of Oxfordshire School of Gymnastics web site)