OXFORDSHIRE youth workers have decided to strike following the news that the county council is to make cuts to local youth services.
The vote to strike was agreed last week in response to discussions within Oxfordshire County Council to reduce the funding for youth support from
THAME Youth Theatre?s revival continues with all three groups staging original productions this coming week (from Thursday, 17.12.09)in the newly opened Phoenix Performing Arts Studio.
On Thursday, the Juniors and Middies will perform a double bill, the Juniors presenting an adaptation of a traditional English folk tale, Cape o?Rushes, while the Middies tackled a version of the much-loved classic, A Christmas Carol.
On Friday and Saturday, December 18th and 19th, at 7.30pm, the Seniors will be performing the premiere of an original musical based on the fables of Aesop, with music written by local musician, Steve Bannister.
Chris Walters, who wrote the script, explained: “Its full title is Aesop ? a comic soap opera of betrayal, violence and death? with songs, and that pretty much sums up its approach. It tells all the stories that people know, even if they didn?t know they were by Aesop ? the Tortoise and the Hare, the Lion and the Mouse, etc – but instead of telling them one by one, they mix them up together, like? well, like a soap opera.”
The production is bright and colourful, with hummable songs, bright colourful costumes, and a sense of vitality and humour that makes them suitable for the whole family.
Tickets, at
FIRST film this Saturday, 19/12/09, is the winner of TC4A’s Christmas Family vote, at 4pm at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame.
And the winner is: CORALINE – PG cert – 100 minutes – 2009:
Coraline is an only child. She has just moved to a creaky old apartment in a dilapidated pink guesthouse with her parents. Mum and Dad are too absorbed in their own work to pay her any attention. So, imagine Coraline’s delight when she discovers a little door hidden in the living room – at night it opens to reveal a passage to an alternative world. Coraline is a dazzlingly imaginative animation, technically brilliant, visually staggering and quite magical.
There’s plenty for the whole family to enjoy and Thame Cinema 4 All hopes you’ll join them for a bit of a festive family frightener. But be warned – it is definitely a bit scary: if you were on a sofa, some of the family would end up behind it.
THEN, at 8pm,
THE BLUES BROTHERS – Please Note, the film is a 15 cert!
John Landis’ cult classic comedy from 1980 starring Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi and a host of music legends including James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker, and all of the original MG’s. Cracking dialogue, a few explosions, a legendary cast, a catalogue of catch phrases, an awesome car chase, and arguably the best movie sound track of all time. Don’t miss your chance to see it again – and if you haven’t seen it already you’re in for a treat – and come and shake your tail feather with us this Saturday, December 19th.
Doors open 30 minutes before film times; Admission
LEAGUE GAME: 12/12/09 – Thame United 3, Newbury 0 – MATCH REPORT from Bob Dickson:
THAME United returned to their winning ways at Wallingford on Saturday when they defeated Newbury 3-0. Although when the game started, Newbury were in 15th league position and Thame were third, the game was close and, apart from a fifteen minute period in which United scored all their goals, their was little to choose between the two teams.
The first half was fairly even. The visitors came close to scoring when, after about 20 minutes when visiting midfielder, Daniel Lachacz hit the Thame post from a free kick. Two minutes later Thame?s Ben Connelly was unlucky to see his chip, which had beaten the visiting keeper, headed off the goal line. Shortly afterwards, Nik Rhodes found the back of the visitors net following a set piece from a corner, but his effort was ruled off-side. At half time with the game was goalless, with Thame unable to find their real form.
Whatever manager Mark West said to his team at half time clearly worked as they controlled the first 15 minutes of the second half. United?s first goal came 5 minutes after the restart when Adam Rhodes hit a long, defence splitting, diagonal ball to Luke Ricketts on the left wing. Ricketts ran at goal but as he hit his shot, he was pulled back and the shot went wide. The referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Adam Rhodes took the spot kick, placing the ball in the bottom left of the goal.
Three minutes later Mark Jones met an Adam Rhodes free kick with a powerful header, forcing an outstanding save when the visiting keeper tipped the ball over the bar. Thame however equalised from the resultant corner when Nik Rhodes directed a header towards Jones who scrambled the ball in at the left hand corner from close range. Amazingly, the home side, who were now dominating the play, scored their third goal two minutes later. Following a run on the right Connelly played a good ball to Adam Rhodes who, beat his man, and hit a high cross from the right by-line to Jones who skillfully headed in. It could have been four a few minutes later, when Adam Rhodes met a Connelly cross, but his header hit the crossbar.
The visitors came back and started to pressurise the Thame goal and home keeper Lee Orkney was called into action. On 72 minutes Connelly was unfairly ?up ended? by the visiting keeper. Connelly went to react to the challenge but his self-discipline kicked in and he walked away. Amazingly and unjustifiably, the linesman called the referee over and Connelly was dismissed. With the job done, and down to 10 men, United were content to defend their lead for the remainder of the game.
Thame United: Orkney, Cowan, Newell (Way), N. Rhodes, Boult, El-Kassir, Connelly, Rhodes, Jones (Braun), Rogers (Wakelin), Ricketts.
Thame do not play in the league again until Boxing Day, Saturday 26th December, 2009, at 3pm, when they meet third placed Henley Town in a game which United must win to keep their promotion hopes alive.
photo: Thame United Manager, Mark West
TODAY NHS Buckinghamshire presented the findings of a review panel into changes to medical cover at Thame Community hospital and others within its remit, and the panels recommendations.
The PHOSC (Buckinghamshire Local Authorities Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Public Health services)considered the findings of the panel and agreed by way of vote that the change in contract for GP cover from local GPs to a private company, did not detrimentally effect patient care, nor was it substantial enough to have warranted public consultation.
These conclusions are directly opposed to the views of the Thame public, local GPs and The Friends of Thame Community Hospital, who collected around 4,000 signatures to have medical cover returned to the local GPs and for the new contract to be reviewed.
The PHOSC also asked that NHS Buckinghamshire return at a future date to present progress reports on eight recommendations to the committee.
NHS Buckinghamshire Chairman, Stewart George, said: “NHS Buckinghamshire will continue to carefully monitor the quality of care under the new GP contract now that the Buckinghamshire Public Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee has upheld the findings of the independent panel.
“I look forward to receiving the formal requests from the Buckinghamshire PHOSC on how we will proceed with the recommendations outlined in the independent review.
“I also recognise that we didn?t do a good enough job in communicating with our patients, public and GPs and that we must improve the way get information to and from all stakeholders in the future.”
THE RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation 1 – Substantial variation (Ed. Hospital supporters claimed that the Bucks PCT’s proposed reduction in medical cover hours constituted ‘a substantial’ change and such should have gone to public consultation)
“There are different perceptions as to what constitutes substantial variation. A tool is needed to help identify what constitutes substantial variation, which could be applied in the future. Other areas use such tools and NHS Buckinghamshire should discuss these with Buckinghamshire Overview and Scrutiny Committee with the aim of agreeing such a tool.”
Recommendation 2 ? Number of hours of medical cover
“The tender was offered on a lower and higher hour basis dependent on the size of the ward (4/5/8 and 8/10/16 hours a week). The contract was agreed on the basis of the lower level. While this might be sufficient once the nurse-led model is fully developed, it was felt the hours needed to be re-negotiated for a temporary period on an individual hospital basis while this development occurred. It is proposed that the contract for medical cover has flexibility based on learning from experience. The starting point could be that the medical cover is provided between 4/5/8 and 8/10/16 hours a week while the nurse development programme is completed in order that the units can become mature enough to be fully nurse-led units. A timescale should be agreed for this transition period and the service continually reviewed to ensure the contract meets service requirements. As The Practice plc would have been awarded the contract on the basis of either the lower or higher number of hours, there is no reason to re-tender the medical cover.”
Recommendation 3 ? Multidisciplinary team working
“The doctors providing medical cover should discuss with the nurses how best to enhance their team working, including the points in 5.6.”
Recommendation 4 ? Future role of community hospitals
“There is an urgent need for NHS Buckinghamshire to define the role for its community hospitals within its commissioning strategy. If this results in a significant change in the level of community beds this would need to be taken account of in the hours of cover provided in the future.”
Recommendation 5 ? Links with local GPs and League of Friends
“NHS Buckinghamshire and Community Health Buckinghamshire should explore ways of creating closer links with each community hospital?s League of Friends and local GPs.”
Recommendation 6 ? Provision of information
“NHS Buckinghamshire should immediately carry out an awareness raising campaign aimed at both the public and health professionals to publicise and explain the services provided at each community hospital.”
Recommendation 7 ? Patient and public involvement
“CHB should have involved patients or carers in the drawing up of the service specification. The PCT should re-double its efforts to ensure patient and public involvement informs its commissioning of services.”
Recommendation 8 ? Accountability to the Board
“Community Health Buckinghamshire should report back to the Board of NHS Buckinghamshire after three months to confirm that all identified issues have been addressed.”
BACKGROUND – Enter the words “Thame Community Hospital” in the search box – right hand side of Home page of ThameNews.Net, to bring up all previous news items about this subject
AN exhibition currently running at Thame Museum shows just how the Victorians celebrated Christmas.
The exhibition runs until December 22, 2009, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays between 10am and 4pm, and on Sundays between 12 noon and 4pm.
The exhibition includes displays, children’s activities and dressing up. Admission is free.
Image: Courtesy of www.victoriana.com
TWO men and a girl have been charged with being in possession of a class B drug.
John Cheshire, aged 46, of Fernhill Close in Tiddington and Liam Strachan, aged 19, of Fernhill Close in Tiddington, have been charged and released on bail to appear at Oxford Magistrates? Court on 17 December, 2009.
A 17-year-old girl from Fernhill Close in Tiddington has been charged and released on bail to appear at Oxford Youth Court on 23 December.
The charges are in connection with a drugs warrant at a property in Fernhill Close on 16 September.
NEXT year, BBC TWO is launching a new series which will travel the country in a hunt for the nation?s home movie archive.
This is the nation?s story through the eyes of its most important historians: the British people.
They are looking for any amateur-filmed footage that reflects the events of the last seventy years. It might be footage of the summer of 1976, or the great storm of 1987. It might be street parties celebrating the Coronation, Jubilee or the Royal Weddings. They?re interested in footage of people?s hobbies or the big events in their life ? perhaps an important wedding or birthday party. They would love to see any footage of local festivals, or people who perhaps went on to be famous – a local who went on to be a sports or pop star for instance.
They are interested in finding any footage you may have of Royalty, or the building or opening of important buildings in the area. It might be Beatlemania for instance, or political demonstrations. It could be that the footage is very particular to the area ? the local industry ? from ship building to cider-making.
The BBC is throwing the net very wide, and would be really interested to hear from individuals or organisations about what they think is of importance and what deserves to be seen on the small screen.
If you have old cine, video or film footage the BBC would love to hear from you. They are happy to take it on any format and guarantee its safe return.
At this point, the project is still at the research stage ? so the producers are keen to hear about what people have. If any clips are used in the series, then a fee will be paid.
Please contact the production team at:
samia.murphy@diverse.tv or on 0203 189 3228.
Or you can post your footage to: Home Movie Roadshow,
1 Ariel Way, London W12 7SL
IMAGE: Courtesy of www.familyvideos.co.uk
MATCH REPORT – Thame Netball Club 02/12/09 – Score: Tornadoes 33 V Southcott 13
THAME Tornadoes achieved another win on Wednesday night, (02/12/09) beating Southcott 33 – 13. Thame played a superb game and the win was a result of a real team effort. Shooters Vanessa and Carol were on top form and they played brilliantly together to ensure Thame took the win. Yet again Thame demonstrated some excellent mid court play with excellent passing down the court and some fantastic interceptions. Thame Hurricane Penny played for the Tornadoes due to a shortage of players and she had an excellent game at WD – defending brilliantly and intercepting well. Tornadoes circle defence also played excellently, making it difficult for the Southcott shooters. Overall Thame played a very strong game and the outstanding team performance allowed the Tornadoes to secure yet another win.
Team: Hannah White (captain), Sue Dunn, Penny Caudle, Rachel Wilkins, Karen Fowler, Carol Storey, Vanessa Hake and Emma Young.
SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council has scooped a prestigious ?2009 Green Award? for its communications campaign that helped launch its new recycling and refuse service.
The award in the category for ?Best Green Direct Mail? was announced at a ceremony in London on Wednesday 18 November. The Green Awards recognise and reward creative work that communicates the importance of sustainable development and ethical best practice. The council?s campaign also reached the shortlist for Best Green Public Sector Campaign.
The council won the award for the series of information leaflets provided to residents in the run-up to the new waste service launched in June 2009. The leaflets were designed and produced by Ferrier Pearce Creative Group, working closely with the council, the Vale of White Horse District Council?s communications team, and waste contractor Verdant.
Judges commended the campaign for its use of environmentally-friendly material and said: “South Oxfordshire District Council delivered a
pack with engaging, clear and concrete information regarding what to recycle, and how, to 60,000 households. As a result, they moved from
being 124th on the UK Local Authority recycling register to one of the best in England.”
David Dodds, South Oxfordshire District cabinet member for waste, said:?We always strive for excellence and it is good to see this reflected
in the award. We fully appreciated our new service was a big change for all our residents, and so our challenge was to help them through this
transition by providing clear, easy-to-follow information on how the new scheme would work.
“We can?t thank residents enough for producing such a stunning performance following the launch of the collection service. Our recycling and composting rate nearly doubled, making us one of the best performing districts in England.”
Jonathon Porritt CBE, Programme Director of Forum for the Future and Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, said of all the award winners: “In a world of imploding certainties and deepest doom and gloom, we need more than ever to be celebrating the work of those who are already building that better, more sustainable world that is emerging from the chaos – and that?s exactly what the Green Awards are all about.”