Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Thame’s Christmas lights event – December 04, 2009

    THE programme for Thame’s Christmas lights event this year, Friday, December 04, includes Merlin the Magician and special guests from both Jack and the Beanstalk, and Toad of Toad Hall.

    BBC Presenter, Ken Bruce, assisted by Cllr Don Butler, will officiate at the event, in front of the Thame Town Hall.
    Festive stalls will include festive foods, gifts and decorations and be open for business from 2pm. There will also be a junior golf simulator for younger visitors to test their swing!

    The programme starts at 6pm with the lights being officially turned on at 6.55pm.

    *PROGRAMME*

    6.00pm Mayor?s Welcome

    6.05pm Children?s Choir from Junior Schools accompanied by Thame Concert Band (x 6 songs, 2 each)

    6.20pm Thame Players

    6.30pm Aylesbury Civic Pantomime Guests from ?Jack and the Beanstalk?

    6.40pm Merlin the Magician ? Light and juggling show

    6.50pm Ken Bruce and the Mayor switch on the lights

    6.55pm Community Singing with Thame Concert Band (x2 Songs)

    7.05pm Christmas Blessing by Rev Chamers.

    7.10pm Surprise Visitor introduced by the Town Crier

  • Green Fayre success

    THIS year’s Green Fayre 2009, organised by Thame and Chinnor Friends of the Earth, was a great success, raising more money for the campaign group than last year.
    Over

  • Effects of the smoking ban

    Dear Editor, I am just writing to say that the letter to yourself from Norman Brand touched me deeply. As he said there are over 12 million peoplle that
    are now being de-normalised by their habit of using a perfectly legal product and are suffering terrible isolation.
    Brenda Orsler
    23/11/09

  • Poppy box thieves sentenced

    TWO 16 year-old boys who stole a Poppy Appeal charity box from a Thame shop, have been sentenced.

    At Oxford Youth Court on Wednesday (18/11/09), the two boys admitted stealing the box from the Fuji Image Centre, Buttermarket, Thame, on October 29.

    One of the boys, who cannot be named because of their age, was given a six-month extension to an existing referral order, and was ordered to pay

  • Police warning after attempted distraction burglary in Thame

    THAMES Valley Police is appealing for information and urging the public to be vigilant after an attempted distraction burglary in Thame.

    At 2.15pm yesterday (19/11), a boy went to a property in East Street and asked the occupant, a lady in her fifties, if he could look for his ball in her garden.

    The lady said he could, but to go around to the back garden. She locked the front door and went around to the back to meet him.

    She then saw another man who spoke to the younger boy, before they left.

    The boy is white, around 10 years old, 5ft tall and has short dark hair. He was wearing smart/casual clothing.

    The man is white, in his mid to late thirties, around 5ft 10ins to 5ft 11ins, muscular, with short, sandy coloured hair. He was wearing an anorak and trousers.

    Det Con Vicki Roberts, from Thame CID, said: “Fortunately nothing was stolen on this occasion but I urge anyone with any information to contact the police.

    “There is no reason why a stranger should ever come into your home. All agencies or utility companies should make an appointment and also use a password system.

    “I would urge anyone with elderly or vulnerable relatives, neighbours or carers to check their home security and alert them to the dangers of opening the door to a stranger.

    “Distraction burglars prey on the elderly and vulnerable. If you see people calling at houses and are suspicious of their intentions, I would urge you to contact police immediately.”

    Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Det Con Roberts at Thame police station via 0845 8 505 505, or if you don?t want to talk to the police or give your name, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

    Malcolm Wills, Crime Reduction Advisor, would like to offer the following advice to Thame residents:

    LOCKED – If someone knocks on your door and you are not expecting them, before you go to your front door make sure your rear door is secure.

    STOP ? If someone knocks at your door, stop and think, “Am I expecting someone?” Look through your spy hole or through a window to see who is at your door.

    CHAIN ? Put your door chain on before opening the door.

    CHECK ? Ask for the callers Identification and check this by phone.

    IF IN DOUBT KEEP THEM OUT

    Leaflets about bogus callers are available from your local police station.

  • Smoking ban and the demise of the pubs

    Dear Editor, I do not expect many who read this site to agree with me. Perhaps not many are pub “regulars” – remember that term? But there is a wider and very sad perspective to the revival of the Cross Keys pub, if pub is what it will still be, according to my 50-odd years experience of them. I raise this because a national, political and social issue is involved.

    The wider background I refer to is the relentless decline of the traditional local, all over the country, as mentioned in your report . The death blow, of course, was the total and totalitarian smoking ban, brought in by the Government in July 2007. Note that this was a departure from the Labour election manifesto which provided for pubs to decide whether or not to allow smoking: to provide for a degree of choice, indeed.

    The result of that has been the collapse of social networks, of organic resorts of camaraderie among some people, often the old and frail. Look at some of the sites on the Net devoted to campaigning for an amendment of the smoking law and read of the sadness and bitterness, not only among pub regulars but among elderly and isolated folk, whose one day out was a visit to a Bingo hall, now closed – because of the ban.

    The new licensee is quoted, as saying that one of the first things he did on arrival was to get rid of the pool table. One need not feel sad for any people who might still have enjoyed using it. They will have already decided to give up going to the pub, I suspect. Why pay serious money for a pint of beer and then go outside to drink it in the rain?

    I have loved pubs all my life. And so often they have not been the friends of their regular clients. Apart from the present assault, nay the social cleansing of them from their premises which has occurred since 2007, the other attack was the atrocity of keg beer, 40 years ago. I campaigned against it when a pint of Double Diamond or Red Barrel acid attack was 2s 8d – if anyone visiting the Cross Keys would understand how much that was. It was a lot out of

  • Burglary, Wheatley (Status: Press release)

    THAMES Valley Police is appealing for information after a house in Park Hill, Wheatley, was burgled this morning (20/11/09).

    Between 5am and 6.15am, thieves forced open a sash window to gain access to the property.

    PC Emma McGrath, investigating the burglary, said: “It is likely that the thieves were scared off by the alarm sounding as nothing was stolen.

    “I appeal to anyone who might have seen suspicious activity in the area this morning, to contact me.”

    Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact PC McGrath at Didcot police station via 0845 8 505 505, or if you don?t want to talk to the police or give your name, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

    Operation Breaker is a Force-wide campaign aimed at reducing the number of burglaries across the Thames Valley area. For crime prevention information and advice to help keep your home protected, please visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk

  • Residents warned over refund scam (Status: Ringmaster message)

    THIS is a Ringmaster message from Thames Valley Police. Residents are being urged to be on their guard against bogus officials offering to give council refunds, relating to council tax, business rates or benefits.

    People are being called and told they qualify for a refund and then asked for their bank account details so the payment can be made. They are also informed an “admin” fee will be charged.

    Similar types of attempted fraud have been reported across the country. These can range from phone calls to emails.

    South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District Councils are both warning residents to be on their guard against these scams. Neither Council would phone or email to request details of bank accounts to refund overpayments. Neither would it charge for such a service. Anyone due a refund would receive a bill detailing exactly how much they are owed.

    South Oxfordshire District Councillor Jane Murphy, Cabinet Member for community safety said, “We advise people to be on their guard against these fraudsters. The key message is keep your bank and credit card details safe and never give out your PIN number. If you are entitled to a refund, the council will send you a letter showing how much you are owed and arrange a method of refunding you.”

    Cllr Tony de Vere, Leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council and Executive Member for Community Safety, said: “We urge anyone who is unsure that a caller is genuine to ask them for their name and job title and then phone them back via the respective council switchboards – 01491 823000 for South residents and 01235 520202 for Vale residents. If the situation is suspicious, please report it to the police on 0845 8 505 505.”

    20/11/09

  • Appeal to businesses for support for Thame Youth Memorial

    THE Trustees of the Thame Youth Memorial Trust, are appealing for the support of local businesses to help them raise funds for a memorial to the young people of Thame who have died tragically. The following is a letter from the Trust’s Chair, Mike Dyer:

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    Sadly, over the years, Thame has unfortunately lost several young people to tragic and unexpected circumstances. A unique and visionary project, supported by Thame Town Council and involving all sections of the community, is now under way to build a permanent memorial in the town, which we believe will be the first of it?s kind in the country.

    The memorial garden has already been completed and, at an opening ceremony scheduled for 3 January 2010, will be dedicated as a place of reflection and remembrance for those who died too young, the ?lost youth of Thame?. Thame Youth Memorial Trust, involving many young people amongst its Trustees and supporters, is now seeking to raise funds to design and commission the memorial itself.

    You will become aware over the next few months of many events and initiatives in support of this charity but the first main fundraiser will be a community raffle, for which we need your help and support. The raffle will be widely supported through many outlets and the objective is to touch every individual, household, and business in the community ? our aim is to sell at least one ticket to every resident of Thame and the surrounding villages. We will launch at the garden opening ceremony and run through to the Big Draw in the Spring.

    We are therefore looking for some really great prizes and, indeed, have already received some very generous offers. This project will be the highest profile local community appeal of 2010 and has already attracted considerable media coverage, including ThameNews.Net, the front pages in the Thame Gazette, an interview on Radio Oxford, and a slot on BBC TV South.

    Businesses donating headline prizes will be featured on the tickets, and all donors will be credited on our web site which can include a hyperlink to your own web site if desired.

    Thank you in advance for your time and support. I really hope that you are able to contribute to our raffle and make a difference by supporting your local community.

    Kind Regards,

    Mike Dyer

    Chair of Trustees – Thame Youth Memorial Trust.
    76 Park Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3HU (07973 440229, mike.dyer@thameyouthmemorial.org )

    To find out more visit our website at www.thameyouthmemorial.org

  • FREE Christmas parking for shoppers

    SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council is providing free parking in all its pay and display car parks, including those in Thame, in the run up to Christmas.

    Starting on Saturday, December 5, 2009 all council car parks will be free in the afternoons from 12 midday, every Saturday up to Christmas day. There
    is no need to buy a ticket, although the maximum stay still applies.

    David Dodds, Cabinet member with responsibility for car parks, said:
    “I?m delighted the council is again able to give this boost to the local economy by providing these free parking periods. By not charging for parking in its car parks from 12 midday onwards on Saturdays in
    December, we hope to encourage people to visit and shop locally in our market towns.”