Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Building a Better Business Event in Thame

    THERE is to be a Late Breakfast – Building a Better Business Event in Thame on Thursday, May 21, at The Spread Eagle Hotel, Cornmarket Thame OX9 2BW, between 9 – 10.30 am.

    This month’s event will include a presentation:
    Modern Marketing – by Christine Rayner ACIM DipM
    of Tangram Ltd.

    ? How does traditional marketing interlink with modern marketing?

    ? Why is it important to do both?

    ? How does the balance work?

    Marketing is at the heart of every business but how do you mix the new with the traditional in a cost effective and efficient way without breaking the budget?
    Christine has been working with small businesses creating effective cost effective marketing plans for almost 12 years.

    You can book or simply turn up on the day. Either way the entry fee of

  • All female team at the top in Thame

    WITH the selection of a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Thame yesterday (12/05/09), the town council now has an all-women team at its helm.

    Working with the guidance of Town Clerk, Helen Stewart, the new Mayor of Thame is Cllr Jeannette Matelot Green and her deputy will be Cllr Nicola Dixon.

    After taking the Chair at last night’s Thame Town Council AGM, Cllr Matelot Green said that she intends to get more involved with the development of the Thame Cattlemarket site and that she will “insist on the continuation of the Thame Information Centre which is vital for Thame.”

    The new Mayor also vowed to work to make the High Street “a more pleasant place to be in during the evening.” She said that there had been “a serious deterioration lately with young people in cars congregating there, particularly at the weekends when the Pizza Parlour is open until 2am.”

    Cllr Matelot Green told the council that she hoped it would look at ways of improving parking in Thame and investigate ways to make temporary use of empty shops in the town for community use, for which, she added, Government grants are now available.

    She promised more consultation with residents about such things as The Core Strategy. “It is important that we do our best as a council to get the right solutions for Thame,” she said.

    The Mayor concluded: “When I first moved to Thame, I thought I had found the perfect spot. Now I feel that I have to maintain it and fight for it.”

    Photo: Left: Thame’s new Deputy Mayor, Nicola Dixon
    Right: The new Mayor of Thame, Jeannette
    Matelot Green

  • New faces at Thame Cricket Club (Contributed)

    THAME Town Cricket Club have started their 2009 season in surprisingly fine weather, and have introduced a number of new faces into the club.

    Adam Krol and Mitchell Meredith have moved on to Horspath C.C. and Chris Mitty has rejoined Cumnor after helping the club out in the keeping department last year. We wish them all well.

    Pratik Patel has joined from Ealing C.C. and now wants to try his hand in Oxfordshire cricket. He has always scored runs against Thame in the past in end-of-season friendlies, and the club has high hopes for him. Lance Giles has joined from Kent league cricket, and Simon Joliffe has joined from Cuddington. Seetal Patel has joined from Eastcote CC, and is another very promising young player.

    With Manoj Parmar and England U-16 player, Michael Beard both in form in pre-season games, the First XI began their Home Counties League season against Wokingham at Church Meadow. Thame Town were inserted on a pitch with some early movement and were 65 for 3 when skipper, Rob Brooks, was joined by all-rounder Luke Merry. They put on 84 for the fourth wicket with Merry going on to make 72 and Brooks, 55, in Thame’s final total of 222 all out in the last over. Thava finished with W.C.C. career best figures of 7/49.

    When Wokingham replied they were in deep trouble at 30 for 5, before Soza (49) and Thava (49) fought back. Sam Lachlan claimed 3 for 14 off 10 overs and Luke Merry, 3 for 55 off 17.4.

    After the seamers, Bhatti took 4 for 29, with the last wicket falling to Merry in the second-to-last over to give a well deserved victory to Thame Town.

    The club is always looking for new players of all abilities. For more information, contact Angus Lachlan on 07966 280139 or email: angus.lachlan@talk21.com

  • Nominations in for local election in June

    THE nominations are now in for the election of two county councillors for the Thame and Chinnor Division, in the election on June 4, 2009.

    The five candidates are as follows:

    Atkinson,Will
    Coppers End,
    Abingdon Road,
    Culham,
    OX14 3BW
    Labour Party

    Bretherton, David William
    33 Towersey Drive,
    Thame,
    OX9 3NR
    Liberal Democrat

    Brown, Susan Woolford
    34 Canal Street,
    Oxford,
    OX2 6BQ
    The Labour Party

    Carter, Nick
    66 Park Street,
    Thame,
    Oxfordshire,
    OX9 3HT
    Conservative Party

    Curtis, Stuart
    2 Red Cottages,
    Elsfield, Oxford,
    OX3 9UL
    Green Party

    Laver,David Arthur
    9 Conduit Hill Rise,
    Thame, Oxon,
    OX9 2EJ
    Liberal Democrat

    Levison, Brian Lewis
    6 Princes St,
    Oxford,
    OX4 1DD
    Green Party

    Wilmshurst, David
    6 Leyburne
    Gardens, Chinnor,
    Oxon,
    OX39 4EL
    Conservative Party

    MORE information about the County Council Elections can be found on the council’s website

  • Speeding new priority for neighbourhood policing in Thame

    THAMES VALLEY POLICE’S neighbourhood policing team in Thame has been working with the Neighbourhood Action

    Over 648 surveys from residents were returned and as a result the top three priorities have been identified as speeding, litter and parking.

    The last time a similar survey was done, the two top concerns were anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

    Sgt Chris Hazell, from the neighbourhood policing team said: “I am really looking forward to actively working with our partners to tackle these issues identified by the community.
    “We will be liaising with agencies including South Oxfordshire District Council and residents to ascertain exactly where the problems are and come up with workable solutions.
    “Our aim is to continue working towards keeping the Thame area a safe and pleasant place to live and work and I am pleased to say that from the questionnaires there were 143 who had no issues or concerns and we our hoping to raise this number over the next few months.”

    The NAG consists of police, councillors, community safety wardens, residents, businesses and other agencies.

  • ‘Miracle’ Thame accident victim home for a day

    The recover of a young Thame man, who was kept in a coma for almost three weeks after being seriously injured in a car crash, has been described as ‘miraculous’ by his family.

    Joe Robinson, who plays rugby for Chinnor RFC and cricket for Thame Cricket Club, was kept in intensive care during a medically-induced coma whilst doctors and his family waited to see whether he would recover enough to be able to breath by himself, and whether he would be able to communicate again.

    Then, last weekend, he opened his eyes and tried to speak to those around him and since then, has slowly improved enough to be able to be taken out of intensive care.

    On Saturday, Joe was allowed to go home for the day but today his relieved brother, Harry said: “Now, Joe is back in hospital recovering. He will need months of physiotherapy and rehabilitation but we are on the road to recovery.”

  • New book about Oxfordshire place names (Amended 11/05/09)

    AUTHOR and publisher omitted from feature:
    Author: Anthony Poulton-Smith
    Publisher: Amberley Publishing

    EVER wondered how our towns and villages got their names? Were they a deliberate creation by our ancestors or did they evolve naturally over time? Is there a feline cemetery on Cat?s Brain Hill? Which streets remember the revival of Morris Dancing? Was there really a crossing place for cattle at Oxford? And when did Gibraltar, California and New Zealand come to Oxfordshire?

    Oxfordshire Place Names examines the origins of the names with which we are otherwise so familiar. Towns, villages, districts, hills, streams, woods, farms, fields, streets and even pubs are examined and explained. Some of the definitions give a glimpse of life in the earlier days of the settlement, and for the author there is nothing more satisfying than finding a name which gives such a snapshot.

    The definitions are supported by anecdotal evidence, bringing to life the individuals and events which have influenced the places and the way these names have developed.

    This is not just a dictionary but a history that will prove invaluable not only for those who live and work in the county but also visitors and tourists, historians and former inhabitants, indeed anyone with an interest in Oxfordshire.

  • Thame News reporter is lonely!

    YOUR ThameNews.Net reporter is lonely. Seeks other Thame residents interested in what’s going on in their town, in their name!

    ThameNews.Net editor, Sonja Francis, is fed up with being the only person in the public gallery during town council meetings and would like to invite other Thame residents to join her tomorrow evening (Tuesday May 12, 2009) at 7.30pm, to witness the appointment of the new Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

    As well as these two very important agenda items for the Annual General Meeting of Thame Town Council, you can find out what exactly the four standing committees are responsible for, i.e. Planning & Environment; Culture, Leisure and Recreation; Policy and Resources and the Personnel Committee, and who represents you on outside bodies like The Thame Festival Committee, the Thame Museum Trust and the Leisure Centre Management committee.

    If you can’t make tomorrow’s meeting, there are committee meetings most Tuesday evenings which, though not of rivetting interest every week, can often be very informative and even amusing sometimes. Come and see what the councillors you have elected are doing on your behalf.

    Agendas for all these meetings are available from the town hall.

    Please, please join me!

  • Increase in early payment parking fine for Thame car parks

    THE current discount for paying parking fines incurred in some of Thame’s car parks early, is to to be reduced.

    Currently, any one paying parking fines incurred in the High Street or the Upper High Street car parks, gets a 50% discount if they pay within 14 days, incurring a cost of

  • Thame Farmers Market to celebrate 10 years of trading

    THE first Thame Farmers Market was held in July, 1990, the first to be piloted in Oxfordshire. This year will be its 10th year of trading and plans are underway for celebrations sometime in August.

    Four of the 16 stall holders have been coming to Thame throughout those 10 years. Bunting and entertainments are being planned to create a real ‘birthday’ atmosphere and a celebrity is being sought to cut a birthday cake .

    Thame Town Council’s Policy and Resources committee agreed to ask full council at its next meeting to grant