Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Texting death driver’s sentence to be reviewed

    A woman recently imprisoned for causing a death by dangerous driving, is to have her sentence reviewed following hundreds of complaints from the public.

    Philippa Curtis, aged 21, from Bury St Edmonds, was given a 21 month sentence after causing the death of Victoria McBryde, in a collison at Wheatley, near Thame, last November. Curtis admitting texting on her mobile phone during her fateful drive from her home to Northampton to meet her boyfriend.

    Since the sentencing, members of the public and the victims mother, have criticised the sentence for being too lenient.

    Photo: Phillipa Curtis (Courtesy of INS)

  • Half term is here – eat well and for FREE (Advertorial)

    PROPER FOOD FOR SMALL PEOPLE @ THE LAMBERT ARMS

    Half term is here, and as well as keeping the little ones entertained, this is an occasion for families to eat together more often and more leisurely, taking day trips and stopping en route. This month The Lambert Arms, at London Road, Aston Rowant, offers a half-term menu which is not only healthy and delicious, but which is also FREE between Sunday 15 February and Sunday 22 February 2009.

    Called ?Proper Food for Small People?, one child eats for free from this menu for every adult eating from the a-la-carte, excluding set price and sandwich menus. The offer is valid lunchtime Monday to Thursday 12 noon to 2.30 pm and in the evening Sunday to Thursday 6.30 pm to 8.00 pm.

    This rather special children?s menu, nutritionally balanced and conceived to help them to their ?five-a-day?, includes mouth-watering and healthy versions of dishes such as Pan fried chicken breast with green beans and mashed potatoes, Mini fish & chips with peas and tomato sauce, or Grilled sausages with broccoli and onion sauce. Two great favourites are Ham and cheese ciabatta pizza with mixed leaf salad, and Penne pasta with fresh tomato and basil sauce. Delicious puddings with a grown up taste include Sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce as well as a selection of Ice creams and Fresh fruit salad.

    With the children happily tucking into their delicious menus, adults can dine from The Lambert Arms? modern British menu, and choose Grilled fillet of Cornish mackerel, crushed new potatoes with white crab meat and basil dressing served as a starter for

  • First place for local martial arts student

    LAST Sunday saw Chinnor’s Phil Keavy take a First in the prestigous Martial Arts National Open Championship.

    The Sifu of the Desoma School of Marshall Arts, Duncan Elliott, told ThameNews.Net about the match:

    “Phil’s catergory, the intermediate under 70 kgs, is very competitive with a lot of up-and-coming fighters in the group, getting their experience before moving onto the senior catergory.
    “I have been working with Phil a lot on his movement which is one of his strengths, but also giving him some good basics to attack with.
    “All this Phil took into the competition arena and won his catergory, going through the quarter finals using a strong side kick, and following up with the fast hand techniques which took hin into the final.
    “The conditioning work really paid off and was contributory to Phil’s well earned first place.”

    The Duncan Elliott School of Martial Arts, based in Chinnor, teaches Kung fu, Taekwondo and kickboxing.
    Classes available Tuesday,Friday and Sunday.

    For Martial art class times, call Duncan on: 07803 630067. Non contact martial art classes are also available.”

  • Be inspired by badminton Olympic gold medallist

    BADMINTON clubs from Thame and Wheatley are joining together to host a Badminton Extravaganza next month at Thame Leisure Centre.
    The event, to be held on Sunday March 15, between 10am and 4pm, will showcase opportunities to play badminton locally and is aimed at adults and juniors at all levels – beginners, rusty racquets, players who are looking to improve their game and those who want to move towards competitive league play.

    For beginners and newcomers, there will be activities and opportunities for play throughout the day so that people can get a taste of this exciting sport. For those already playing, there will be opportunities to play alongside members of the various clubs and to find a level of play that suits them, as well as tips and advice on ways to improve their game.

    Badminton is the UK?s most popular racquet sport and is only second to football in the number of people playing. It?s a sport that can be enjoyed at many levels ? the basics are not difficult to master and you don?t need to be really fit to start playing, (but as your game improves so will your fitness levels!) It’s a lot of fun and can be a great way of meeting new people. We hope that this event will reflect all these aspects of the sport.

    Gold medallist on hand to give advice

    During the event there will be a special guest appearance by Tracey Hallam. Tracey is the 2006 Commonwealth Gold Medallist in Women’s Singles, the 2008 National Women’s Doubles Champion (with Donna Kellogg) and competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. She will be on hand to give tips and encouragement, and will also play in a demonstration match.

    One of the organisers, Diane Eyre from Chinnor, told ThameNews.Net: “This will be a great inspiration for all of us, but especially the younger players to see how the the game is played at a high level – it’s certainly a lot faster and very tactical!”

    Full details for the day are currently being finalised, but will be posted on: www.oxfordshirebadminton.co.uk and will be available from Thame Leisure Centre.

    The clubs involved are Thame Shuttles BC, Thame BC, Long Crendon BC (play at TLC), The Park BC (Wheatley) and The Park Junior BC (Wheatley).

    Photo: Getty Image – Courtesy of www.daylife.com

  • Impressive winter season for Thame Tennis Club (Contributed)

    DESPITE recent poor weather resulting in numerous cancellations and re-arranged matches, teams from Thame Tennis Club have managed to play their winter league fixtures.

    In the Aylesbury League, the Ladies second team in Division 5, captained by Rosie Knight, secured a 4 sets all draw at home to Oving. This was followed by two excellent wins, both of 7 sets to 1 at home to Widmer End and Wendover respectively.
    Team: A Green, L See, S March, M Izatt-Brown, A Morgan & H Richards.

    Meanwhile, in the same League, the Ladies third team in Division 7, in their first winter season, began the New Year with an impressive 6 sets to 2 victory over Long Crendon.
    Team: W Macgregor (c), H Richardson, J Cahill, M Lever.

    Finally, also in the Aylesbury League, the Mixed Team in Division 4 have managed to play several of their matches. An exciting and long match at home to Berkhampsted just before Christmas, played in sub-zero temperatures, ended up all square at 4 sets all. Team: R Wilkins, D Munro, J Ansell (c) & T Merry.

    2009 saw the teams? third draw of the season, this time at home to Aston Clinton where both Thame pairs defeated the opponents? second pair, but lost to their first pair.
    Team: A Green, J Patrick, P Barfield, J Ansell(c).

    A week later the team enjoyed a victory at home against Cheddington seconds, by 6.5 sets to 1.5 sets. Thame first pair, Terry Merry and team captain John Ansell, halved their first rubber against the Cheddington second pair 3-6, 6-3. They went on to defeat the Cheddington first pair 6-2 6-4.

    Second pair Dawn Munro and Richard Wilkins, defeated the visitors first pair 6-0 6-4. Against the second pair they halved the first set 6-6 and then went on to win the second 6-2.

    For more information on Thame Tennis Club, please go to their website at www.thametennisclub.org.uk

  • Arrest after Thame Cuttlebrook sex attack

    A MAN has been arrested and charged with rape and sexual assault, following an attack on two girls in Thame last year.
    Arram Price, aged 19 from Rover Way in Cardiff, has been charged following an incident in Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve on May 10, 2008, when allegedly, one 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and her 16-year-old friend was raped.

    Price has been released on bail and is due to appear before Oxford Magistrates? Court on February 17.

  • First win of the year for Thame United (Contributed)

    MATCH REPORT: Saturday, January 31 – League march: Thame United 3, Englefield Green Rovers 1.

    Thame United secured their first win of 2009 last Saturday at ?home? to Surrey based, Englefield Green Rovers. The win moves United up two places to 13th in the league.

    The first half was a strange affair in that it was a ?half of two halves?. Thame dominated the first 25 minutes whilst the visitors controlled the remaining 20. United took the lead in the seventh minute when Adam Rhodes passed to Ben Connelly who made a piercing run on the right before hitting a low ball across the face of the visitor?s goal which eluded two Thame forwards before being met by Stuart Barr, on the left, who coolly shot home from eight yards.

    It was one-way traffic as Thame mounted attack after attack, with Connelly particularly dangerous, and a comfortable win looked a strong possibility. The tide turned in the 26th minute. Thame goalkeeper Paul Searl, who until then had been a spectator, was forced to make a good save from a long-range shot. Encouraged by this the ?visitors stepped up a gear? and Thame were force to defend. Rovers equalised in the 36th minute when a ball from the right found Enrico Rossini in space and he finished well from 10 yards.

    Thame started to regain control after the break and retook the lead in the 54th minute. Connelly was again the provider, hitting a low cross from the right which both Lawrence El-Kassir and the Rovers keeper met at the near post, causing the ball to run free. Connelly nipped in to collect it and pass across the face of goal to Barr who again finished confidently. A few minutes later Searl was again on form as he got fingertips to a shot which grazed the top on the crossbar.

    With about 15 minutes to play, there was a bizarre incident. Visiting midfielder, Arran Laflen, was harshly tackled by El-Kassir and referee Mr Bird reached for a card. He must however have seen something that I and other spectators did not as, rather than cautioning the Thame player, Laflen was shown a red card and sent off. Visiting players besieged the referee and he must have heard something obscene as during the protests, another visiting midfielder, Richard Sandford, was also dismissed.

    Down to nine men, Rovers were no match for the home side and, with about eight minutes to play, Thame increased their lead when hardworking striker Mark Jones finished well from 10 yards. In the last few minutes, Thame had more scoring opportunities but the visiting goalkeeper made some good saves to keep the score to 3-1.

    Thame United; Searl, Newell (Meredith), J Way, Thompson, Hocking, Cowan (Hoskin), Connelly, Rhodes, Jones, Barr, El-Kassir.

    Thame United visit Bisley Sports next Saturday, February 7 and are at home on Tuesday February 10, when Wokingham & Emmbrook are the visitors (Kick off 7.45.

  • Chinnor HQ office solar panels save tonne of CO2

    THE Solar panels on the roof of the Chilterns Conservation Board office in Chinnor reached a milestone recently when the total CO2 emmission saved since their installation reached 1,000kg.

    Eight solar panels were installed on the office roof in September 2007 as part of the Conservation Board?s plan to become carbon neutral by 2010. Since they were ‘launched’ by Boris Johnson, they have been generating electricity to be used by the lighting and equipment in the office. So far they have generated enough electricity to power the average household for five months.

    “We?re delighted to reach this milestone,” said Steve Rodrick, Chief Officer at the Conservation Board. “The poor summer last year meant it took longer than planned but if we get more sunshine this year it won?t take as long to save the next tonne of
    CO2.”

    The Conservation Board is the public body responsible for protecting the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is trying to become a local role model for reducing carbon emissions and has removed unnecessary office lighting, put in more insulation and reduced staff car mileage. Together with other initiatives like the distribution of free energy-saving light bulbs to parish councils, it all means that the Board is well on the way to becoming carbon neutral.

    Picture: Flash back to when Boris Johnson, who was then MP for the Henley Constituency, officially ‘turned on’ the metre to measure the CO2 saved by solar panels on the roof.

  • Half-term workshop inspired by art exhibition

    Half-term children’s workshop inspired by art exhibition

    Children can use an art exhibition featuring sound, light and theatre as inspiration to build their own moving toy at The Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock this school half-term.

    The Sharmanka Travelling Circus and Gothic Kinetic have used unusual mechanical objects and carved figures in the exhibition, which is performed at the Park Street museum from February 11 to March 29.

    Children can inject a bit of creativity into their week off from school on Tuesday, February 17 by making their own toys at the museum from 2pm-4pm.

    Sculptures that ‘speak’

    The sculptures ‘speak’, each detailing personal and cultural stories of life, death, cruelty and beauty.

    Meanwhile, mechanical objects which include bicycle wheels and old domestic machinery move to create unforgettable sequences of light and sound in 30-minutes performances that are repeated hourly throughout the day.

    Exhibition’s Russian roots

    Sharmanka – the Russian word for musical instrument the hurdy gurdy – is the brainchild of Russian-born artist Eduard Bersudky, theatre director Tatyana Jakovskya and light and sound designer Sergey Jakovsky.

    Councillor Jim Couchman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Social and Community Services, said: “This exhibition is very unusual and a really good opportunity to see a different form of art at The Oxfordshire Museum.

    “We always have a wide range of exhibitions at The Oxfordshire Museum on a whole host of subjects which prove to be popular with visitors.”

    No booking is required for the toy-making session, which costs

  • Thame schools remain closed

    ALL three primary schools in Thame, which include Barley Hill, John Hampden and St Joseph’s, will remain closed today, because of adverse weather conditions on the roads.
    The closures include John Hampden nursery.
    Lord Williams’s school, both Lower and Upper will also remain closed, as will the chinnor Resource Unit at the school.