Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Characters and heroes on two wheels

    ANYONE travelling along the Thame to Longwick Road on Boxing day, might be forgiven for thinking that they may still be under the influence of the liquid festive cheer they had indulged in the day before.

    For they are quite likely to find themselves sharing the highway with some very strange-looking characters on bicycles.

    But fear not oh Christmas traveller, for most likely ’tis only members of Wycombe Cycling Club, taking part in their traditional 11 mile time trial for which many of them will be donning fancy dress!

    On a more serious note, the club, which includes several members from Thame, recently learned of the death of their elder statesman, Jack Pearson. He was 96 years old and had been a member of the Club since 1927, almost one of the founding fathers and certainly the longest serving – a record unlikely to be ever repeated.

    According the Club’s present President, Gordon Wright, Jack Pearson was an accomplished hard track and grass track rider with a feared reputation. This picture shows him in a commanding position on the front inside, at the Palmer Park cylce track in 1931.

    Jack was Club president from around 1964 until 1983 and was a Club time keeper from around 1957 to 1983.
    He took every opportunity to join members of the club whenever he could and was infact a guest at the Club’s recent annual dinner and presentation evening just days before he passed away.

  • Driver in Wheatley crash texted during journey

    A WAITRESS, accused of causing death by dangerous driving, has admitted in court that she sent texts to friends during a journey that resulted in a fatal crash at Wheatley, near Thame.
    Read the full story
     from The Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

  • Second local derby for Thame United (Contributed)

    FOR the second time in two weeks, Thame United will meet local rivals Chinnor on Saturday, December 20, (3:00pm kick off at AFC Wallingford), in the Second Round of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.

    In a typically hard fought derby match two weeks ago, the game ended all-square at 1-1 with nine-man Chinnor forcing a last minute equaliser through ex-Thame United player and Chinnor manager, Richard Carr. This time Thame manager Mark West, who successfully led United to their two most successful runs in the FA Cup in 2003 and 2004, will be looking to renew his magic touch in cup competitions by steering United to a third round tie with either Launton Sports or Clanfield.

    The game promises to be as exciting as the recent league fixture, with both teams looking to gain local bragging rights. With the league match two weeks ago having the highest attendance of any Hellenic League game, a large crowd is also expected at AFC Wallingford, and an equally close game anticipated, with Thame having had the upper hand over Chinnor in recent meetings, but with Chinnor currently above Thame in the League.

    Unfortunately United?s preparation for the game was hampered last weekend when the fixture with Bisley Sports was postponed due to the poor weather conditions. Chinnor were one of the few teams to play, and came away from Eton Wick with a 2-1 victory and, on the back of this, will go in to the game feeling confident. Admission for the game is

  • Struggling market traders ask Thame council for help

    LIKE retailers generally, the market traders of Thame it seems are feeling the pinch in the current economic down turn, and have turned to Thame Town Council for help.
    Secretary of the market traders, Chris Hurdman, told town councillors that many of his colleagues were struggling to survive and that five of them were leaving the market after Christmas. He appealed to the council to consider at least putting a freeze on the traders’ rents and if possible, to reduce the rent for the next year or two to help them weather the storm.

    The Chairman of the Thame market traders, Mike Braun, told ThameNews.Net today: “Five years ago, if someone left the market, there was a waiting list of 14 – 15 traders to replace them, now we are quite desperate to find replacements.
    “We must make sure that we do not lose the market in Thame, or that it becomes like Banbury, half what it was and looking a mess, by offering affordable rents to help attract new traders.
    “At the moment, the people of Thame are supporting us and we are just about all right but we need to attract a new breed of stall-holder. Any help the council can give us, would be much appreciated.”

    The council agreed to meet in the new year to consider the market traders’ request.

  • Learning and teaching on-line aid goes county-wide (Status: Press release)

    A web-based learning programme aimed at transforming teaching and learning is to be rolled out to schools across Oxfordshire.

    Oxfordshire County Council has signed a

  • Haddenham toddler group faces closure

    HADDENHAM Toddler Group (formerly known as Haddenham Mother and Toddler Group)is facing closure at Christmas after about 33 years of existence, as the current committee is due to stand down and no-one has come forward to take on the roles of chairman, secretary and treasurer.

    If you can help, please call Shelley on 290171. It is known that the club was founded in 1975 or 1976, soon after the Youth and Community Centre opened, but the club?s records only go back to 1989. If you were involved in the early days and/or have any photos, please contact Shelley with information.

  • E-fit of 280 bus armed robber released

    THE Police are renewing their appeal for witnesses and have issued an E-fit of a man they would like to speak to following a series of armed robberies in Oxfordshire.

    The E-fit is an image of the man who robbed driver of the number 280 ARRIVA bus in London Road in Wheatley at around 9.40pm last Wednesday (1/12).

    This robbery was followed by another which happened at around 3.30am on Thursday when an Asian man got onto an Oxford Tube coach at the bus stop near to the Green Road roundabout in London Road, Headington. He threatened the driver with what was believed to be a gun and demanded cash, hitting the driver over the head with the weapon.

    A taxi driver was then robbed in Northway on Thursday night (11/12) at around 9.50pm when he was on his way to collect a passenger. At around 5pm on Saturday (13/12), a man holding a gun went into Ladbrokes in London Road, Headington and told a member of staff to hand over cash.

    On Sunday (14/12) at around 9.44pm, a man was in the car park behind the Co-operative store in Summertown when another man threatened him with what is believed to be a handgun and demanded he hand over his belongings.

    Det Insp Simon Morton, investigating the robberies, said: ?Money is the motive for these robberies but on each occasion the amount of money that has been stolen has been minimal because bus drivers and taxi drivers don?t carry much cash on them for exactly this reason.
    ?This E-fit is of the man who robbed the bus in Wheatley and I believe that this robbery could be linked to the others but am keen keeping an open mind an investigating every possible avenue.
    ?I believe that the robber is local and an opportunist and would like to take this opportunity to ask the public to remain vigilant and contact the police if they see anyone acting suspiciously. I appeal to anyone who might recognise the image or have any information about any of the robberies to contact me.?

    Anyone with any information about any of these incidents is asked to contact Det Insp Morton at Oxford CID 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.

  • Can you spare time to meet and help someone new?

    ….asks the South and Vale Carers Centre.

    “Our scheme to train and place volunteers is gathering speed, and we already have a terrific team in the field. But here at the South & Vale Carers Centre in Didcot we would like to recruit more: would you be interested in helping out someone caring for a relative in their own home? You would be introduced to a household where the carer and the cared-for person are living, and asked to stay in the home while the carer took some time off: perhaps an hour a month, perhaps an afternoon a week.

    “This would all start off with an interview for you, and references sought, and then a short training course to equip you for any situation and send you free from anxiety into your future as a volunteer! We will take care in matching volunteers and cared-for people, and you would have constant support by phone when you need it as well as ongoing face-to-face meetings with colleagues and with Chris Elliott, the co-ordinator of the scheme.

    “Chris is waiting to hear from anyone interested, and has much more information to give. Please email her at the Carers Centre on chris@svcarers.org.uk, or phone her there on 01235 510212. She will be delighted you?ve called!”

  • Chinnor Oxen (Vets) XV strength in numbers proves the key to destroying the Abbey

    THE blustery, cold, wet weather last Saturday (13/12/), did neither side any favours in this league clash between Chinnor (Oxen) Vets XV and Reading Abbey 3rd?s, the ground conditions ensuring that this was never going to be a pretty match but one for the true rugby fan as the Oxens’ progress continues.

    The game was a close affair with both teams slugging it out in the mud for the first half an hour during which, apart from a missed penalty from Reading, neither side came close to breaking the deadlock. Then, with five minutes to go to half time, Chinnor was awarded a penalty five yards from Abbey line. A quick (ish) tap from Jeremy Philpott allowed the scrum half to dart under the on-rushing defence to dot the ball down for the first score of the match leaving the half time score 5 ? 0 to the Veterans from Chinnor RFC.

    Shortly after the re-start, Abbey used the blindside effectively and broke the Chinnor defence and following several breaks from the back of the scrum, kicked their conversion to make the score 5 ? 7 to Reading Abbey with half an hour remaining.

    Shortly after the Reading Abbey score, Chinnor drove their way back in to the Reading Abbey half, forced a penalty for Dave Wells to step up and slot it home for a further 3 points, making the score 8 ? 7 with 20 ? 25 minutes remaining.

    A welcome return for his first game of this season enabled John Vaughan to give the referee the benefit of his experience during the second half. Counting five scrum halves in the back line, Chinnor were never without a voice on the pitch and in the end the vast experience and the great team spirit within this Chinnor side saw them close the game out with an 8-7 win to jump from 7th to 4th in the league with three games in hand.

    Chinnor Oxen (Vets) XV ? 8 v Reading Abbey 3rd XV – 7

    With a couple of weeks off over Christmas, let’s hope the Oxen can carry the momentum in to 2009.

    Chinnor RFC Oxen (Vets) XV: Mike Bailey, Alan Beveridge, Steve Bridges, Tim DeGlanville, Paul Ewens, Neal Gilbert, Josh Hill, Tony Howells, Doug Humphries, Craig Jones, Jeremy March, Jeremy Philpott, Dave Ratcliffe, Stuart Reynolds, John Sellars, Craig Smith, Andre van der Mewe, John Vaughan, Mike Wiltshire, Dave Wells, Tim Wright

  • Festive reminder to recycle electrical goods

    MORE than a quarter of people in Britain are expected to buy electrical goods as presents this Christmas. At the same time, research by Recycle Now has revealed that on average people have around three old, broken or unwanted small electrical goods items gathering dust in cupboards.

    People who receive electrical goods for Christmas in Oxfordshire are being encouraged to recycle the old or broken cameras, mobile phones, televisions and other goods that gifts will replace, to avoid them being sent to landfill.

    Oxfordshire County Council’s eight recycling centres each allow for such items to be recycled. Some electrical goods can be collected.

    Where are the recycling centres?

    The eight recycling centres are at the following locations in Oxfordshire:

    Alkerton – Stratford Road, Alkerton, Nr Banbury
    Ardley Fields- Brackley Road, Ardley
    Dean – Grove Lane, Chadlington, Nr Chipping Norton
    Dix – Linch Hill, Stanton Harcourt
    Redbridge – Old Abingdon Road, Oxford
    Drayton – Steventon Road, Drayton, Nr Abingdon
    Stanford in the Vale – Faringdon Road, Stanford in the Vale, Faringdon
    Oakley Wood – Henley Road, Crowmarsh, Nr Wallingford
    When are the recycling centres open?
    Over the Christmas period, the recycling centres are open on the following days:

    Wednesday 24 December 8am to 3pm
    Thursday 25 December Closed
    Friday 26 December Closed
    Saturday 27 December 8am to 5pm
    Sunday 28 December 8am to 5pm
    Monday 29 December 8am to 5pm
    Tuesday 30 December 8am to 5pm
    Wednesday 31 December 8am to 3pm
    Thursday 1 January Closed
    Friday 2 January 8am to 5pm

    The closest recycling cenre to Thame however, is in Buckinghamshire, at Wigans Lane, Bledlow Ridge HP14 4BH.

    Councillor Roger Belson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We all seem to know instinctively that we can recycle paper and glass, but when it comes to goods such as old CD players or kettles there still seems to be more of a national tendency to want to throw them in the bin.
    “I would like to urge people who are treated to an electrical item for Christmas to make sure that the piece of equipment it is replacing is recycled properly. Our recycling centres are located conveniently for people throughout the county for people to use.”