Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Face lift for Elms Park on the way

    PLANS to improve Thame’s Elms Park have moved a step closer this week, with the town councillors agreeing to provide sturdy new fencing along the back line of the park, new flower beds and a brand new set of gates for the Park Street entrance.
    The work is to be carried out following consultation with Community safety officials and The Friends of Elms Park group.

    The park has been the focus for anti-social behaviour by groups of young people over recent years and the dumping of garden rubbish over the back fence from adjacent houses. The police, the Neighbourhood Action Group, the town council and ‘the Friends’ group have all been working to make Elms Park a more pleasant recreational space for the wider community.

    Photo: Elms Park, Thame (Courtsey of Thame Town Counci)

  • Advance notice: Santa Fun Run/Walk – December 7

    IN AID of Thame Guides new headquarters, Southern Road, Thame, on Sunday, December 7.
    Starts at DAF Trucks 11am; 1.5 miles or 3 miles.
    Pre-book on 01844 261269 or 260074 – Santa hats provided.

    BEST DRESSED SANTA COMPETITION PRIZE

    Entry before December 1 –

  • Party girl sexually assaulted in Thame

    THE Police are appealing for witnesses after a 17-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in Thame on Sunday morning (16/11).

    The girl was at a private party on Saturday at Thame Leisure Centre, when at around 1.30am, she was followed into the disabled toilet by a man and sexually assaulted.

    The man is described as white, around 5ft 6ins and was wearing a white polo shirt or top and blue jeans, of medium build with short, mousey coloured hair.

    Det Con Kim Dugmore investigating the incident said: ?I am keen to speak to anyone who was at the party who might have any information to help us with our investigation.
    ?The girl was talking to some people in the corridor before she was followed into the toilet and there were also people waiting outside who might have seen either of them leave afterwards. I urge anyone who might have seen the girl or man to contact me.?

    Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact Det Con Dugmore 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.

  • Advice against trailer thefts ? South Oxfordshire

    THE Police are appealing for witnesses and advising the public to look after their equipment after an increase in the number of trailers being stolen.

    Since the beginning of October there have been nine trailers stolen in the rural areas of Henley and Wallingford, with a combined value of more than

  • Town council to consider funding football stadium shortfall

    THAME Town Council is to consider a request from the Thame Football Partnership, to fund a quarter of a million pound shortfall to build new football facilities for the town.
    In a presentation to the council’s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee last night, the Chair of the Thame Football Partnership, Jake collinge, said that the total Capital cost for the new facility, which will include a stadium, 9 pitches, 170 car parking spaces, a function room, changing and match official rooms, is

  • Help for parents Christmas shopping in Thame

    ONE of the reasons often given by parents of young children as to why they prefer to shop in big, out-of-town shopping centres rather than their local town, is the difficulty of manoevering pushchairs in and out of small shops.
    Well, in Thame help is at hand. Thame First, which works to help maintain and promote the economic vibrancy of our Market town, has got together with Racquets Fitness Centre, to provide affordable creche facilities on the three Saturdays leading up to Christmas, to enable parents to Christmas shop, safe in the knowledge that their kids are being looked after by professionals.

    The creche will be open on Saturday 6, 13 & 20 December from 9.45-11.45am and 12-2pm.

  • Thame Festival to celebrate moon landing

    THIS year’s Thame Festival and Carnival will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first man on the moon in 1969, with the chosen theme, Space.
    The date for this year’s carnival is Saturday, June 13th.
    Plans are already underway by this year’s Festival Committee, Chaired by Bob Champion, assisted by a team of volunteers including members of Thame Lions and Thame Rotary.

  • Beauty and the Beastie – and Ken Brucie!

    THAME PLAYERS’ panto this year will include voice overs by BBC Radio 2’s mid-morning man, Towersey resident, Ken Bruce.
    BEAUTY AND THE BEASTIE is written and directed by Robert Duncan, best know for the famous, Not particularly Orange range of greetings cards.

    Beauty and the Beastie is set in the highlands of Scotland and when Robert needed a strong, resonant Scottish voice to read two voiceovers in the script, finding the right person was proving a problem. Step forward Radio 2 DJ, Ken Bruce. As Robert himself put it, ?I realised that Ken Bruce was the ideal person to provide the voiceover, so I simply asked him if he would do it, and of course I am delighted he agreed. In fact he has already made the recordings and they are exactly what I was looking for?

    Beauty and the Beastie is a traditional family pantomime with lots of colourful costumes, stunning special effects, evil Baron, daft brothers and of course, a pantomime dame. Beauty herself will be played by newcomer to Thame Players, Kimberley Thornton. The music for the panto has been specially written for the show by Molly Paynter whose musical, A New Light, was performed on the Players Theatre stage in 2000.

    The show will be performed between 5th and 14th December with evening performances at 7.45pm on weekdays, and matinees at 2pm and 5.30pm on weekends.

    Thame Players pantomimes have sold out in recent years and tickets for Beauty and the Beastie are selling well and likely to follow suit. Tickets cost

  • Close win for Thame United

    Bicester Town 0, Thame United 1
    MATCH REPORT 15/11/08 – Oxfordshire Senior Cup

    It is six years ago that Thame United won the Oxfordshire Senior Cup for the second consecutive season. Since then the club has been evicted from its ground and been relegated twice. Nevertheless, Thame
    played well on Saturday and beat higher league opposition in a close game at Bicester, winning by the only goal in the first round of the competition.

    The home side had marginally more possession, but were unable to penetrate an increasingly well-organised Thame defence.

    Bicester had the better of the opening exchanges but, against the run of play, Thame went ahead in the 14th minute. Following a home attack, the ball was cleared to Ben Connelly on the right near the halfway
    line. Thame’s on-form winger made a good run, beating his marker on the way, and hitting a perfect cross over the home keeper’s head and finding the unmarked Mark Jones who finished confidently, at the far
    post. Thame could have increased their lead a few minutes before halftime when, what looked like a well rehearsed set piece from a corner, resulted in Nik Rhodes forcing an excellent save from the Bicester keeper.

    There was a moment of drama six minutes into the second half. A Bicester attack saw the ball crossed from the right and a Thame defender unfairly stopped an attacking forward from heading it. The
    referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Luckily for Thame, Chris Johnson placed his spot kick too close to Thame keeper Paul Searl who blocked it. Johnson reached the rebound first and fired another shot which Searl again blocked. As the ball ran free, both the keeper and Johnson went for it and the ball seemed to cross the goal line. The referee judged however that Johnson had fouled Searl and Thame were awarded a free kick.

    The remainder of the game was end-to-end stuff with Thame substitute Tom Hoskin hitting the post and Searl making some fine saves at the other end. There was a moment of concern when, within a minute of
    Thame bringing on their final substitute, team captain, and central defender Dave Hocking was injured. Thame adjusted their formation however with Sam Cowan moving to defence and Hoskin moving to
    midfield, whilst Hocking hobbled on up front. The final few minutes saw the Thame goal under siege but they held onto the lead, and will face local rivals Chinnor in the next round.

    Thame United: Searl, Newell, Graves, N. Rhodes, Hocking, Cowan, Connelly (El-Kassir), A. Rhodes, Catlin (Hoskin), Jones (Williams),
    Wallace.

  • Thame’s most humorous speaker?

    A MEMBER of Thame Speakers Club defeated three other contestants recently, to win the title of the club’s most humorous speaker.
    The winner, Jim Robinson, will now move on as the Club?s representative in an area wide competition.
    His speech was a parody of the EU safety rules and regulations in the home.

    Other participants were Ian Brearly, Phil Rose and Gavin Casperz. All are members of the Thame Speakers Club.

    Thame Speakers Club is one of more than 10,500 Toastmasters Clubs around the world and each Autumn approximately 50,000 members compete in Club level contests. Through eliminatory competitions at area, division and regional levels, nine contestants will gather in the US and vie for the title of ?World Champion of Public Humorous Speaking.?

    It is a long road but Jim Robinson has taken the first step.

    NEXT MEETING : November 26. Guests are always welcome to go along and find out what Thame Speakers Club are all about. The club meets at 7:45pm for an 8pm start on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month, at Thame Snooker Club, St Andrews Court, Wellington Street.