Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Happy Halloween advice (Status: Press release)

    HALLOWEEN is nearly here and can be a great time for children to get dressed up, have parties and play trick or treat.
    The majority of trick or treaters are harmless, supervised by adults, and will not cause any problems if residents do not wish to take part.
    However, each year a few people throw eggs or flour at houses and there in an increase of anti-social behaviour during the evening. This can be distressing for elderly of vulnerable people.

    Extra officers will be patrolling the area throughout the evening on October 31, to ensure that the evening can be enjoyed by everyone.

    In advance of Halloween, police are also urging shopkeepers not to sell eggs or flour to youngsters in the run up to the day.

    Crime Reduction Adviser, Julia Wheeler, said: ?Halloween is a great time for children, youths and some adults to dress up and go out into the night to knock on doors to play ?Trick or Treat?. The majority of your callers will be harmless and will be happy even if you say no thank you.

    ?We would like to make sure that everyone has a happy and safe Halloween and I would like to offer the following tips to avoid being tricked this Halloween:

    ? If you don?t want to be disturbed, display a Thames Valley Police poster that says ?no trick or treat? available from local police stations, libraries, town and parish council offices or download it from www.thamesvalley.police.uk
    ? Don?t open your door if you are unsure who is there. Use your spy hole, look out of a window, and use your door chain if you decide to open your door
    ? Have a contact number of a close relative or good neighbour to hand by your telephone, just in case you need to phone them
    ? If you feel threatened or vulnerable call the police
    ? If you are in a Neighbourhood Watch scheme let your co-ordinator know that you will be on your own at Halloween. Likewise, if you are a co-ordinator you can identify people within your scheme that may be vulnerable, and offer them some reassurance
    ? In an emergency phone the police on 999.

    We also recommend that children out trick or treating should follow these safety guidelines:
    ? Always take an adult with you or tell an adult where you are going
    ? Never knock on a stranger?s door
    ? Never go out on your own; always go with friends or family
    ? If someone says no thank you or doesn?t open the door to you they are probably frightened, so walk away and don?t be a nuisance to them
    ? Don?t disturb someone displaying a notice that says ?no trick or treat?
    ? Never accept an invitation to go into house
    ? Avoid dark and lonely places.

    ?Police across the county are working in partnership with local shop keepers and schools to reduce the number of anti-social behaviour related incidents at this time of year.

    ?Please help us to help others by not sending your children along to the local shops to buy items, like eggs and flour, as these may cause a nuisance to others over Halloween, and ensure they don?t take these items out of the house. Some shops will be displaying posters this year stating that they reserve the right not to serve anyone under the age of 16 with such items.

    ?Always remember that those intent on going out at Halloween to throw eggs and other substances at houses and cars could be committing an act of criminal damage and this is an arrestable offence.?

  • Thame Information Centre lives to fight another day!

    FOLLOWING a threat from the district council to withdraw funding from the Thame Information Centre, Thame Town Council has today reported a reprieve.
    In a statement today, the council said: “A recommendation is being made by South Oxfordshire District Council to continue the funding that supports Thame Information Centre for 2009 ? 2010. This will be confirmed at the District Council’s Cabinet meeting on December 4.
    A long with other town and parish councils in the district, Thame Town Council feared a reduction in the service they offer from information centres, and staff redundancies.
    See earlier report
     from October 24.

  • False

    URGENT WARNING: A man is currently going around the town centre in Thame trying to pay for goods using counterfeit

  • Thame MP’s Christmas card competition

    THAME’S MP, John Howell, has asked Thomley Hall’s young people to design his Christmas card.
    Thomley Activity Centre is for children and young adults with disabilities and specific needs such as autism. and is based near Worminghall on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border.

    The front picture for John Howell’s Christmas card will be selected from designs prepared by the children and young people in a competition which will take place at the Centre during October.

    The winning picture will be selected by Henley resident, Dame Stephanie Shirley who, through The Shirley Foundation, is helping to facilitate scientific research into the causes of autism, by 2014 and to halve its global costs by 2020.

    John Howell said: “I am delighted to use my Christmas Card to promote Thomley Activity Centre and am particularly pleased both that the young people at the Centre will be producing the picture for the front cover and that Dame Stephanie, who has pioneered so much work into autism, has agreed to select the winning picture.
    “This is a constituency filled with examples of exceptional charitable activity. I have seen the impact Thomley Activity Centre can have on the lives of families in which a young person is disabled or has specific needs and it is a pleasure to be able to work with it on this project.”

    Claire Acworth from Thomley Activity Centre added:
    “We were pleased that our new MP came up with such an original idea to support us and the work we do. Thomley Activity Centre provides a unique recreational facility for disabled children who attend with their families, schools, respite carers, play schemes and groups. We are delighted that this Christmas card will reach people who do not yet know about the Centre.”

    ENDS

    Notes to Editors:

    (1) A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WILL BE NOTIFIED SEPARATELY WHEN DAME SHIRLY PICKS THE WINNING DESIGN

    (2) Contact: John Howell MP ? 0207 219 6676 or 07889 646845

    (3) For information about Thomley Activity Centre – contact Claire Acworth on 01844 338380 or claire@thomleyhall.org

    Thomley Activity Centre is the only facility of its kind within a 35 mile radius. Set in 7 secure acres of countryside, Thomley enables children to learn through freely exploring our soft play room, music room, computer room, chill-out room, craft room, play rooms, swings, roundabout, aerial zip wire and a cycle track.

    The aims of the centre are to achieve the following outcomes.

    o To increase the self esteem, health, confidence and social skills of disabled children and their siblings through accessible play and recreation.

    o To provide parents with an opportunity to meet others who have disabled children, to lessen their isolation and to increase their ability to support their children through play.

    o To help the community gain understanding and acceptance of disability issues so they can include disabled children within their own community activities.

    Due to the uniqueness of the centre, families, schools and groups come from 13 different counties to use the facilities offered, with the majority coming from Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Thomley is seeing a trend of over 30% annual increase in centre usage and expect approximately 6,000 child visitors this year, not taking into account the increasing numbers of parents who also benefit from support through the centre.

    (4) For information about Dame Stephanie Shirley and the work of the Shirley Foundation visit www.steveshirley.com. To see the work of Autism Speaks visit http://www.autismspeaks.org.uk

    Photo: Staff and children from Thomley Activity Centre

  • Thame’s MP to take Nuclear Fusion to the House

    JOHN Howe MP is to host an event in Parliament to showcase the work of the UKAEA Culham Science Centre on nuclear fusion – the energy source which occurs naturally in the sun.
    Many people believe that Nuclear fusion will be one of the few long-term, environmentally friendly energy sources available to us in the future.

    The Culham Science Centre has been at the leading edge of fusion research for over 40 years. It is currently host to the world-leading fusion experiment JET, and UKAEA?s innovative own programme, MAST.

    During the event, Culham?s new director, Professor Steve Cowley, will set out to MPs and Peers his vision for fusion and for Culham which he sees remaining at the centre of global fusion studies.

    John Howell said: “I am delighted to have within my constituency the world?s leading centre for fusion research. This is not only about cutting edge science; it?s about cutting edge engineering too. It?s also an opportunity to give the UK a head start in the commercial exploitation of fusion technology.
    ?I have always been a fan of fusion as the answer to our long term energy needs and I am delighted to help Professor Cowley set out his views to my colleagues in Parliament.?

    Professor Cowley commented: “I am delighted that our new constituency MP, John Howell, has given us this opportunity to brief members of Parliament. Culham exemplifies the best of UK science and it is the world’s leading fusion research laboratory.
    We are at the forefront of making fusion, a vital carbon-free energy source, a commercial reality.”

    Photo: a plasma vessel, part of the Joint Eurpean Tauraus (JET) project at Chulham, near Abingdon.

  • Seasonal low for Thame United (Contributed)

    MATCH REPORT: League game – 25/10/08 -Thame United 2, Holyport 5.
    This was Thame’s heaviest defeat this season. Yet, with 20 minutes of normal time remaining, they were leading with fives minutes to play, the scores were even. On the balance of 85 minutes play, a draw would
    have been a fair result.

    The first half was goalless. The best chance of the half was a superb glancing header by Thame’s Matt Miller, which forced a brilliant save from the visiting goalkeeper. Apart from that one moment of quality, the half was fairly flat, with Thame just edging it.

    Holyport went ahead ten minutes into the second half when visiting captain, Chris Woods, hit a strong 15-yard shot that took a deflection to beat Paul Searl. Thame were on level terms two minutes later when Ben
    Connelly hit a cross from the right, which the visiting keeper misjudged and deflected into his own net.

    The home side took the lead on 58 minutes when the ball was played to Miller who beat the advancing keeper and hit an acute shot which was about to cross the line, when Adam Rhodes and a defender both went for the ball and helped it over. The goal was awarded to Miller.

    The visitors fought back and Woods struck again on 74 minutes with a well-placed 20-yard shotgiving Searl no chance.

    Then disaster struck! Central defender Matt Graves, who had played a key role in Thame’s defence, and was my man if the match, was substituted with a groin strain. Without his leadership ‘at the back’ the final 10 minutes turned into a rout.

    On 86 minutes, Aaron Yennon met a corner with a glancing near post header to put the visitors in
    front. Two minutes later Jake Brooks headed another corner in at the far post. Thame’s defensive problems then got worse when right back, Lee Thompson, went off injured. Holyport’s final goal came in injury time
    when unmarked striker, Lee Jerrum, picked up a long ball from his left and ran 30 yards before rounding Searl and finishing well.

    Thame United: Searl, Thompson (Williams), Newell, N Rhodes, Graves (Stocker), Cowan, Connelly, El-Kassir (Hoskins), Miller, A Rhodes, Wallace.

    Thame entertain Newbury next Saturday, November 1.

  • Advance notice: Tickets on sale for panto in December

    Thame Players presents BEAUTY AND THE BEASTIE – a panto for all the family. Tickets go on general sale today, October 27, at Tickets Anywhere, Greyhound Walk, Thame, telephone 0871 2227232.

    Tickets cost

  • Hertford succombes to Chinnor seconds

    CHINNOR 2XV resumed their league duties against Hertford 2XV at Kingsey Road last Saturday, October 25. With the first 1XV playing Rosslyn Park at home, the 2XV were to display their skills away from pitch one, for the first time this season. What a display it turned out to be.
    Hertford went ahead via a penalty, when Chinnor were judged to be holding on to the ball in the loose. However, straight from the restart, great pressure from the Chinnor pack resulted in Matt Webster breaking clear to draw the remaining Hertford defenders and pass to supporting scrum half, Tommy Jarvis, to score the first of Chinnor?s tries.

    Chinnor forwards were putting on a great display of power play in the loose, led by Ed Rixon and Andy Milburn. Again, hooker Matt Webster took the drive forward to score the first of his three tries in the first half. Thad Cooper back from university this week, converted two of the tries and slotted a penalty to take the score at the break to 27-3.

    The first half continued much as the first with Thad Cooper kicking a further penalty as Hertford tried in vain to bring an illegal physicality to the game. Two power plays from debutant lock Duncan Williams saw him go over for two tries, one resulting from an impressive line out play. Another Cooper conversion moved the score to 42 -3.

    Hertford took advantage of a Chinnor error on 60 minutes for a converted try. This hard, physical game took its toll on the players and Chinnor had used all their replacements when Andy Milburn had to seek attention to a cut cheek, joining skipper Rob Fenwick (broken nose) in the medical room. The changes saw Chinnor still out-perform Hertford in the set pieces and were far stronger in open play with forwards and backs combining exquisitely for man of the match Matt Webster go over for his fourth try.

    With the score at 47-10, Hertford pounced on a rare error in Chinnor?s 22 to take the final score to 47 ? 15.

    Next Saturday the 2XV have a top-of-the-table clash home game against Cambridge 2XV. Taking this performance forward, a great game of rugby will be on offer to our growing band of home supporters.
    Kick Off 2.30pm.

  • Towersey man in sexual assault charge (Status: Press release)

    A 55-year-old man has been charged with sexual assault on a child aged under 13-years-old.
    Nicholas Graves, from Manor Road in Towersey, appeared at Oxford Magistrates? Court on Thursday (23/10), and will be appearing there again on November 6.

  • Floodlit Thame United fail to get the upper hand

    MATCH REPORT – HPL Hellenic League Floodlit – Cup game, 22/10/08 – Ardley United 2, Thame United 1

    The last time Thame visited Hellenic premier outfit Ardley United they conceded six goals. That season Thame were relegated, but although Thame now play in a lower league, there was little to choose between the two teams on during Wednesday evening?s Floodlit Cup match.

    The game started evenly with both teams creating good scoring chances. As the half progressed, however Ardley gained the upper hand and Thame?s goalkeeper Paul Searl was forced into action. Fortunately for Thame, he was in good form and the first half ended goalless, but with the home side slightly ?ahead on points?.

    Thame came back strongly in the second half and deservedly went ahead 15 minutes after the restart. Winger, Ben Connelly played a quality ?defence splitting? ball from just inside the Ardley half into the path of recently brought on substitute, Tom Hoskins. The speedy Hoskins calmly beat the advancing goalkeeper and knocked the ball into the empty net with his first touch of the match. Thame continued to press and there was some entertaining end-to-end football, with Searl making some excellent saves before in the 77th minute, the home side equalised. Sammy Ibrahim found himself in space and hit a strong, well-placed 20-yard shot that gave the Thame keeper no chance. With 2 minutes to play, just when it looked like extra time, Ardley were awarded a free kick on the right, about 30 yards from goal. It was well taken and beat the Thame defence before midfielder Danny Mason headed in at the far post. In the final minutes, Thame laid siege to the home goal but it is Ardley who will progress to the next round.

    Thame United: Searl, Thompson, El-Kassir (Smail), N Rhodes, Graves, Cowan, Connelly, a. Rhodes, Williams (Hoskins), Barr, Wallace.

    Thame are at home (Wallingford) for the next three Saturdays. They face Holyport on 25th October, Newbury on 1st November, and South Kilburn on November 8th.