Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Cash boost for cycle training (Status: Press Release)

    YOUNGSTERS from Oxfordshire are to benefit from cycle training following a

  • Royal Opera House soloists to appear in Thame

    SOLOISTS from the Royal Opera House will be singing with one of Thame?s fastest growing choral societies in April.
    Elizabeth Sikora and Adrian Thompson have both been appearing in The Magic Flute at Covent Garden this month and will be joined by local bass, Andrew Jarvis to perform Elgar?s Dream of Gerontius with Lord Williams?s Festival Chorus and the Ealing Symphony Orchestra, on Saturday, April 26th.

    Under the direction of internationally renowned conductor John Gibbons, Lord Williams?s Festival Chorus now regularly attracts top calibre soloists.

    At their December concert, the audience was stunned when the country?s fastest-rising classical star, Nicola Benedetti, appeared unbilled as a surprise guest to play the Sibelius Violin Concerto.

    Elizabeth Sikora has performed numerous roles with English National Opera and the Royal Opera. She also has a long association with the Royal Ballet.

    Adrian Thompson is President of Lord Williams?s Festival Chorus and professor of vocal studies at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He is an artist of extraordinary versatility, with a wide-ranging opera, concert and recital repertoire of works.

    Dream of Gerontius is the intensely personal story of one man?s death and the journey of his soul. It will be at performed at Thame Leisure Centre on Saturday, April 26th, at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Rosemary Scott-Smith, Tel: 01844 344083. More information can be found at www.lordwilliamsfestivalchorus.org.uk

    Lord Williams?s Festival Chorus rehearses every Monday evening (term-term) at Lord Williams?s Upper School hall, 7.30 ? 9.30pm. All are welcome.

    The choir?s patron is Bafta award-winning composer and former Lord Williams?s pupil, Howard Goodall.

    Photo: Elizabeth Sikora

  • Very special Easter present for town councillor

    THAME Town Council, with others in the town, have issued its congratulations to a Thame councillor, following the birth of her baby daughter on Easter Sunday (March 23).
    Councillor Nichola Dixon’s baby was born at Wallingford Hospital and weighted in at 9lb 13oz. Mother and baby are both very well.
    Nichola is only the second serving councillor in recent times to give birth during office.

  • Thame United lose last chance for silverware (Contributed)

    March 22 – WANTAGE TOWN: 4, THAME UNITED 1 – MATCH REPORT.
    The last chance of silverware this season for Thame United disappeared on Saturday with a disappointing defeat to Premier Division Wantage Town in the Supplementary Cup. In freezing conditions played in a gale force wind with regular snow showers, Thame were unable to find any rhythm and, in the end, were well beaten by a solid Wantage Town.

    However, the result could have been very different had Nathan Jack done better in the 9th minute when his quick turn was followed by a drive from 18 yards that shaved the right hand post. Five minutes later and it was Wantage who broke the deadlock when a move down the Thame right resulted in a low cross that the on-rushing forward Paul Day slid home from 6 yards. Thame then pressed for an equaliser and the best chance fell to striker Paul Searl in the 25th minute whose shot on the turn from 8 yards sailed narrowly over the bar.

    With a 1-0 scoreline at half time and the wind behind them in the second half, Thame looked set to place the home defence under pressure. However, Wantage extended the lead within 5 minutes of the re-start when the ball fell kindly to former Thame striker, Danny Keen, who placed the ball beyond keeper Mike Higgs. Keen scored his second and the third for Wantage 15 minutes later, forcing the ball home after Higgs had done well to save a fierce free kick from 25 yards. 20 minutes later and it was 4-0 as Nathan Hall stroked the ball home from wide right.

    To their credit Thame continued to press forward and scored a consolation goal in the 87th minute when a through ball from Adam Rhodes was met by player manager Mark West, who squared the ball for skipper Dave Hocking to drive in to an empty net from 6 yards. In the end though it was too little too late, leaving Thame to wait until next season for potential cup success.

    Thame United: Higgs, N.Rhodes, Graves, Hocking, Watkins, Cowan, Thompson (Hoskin), A.Rhodes, Searl (Leach), Jack (West), Ricketts

  • Thame turn it on for second half (Contributed)

    MONDAY, MARCH 24: Chinnor 1, Thame United 3 – League game – MATCH REPORT:
    Thame United just did just enough on a bitterly cold Easter Monday afternoon to collect the points at Chinnor.
    The opening exchanges were fairly even with few chances, but then Chinnor started to get the upper hand. The home side went ahead after 15 minutes when midfielder Adam Stallwood met a cross from the right with a well-placed volley from the edge of the penalty area, which gave Thame keeper Mike Higgs no chance. Encouraged by this goal Chinnor pressurised the Thame goal and had some good chances to increase their lead, but the visitors defended well with at least two goal-bound efforts deflected and Ben Connelly blocking a shot on the goal line. Towards the break, Thame came back and created some chances of their own, but the teams went in for half time with Chinnor deservedly in the lead.

    The second half was very different. It started fairly even but 10 minutes in manager Mark West brought himself on and played up front. With his first touch, West created a good chance for Adam Rhodes who was so surprised to find himself in space, 8 yards from goal, that he shot wide. Thame equalised a few minutes later when Connelly hit a low ball across the goalmouth and this time Rhodes fired home from close range. Fifteen minutes later West, who had been encouraging his team vocally, scored Thame?s second goal. Once again the provider was Connelly who hit a cross from the right, which was collected by Stuart Barr and despite some nifty footwork, Barr; finding himself marked by three defenders slid the ball to West who hit a first time, 15-yard, shot which finished in the back of the Chinnor goal. The home side fought back, but it was ?game over? with 4 minutes to play, when Barr struck a well-placed 25-yard shot into bottom right hand corner of the home net.

    Thame United: Higgs, Hocking (Capt), Watkins, N. Rhodes, Jewell, Cowan, Connelly (Searle), A Rhodes, Leach (West), Barr, Ricketts.

  • Lord Brian Rix to launch tour at Thame theatre

    BRIAN Rix, the veteran actor and producer of Whitehall Farces in the 50s and 60s, and latterly President of the charity Mencap, is embarking on a nationwide tour with his one man show A PEER ROUND WHITEHALL.
    In the show, Lord Rix presents an evening of reminiscences and anecdotes from his time in farce to his current membership of the House of Lords, with film clips. He reflects with great wit and humour on his 27 years as an actor on stage, television and film and describes how he became absorbed with the work of Mencap and gave up the stage to work full time for the charity.

    Lord Rix has chosen The Players Theatre in Thame to launch his tour, in association with Clive Conway. The show includes clips from some of his stage and film performances and promises to provide a poignant, nostalgic and memorable evening.

    A PEER ROUND WHITEHALL can be seen at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame on Sunday, April 6, at 7.45pm. Tickets cost

  • Thame to be consulted on site for cattle market

    THE district council is asking residents to have their say on the best sites for relocating Thame Cattle Market, in a bid to secure the long-term future of the market.
    The council?s four-week consultation will provide residents with an opportunity to say which sites they think would best accommodate the cattle market, and why. A Thame Cattle Market questionnaire and accompanying information leaflet, which outlines the background to the move and potential new sites, is available from the district and town council offices, at Thame Library, and online at: LINK

    The council will also be holding an exhibition on April 14, at Thame Town Council where residents can view information on potential sites, speak to council officers, and give their opinion on their preferred option. The council will also hold a number of other exhibition events in Thame throughout the consultation period.

    South Oxfordshire District Council says that: “The consultation has arisen out of the need to secure the future of the cattle market – the livestock market is important to Thame and the wider district as it is one of the few remaining in the south of England. The market needs a new location as there is limited capacity to provide new and improved facilities on the existing site, due to its size and location on the edge of the town centre.”

    John Cotton, Cabinet member for planning, said:
    ?The council understands just how important Thame Cattle Market is to Thame and the surrounding areas. We also appreciate that any new site will have impacts for any immediate neighbours. We want to ensure that local residents are provided with the opportunity to have their say on all potential options.
    ?I would encourage Thame residents to complete the questionnaire online or pick up a questionnaire and leaflet from the district or town council offices, or at the local library. The exhibition on 14 April is also an ideal opportunity to speak to us and find out more about this important issue.?

    Thame Cattle Market has operated from the site off North Street since the 1950s. Since 1997 approximately 20 other cattle markets in the surrounding area have closed and only six other markets within 100 miles of this site now remain.

    There is considerable support in the town to develope the cattle market site (if and when it is vacated) for community use, including a community centre, perhaps some small-scale retail units, parking and some low cost housing, just some of the ideas mooted by the Thame cattle market action group (Cmag). They are to to discuss with 21C Thame, the possibility of carrying out a survey among the business community about potential use of a community building similar to that carried out by Cmag for leisure/community use.

    How does the cattle market fit into the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011?

    There are no specific sites allocated in the current South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011 for the relocation of the cattle market. Policy THA1 relates to the existing site and recognises that the market in North Street may stop being used for livestock purposes. The criteria for an appropriate mixed-use scheme on the market site are set out in the Local Plan. If the cattle market does stop operating on the site the council will prepare and consult on a development brief for the site at the appropriate time.

    LINK
     here to see some possible plans for redeveloping the cattle market site.

  • Free cool milk returns to Oxfordshire nurseries

    CHILDREN in Oxfordshire nurseries will be enjoying free, cool milk as part of a ‘Cool Milk’ early years scheme.
    Cool Milk already operates the primary school milk scheme in Oxfordshire and its successful relationship with Oxfordshire County Council was a key factor in expanding the scheme to include nurseries.

    This means Cool Milk will take over the paperwork and administrative burden of providing free milk to nurseries. The organisation will work with local dairies to organise the supply of milk and then claims back subsidies on behalf of nurseries.

    Colin Garnham-Edge is General Manager of Food With Thought, Oxfordshire County Council’s school meals provider. He said: ?We already work with Cool Milk on our very successful primary school milk scheme and I?m delighted that we?re now able to roll out this brilliant scheme to Oxfordshire pre-schoolers as well.
    ?Cool milk takes away all the hassle from school milk for everyone involved, and anything that helps kids to get a healthy drink at school has our full support.?

  • Invitation to voluntary groups in Thame

    THE Thame community Network is planning to host a display of the activities and work of the voluntary groups in Thame.
    The organiser of the event, Cllr Beatrice Dobie, said: “The event is to mark National Volunteers Week and will be held in Town town hall, on June 7, from 10am to 1pm. It is hoped that a wide range of groups will take part. Groups and organizations who would like to take part should let the town hall know by Monday, April 21.”

  • Thame’s young people raise funds for world’s poor

    A Charity Acoustic Night, organised by a group of young Thame musicians and their friends, was a great success and raised a substantial amount of money to support the work of Christian Aid and CAFOD in tackling poverty.
    Emmy & Peeco opened the evening with some terrific cover versions. The event saw a magnificent performance from the Lord Williams?s School Jazz Band (comprised of 2 saxophonists, a pianist, clarinettist, flautist, drummer and double bassist) led by the wonderfully charismatic Roger Simmonds.

    Wilber, a BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards Finalist, performed superbly, including one lilting number on a twelve-string guitar.
    The entertainment was rounded off with a stripped down acoustic set from The Youngs Plan, a pleasant surprise as they sounded more full and lively without a full rhythm section.

    Over 80 people attended the event, held at the Thame Barns Centre last Saturday, March 15, helping to raise overall