Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • German Students Visit ThameNews.Net

    A GROUP of pupils are from the Friedrich-Ebert Gymnasium in Bonn, who are currently staying with the families of students at Lord Williams’s school in Thame, visited the offices of ThameNews.Net yesterday (27/11).
    Accompanied by their teacher, Judith Baier, the group discovered how the news is gathered from Thame and the surrounding area, how it is edited and uploaded to the website, and the part the website plays in the community of the town.
    Pupils from the Gymnasium have been visiting Thame every year for over 25 years and welcoming in return, year Nine students studying German at Lord Williams’s school.
    During their visit this year, they will visit Oxford and London and spend time learning about English life, its language and culture through interacting with English young people of their own age, their families, and the school itself.

  • Thame Police Appeal After Bus Stop Robbery

    THAME Police are appealing for witnesses to a robbery that happened near to the M40, Junction 6 bus link at Lewknor, Sunday, November 18, at 10pm.

    A woman was out walking when apparently, she was approached by two men who demanded money from her. When she refused to hand over any money, they hit her and she fell over. The men took

  • Proud Win For Chinnor RFC Seconds

    CHINNOR 2nds, 9 Pts vs. Blackheath Development 0 Pts
    Home Game – November 24 – League Game; Match Report from Walter McGuicken.
    THIS was a tough game played by two good sides, a game that Chinnor 2nds will be both pleased and proud to have won. Blackheath?s 1st team are a national 2 side and Chinnor 2nds played this game with 8 players that were new to the side this season.
    Chinnor as a club is coping with many players being unable to play as a result of injuries and all teams have been affected from the 1st to the 4ths.

    Chinnor started the game with one sub on the bench, and had to call on Joe Pickett who was the benching for the 3rd s to come over and play when they lost Phil Scott-Priestly to a dislocated shoulder, and Darren Oxley (having just come back from a leg injury) to a broken rib.

    The defending by both sides was top draw as can be seen from the score, with no tries scored throughout the game. It took until the 30th minute for Chinnor to get the first points on the board with a penalty by Leon Westerman and then another one with the last kick before half time.
    The Chinnor line out was outstanding – the best it has been this season, with them winning all their throw-ins as well as Blackheath?s.

    The second half was a carbon copy of the first with both teams defending well and both forwards and backs working well together. Once again it took until the 30th minute for Chinnor to add to their score with another successful penalty by Westerman making it 9 pts to nil in Chinnor’s favour.
    The last 10 minutes Blackheath put Chinnor under a lot of pressure and they were awarded penalty after penalty. Deciding not to kick for points, they kept going for tries to get them 7 points. However, Chinnor?s defence held out leaving the final score at 9 points to 0.

    The teams were very fortunate to have a very good and fair referee, which made it a very enjoyable rugby match.
    All Chinnor?s players had very good games but young Sam Blewitt and Sam Black were outstanding playing second row and in the line outs.

  • Thame Park In Need Of Friends

    A NEWLY formed group, lead by Alison Champken-Woods, is concerned that a Thame park is under-used in need of a face-lift.
    Friends of Elms Park is full of enthusiasm and energy and keen to do something for the local community.
    The Friends think that the Park is under used and lacks character so they want to look at how it can become a focal point for Thame. This, they say, could be through promoting its history, improving the facilities or adding something to the design.

    The group has now met twice and the next meeting is planned for December 6, but it could do with some additional members so that all interests are represented.

    Mrs Champken-Woods said:”I know everyone is very busy but this doesn?t have to take up a great deal of your time. The more people that are involved with the project the easier and faster we will see things happening.”

    Anyone interested in coming to the next meeting should contact the Town Hall on 01844 212833 and ask for details of the Friends of Elms Park meeting.

    Photo: Alison Champken-Woods

  • December Gardening Newsletter From Jane Folis

    IT doesn’t seem possible that December is just around the corner and another year is coming to a close. It has been quite an eventful one with plenty of really exciting projects, some nearing completion and others just beginning.
    My job is made all the better working with all of you and I wish you a Very Happy Christmas and prosperous new year.
    Jeremy, his wife and I went off to the Park Lane Hilton a couple of weeks ago to collect our award. It was an amazing event with about 700 people attending. The quality of work was exceptional and we feel very proud to have been a part of it. We think we will enter one or two next year and I am going to get a few published – so we might well be in contact in the spring/early summer to come and get some professional photographs taken.

    The next three weeks are going to be a bit chaotic here, so I apologise in advance for any inconveniences. My office is sinking in one corner, which means I shall have to have it taken down and re-built. This is going to involve a military operation as my cottage is so small. Most of the contents of the office will be boxed up and stored in my neighbour?s garage and the rest in my sitting room and kitchen. We hope to have internet connection and my drawing board fully operative, but the reality remains to be seen. December is not the ideal time to have this work done, but it was the only slot we could find that suited everyone involved. The boxes are sitting here right next to me and I am going to make a start later today.

    As a treat I have decided to take myself off to Florence for a mini-break from 16th to 19th December in the hope that I come back to a fully operative office ready for 2008. It is also a great excuse to stock up on some goodies for Christmas.

    I hope you all have a wonderful break and I look forward to seeing many of you in 2008.

    RECIPE

    English Onion, Pale Ale and Horseradish Pot
    3 tbs Olive Oil
    3 white onions
    2 cloves garlic
    750ml stock
    1 tsp white wine vinegar
    100g Jerusalem artichokes
    2tbs Demerara sugar
    Oil for frying
    270ml pale ale
    4tbs grated horseradish
    sea salt

    Put Olive oil in a saucepan and add the peeled and sliced onions, sliced garlic and sugar. Cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes until they are soft and golden. Add the pale ale, turn up the heat and reduce the liquid by half. Add the grated horseradish, stock and vinegar and cook for another 25-30 minutes. Place the peeled and sliced artichokes in a pan of hot oil and cook until crisp. Drain and season with the sea salt. Pour the soup into pots and garnish with the artichoke.

    SEASONAL TIPS

    As the weather has been relatively mild you could still plant bulbs.

    If you have herbs in pots, such as Bay or Myrtle they could probably benefit from a bit of winter protection. Either bring them indoors or cover in some fleece. Other plants that could benefit from protection include:Tree ferns, Phormiums, Agapanthus

    Pack a bit of straw around the leaves or fronds and then wrap in fleece. Straw is usually available in small packs in pet shops and you can buy fleece by the meter or in manageable packs from garden centres.

    Plant roses, shrubs and trees. If you order bare root check when they first arrive and if they look in the least bit dry, water for several hours before planting.

    If you have new borders to plant, or indeed the vegetable patch, now is a good time to dig over thoroughly and add good farmyard manure, rotted garden compost or other bulky organic matter. This will help break down the soil ready for planting in the spring.

    Check stakes and tree ties before the winter weather sets in.

    with most of the perennials now dormant it is a good time to take stock of the garden. Take a notebook and jot down where you have spaces and what you think might look good next year.

    Clean up garden tools and oil them if necessary.

    VEGETABLES AND FRUIT GARDEN

    Keep watering if we get dry spells.

    Lift and store root vegetables. Many can remain in the ground but species such as potato, celeriac and beetroot will suffer in the frosts.

    Sow broad beans (Super Aquadulce is particularly frost resistant) and lettuces. If your ground is not too sticky or wet you can plant shallots and Jerusalem artichokes in December and January.

    Fruit canes can all be planted out, as can garlic. Garlic needs at least one month in the ground with temperatures below 10 degrees in order to form bulbs. It is best not to use garlic bought in a supermarket. Try Marshalls www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk.

    Winter prune apples and pears and prune grapes after the leaves have fallen. Apply grease bands to protect against winter moth. Spray peaches and nectarines against peach leaf curl.

    Lift and divide Rhubarb crowns. Protect with straw to encourage early growth.

    Start thinking about your seed order for next year. I can thoroughly recommend Marshalls and have used them for years.

    GREENHOUSE

    Fix bubble wrap inside glass houses for insulation and check your heaters are working. Reduce watering and feeding.

    Sow lettuces ready for harvesting in March.

  • Paris Debut For Thame Singers!

    SINGERS from Thame Choral Society were still beaming today after returning from a triumphant concert in Paris on Saturday, where they joined two French choirs for a performance under the baton of International conductor, Bruno Membry.
    The concert, which was repeated on Sunday in Thame?s twin town of Montesson, was performed in the historic ?Eglise des Dominicains? in Rue du Faubourg Saint Honor

  • Ringmaster Message: Thefts From Cars – Thame

    OVERNIGHT between Wednesday, November 21st and Thursday, November 22nd, three vehicles on the Lea Park Estate in Thame, were entered for their contents.
    One of the vehicles was in Astley Road, one in Stuart Way and the third was a van in Wentworth Road. Please do not leave anything of value in vehicles and also properly secure
    If you have seen anything suspicious in these areas please call the police on 08458 505 505 and say you are responding to a Ringmaster Message.

  • Get Snapping And Win Six Months Free Train Travel

    Chiltern Railways is offering you the chance to win six months free travel along their route. All you have to do is take a digital photograph of a Chiltern Railways scene.
    David Whitley, Marketing Planning Manager said: “If you?ve ever fancied yourself as a budding photographer, this could be your chance to get recognised ? and win six months free train travel!
    “All we ask is that your picture has some association with Chiltern Railways, whether that be a train, a station, a destination, our staff or your fellow passengers. It might even be a view from the window.”

    Entry forms are only available online and photographs need to be 2MB or less ? but you can enter as many times as you like.

    All entries must be submitted by the December 7, 2007; to enter visit: Link Here

  • Speed Limit Reduction On Thame Roads

    FROM today, the speed limit on two notorious roads leading to Thame will be reduced to 50mph.
    One of the two roads, both of which have been the scene of many motor vehicle accidents involving serious injury and death in recent years, is the A329 Milton Common to Thame road from a point 118m north east of the A40 London Road, north eastwards to a point 44m South West of its junction with the A418.

    The other is the B4012 Thame to Postcombe road from a point 45m south of Wenman Road, Thame, Southwards to a point 35m north of its junction with the A40, at Postcombe.

  • Boris Learns Of Challenges For The Chilterns

    THAME’S MP, Boris Johnson, came face-to-face with some of the challenges facing the wilder parts of his constituency last Friday (23/11), when he visited the HQ of The Chilterns Conservation Board, in Chinnor.
    He officially opened its newly installed, state-of-the-art, energy saving solar photovoltaic roof panels and meter.
    Boris was welcomed by staff and Board members, including Chairman, Sir Johnie Johnson, and presented energy-saving light bulbs to Lewknor – the first Parish to take advantage of a free offer to supply them to all Parishes within the Chilterns Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
    Accepting the bulbs on behalf of The Lewknor Chiltern Gateway Project were Jane Pendlenton and Mary Farrow who work with St Margaret’s church, Lewknor and the young people of the village on conservation action.

    Boris then officially unveiled a meter in the entrance to the CCB’s Headquarters which showed how many kilowatts were currently being produced by the solar panels on what was not a particularly sunny day – enough for six light bulbs. It was explained that the idea of giving away the free light bulbs was to help someone else reduce their carbon footprint – in other words, Carbon Off-setting.

    Boris was then given a presentation showing the future challenges facing the Chilterns, which it happens, are mainly in his constituency. These included land ownership becoming more fragmented, high cereal prices adding to the cost of livestock feed, less sheep grazing and lifestock farming, an increase in arable land, the cultivation of field margins with consequences for wildlife life, the loss of carbon locked in the soil, changes in the landscape as more new landowners with horses move into the area requiring more pasture land, economic changes affecting woodland including higher timber prices and newly bought small parcels being fenced around, increasing demand for wood fuel and a decline in land management skills.
    These factors apart, it seems that environmental and climate changes are likely to see more trees being blown down because of an increase in gales and waterlogged soil, bluebells declining if Springs and Summers become hotter and erratic rain-fall – a particular problem for the vunerable chalk streams in the area.
    Apparently, familiar woodland species could be replaced by hoopoo birds from mainland Europe, swallowtail butterflies and even wild boar!
    Other changes likely to affect the Chilterns AONB are an increase in the number of new houses being built -an area where design and the choice of materials will become especially important, and a shortage of Heritage skills. Because of a general increase in urbanisation, there will, it seems, be a need for more accessibility to the area including facilities for the disabled and others to encourage walking and cycling from home.

    Boris expressed his admiration for the work of the Board and wishing everyone concerned the best of luck in raising continued funding from its main benefactor, Natural England, he said: “May the sun shine on your endeavours!”