Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Climate Change – Economic nightmare or Business Opportunity?

    SPECIAL CONFERENCE FOR BUSINESSES – Oct 31, 2007.
    What will climate change mean for local businesses? Have you considered what the climate will be like in five or ten years? time?
    What will it feel and look like?
    What will it be like to work in a hotter climate with unpredictable extreme weather? Will climate change have a negative financial impact on local business? What are the opportunities and emerging markets?
    So many questions!
    The programme will include case studies on local businesses who have seized the climate change
    opportunity.

    Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX is the venue.
    How to book It is FREE! Please register by October 19th so we know how many to expect. Please email:jo.hamilton@ouce.ox.ac.uk / phone 01865 275 856
    Full information about the confer-ence, plus links and further infor-mation about climate change and
    businesses in Oxfordshire, is available
    online at:
    www.climatex.org/business-climates.
    Organised by: Didcot Chamber of Commerce.
    in association with: Oxford University?s ClimateXChange, Oxford Town Chambers Network,
    Rutherford Appleton Labs, Business Link.

    There has been a lot of focus on domestic energy saving, waste reduction and recycling recently,
    but where do businesses fit into all of this? The aim of this event is to raise awareness of the impacts and
    opportunities of climate change to local businesses and SMEs in Oxfordshire.
    Through this half day event we will be looking at the local business issues surrounding climate change. There will be time for discussion and networking.

  • Wheatley Historic Site Restored (Contributed By Nicolas Newman)

    NATURAL England staff reveal hidden beauty of Lyehill Quarry
    Staff from Natural England have succeeded in restoring a geological site of special scientific interest (SSSI) in Wheatley, Oxfordshire to its former glory through hard work and dedication.

    Lyehill Quarry in Wheatley, Oxfordshire is made up of extensive sections of Wheatley limestone that contains numerous fossils of mid-Oxfordian age (approximately 150 million years ago). The site was being used to store new cars and had been in a declining condition for the past six years as roots from developing scrub were destroying the fossils.

    Natural England had a month to restore the site while it was vacant before another tenant came in. 11 staff from offices in Oxford, Reading and Aston Rowant volunteered to help with clearance work which involved removal of scrub, shrubs and trees. Cut away areas on the rock face were treated with herbicide to prevent re-growth.

    David Russell, Project Leader on the work said:

    ?I am delighted that staff were able to have such hands-on experience in helping to restore this site. We treated the project as a team building exercise – everyone really enjoyed the work and gained real satisfaction from the dramatic change that they achieved by removing vegetation from the rock faces and exposing the geological features.

    ?This is an important site in the area which we have been able to make accessible to local education groups by exposing examples of the entire sequence from the top of the Wheatley limestone to its base.?

    Site?s importance:

    Geological SSSI with extensive sections of the Wheatley limestone exposed.

    Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.

    Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are areas designated by Natural England as internationally significant, and are safeguarded under European law. They consist of some of the country?s very best wildlife and geological sites and include some of our most spectacular and beautiful habitats. It is essential to preserve the remaining natural heritage for future generations.

    Website: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk

  • Thame Charity Book Shop Sells On Line

    Oxford-based charity Oxfam, whose shops include two in Thame, is moving with the times to launch Britain’s first online charity shop.
    The charity, now based in Cowley, hopes that the new venture, will generate

  • County Transport Survey Announced – Contributed

    OXFORDSHIRE County Council is set to undertake a large program of travel surveys during the autumn.
    Motorists will be asked to participate in roadside interviews at various places around the county to help give planners a clearer picture of current travel patterns.

    The information will be used to help decide how best to focus future investment in the county?s transport network and help guide future planning decisions, including where future housing, shopping and employment developments should be located.

    Whilst all efforts will be made to keep disruption to minimum, motorists are requested to be patient and give survey staff full co-operation during the surveys; in the long-run the information will be used to help make journey times more reliable and reduce congestion.

    In addition to the roadside interviews the county council will also be visiting up to 10,000 residents around Oxfordshire to find out about their travel habits as well as carrying out traffic counts, journey time surveys and surveys on Oxfordshire?s bus and rail services.

    Councillor David Robertson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Strategy, said: “Oxfordshire faces many challenges over coming years, including the need to accommodate many thousands of new homes.

    “In order to ensure this development is planned sensibly, and to help secure future transport funding, it is crucial we know how people currently use our transport network so we can target improvement in the right areas.”

  • Grape Harvest Disappointment For Montesson

    THE grape harvest in Thame’s twin town of Montesson, has not, unfortunately been a good one this year.
    The grape vines were only planted recently in an attempt to revive wine growing in the town.
    Huguette Fouche, a committee member of Montesson’s Twinning Committee, told ThameNews.Net: ” We have harvested our grapes but sadly about 70% of the grapes have mildew. It is a great pity because it means that we shall only have perhaps 20 bottles of our wine. We hope that next year we shall have a sunnier and dryer summer and that the harvest will be better.”

  • Vive Le Jumelage!

    A GROUP of 20 people from Thame has just returned from a weekend of culture and fun in and around the town?s French twin town of Montesson, near Paris.
    The visit included a trip to Anet Castle (Ch

  • Appeal After Serious Assault In Thame

    THAME Police are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault in Thame on Friday (14/9).
    At around 11pm, a 25-year-old man was walking along Wellington Street from the direction of North Street when, as he approached Ludsden Grove, he was attacked from behind by three men. Then he was punched repeatedly and fell to the ground.
    The offenders were seen leave in a silver hatchback car and drove off in the direction of East Street.
    PC Adam Flello said: “The man has a fractured cheekbone, possibly a broken nose and his face is bruised and swollen.
    “I am keen to speak to anyone who may know who the offenders are and anyone who saw anything suspicious that evening. I would also like to speak to the occupants of a silver mini, a purple or silver Ford Escort and a silver Fiat Punto, all of which were seen in the area at the time of the attack and could be vital witnesses. If that was you then please come forward to help us catch these people.
    “This was a particularly nasty, cowardly incident. The man was attacked from behind in what appears to be a completely unprovoked attack.”

    If anyone has any information they are requested, to contact PC Flello of Thame Police on 0845 8 505 505 or alternatively they can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

  • Man Charged For Thame School Arson

    A 23-year-old man has been charged with arson following a fire at Lord Williams’s School in Thame on June 30.
    The man, known as Craig Michael Hughes, currently of no fixed abode, has been remanded in custody by Oxford Magistrates? Court and will appear again on September 24.
    A 22-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy have been released without charge.
    The fire destroyed the school’s drama studio and caused the school to be closed for several days while what remained of the structure was made safe.
    The school was recently granted planning permission for the siting of a temporary building whilst the drama facility is rebuilt.

  • Change Of Luck For Thame United (Contributed)

    THAME UNITED’S run of five consecutive wins came to an end on Saturday (15/09), when they lost to Binfield on Saturday, three goals to two.
    The visitors were probably the best organised side that Thame had faced so far this season. Although Thame did not play badly, they gave the visitors too much space, which they were quick to exploit.

    The game saw the welcome return of striker Nathan Jack to Thame after a short spell with Kidlington.

    Binfield had more first half possession but there were few chances at either end until the 26th minute when the visitors went ahead with a superb 35 yard shot from Tim Walsh. A few minutes later, Walsh was unlucky to see another shot hit the Thame crossbar. United went close in the 40th minute when a Nathan Jack free kick, from at least 40 yards, grazed the outside of the post. The scores were levelled just before half time when Dave Hocking met a Jack corner with a powerful header from close range.

    Thame played better after the break and took the lead on 56 minutes. Jack picked up the ball at the half way line and ran at goal. He was forced wide, lost possession, but somehow managed to regain it before playing a quality ball from the left by line to Stuart Braun who finished clinically from six yards. Binfield countered and equalised in the 70th minute when a ball from the right found Walsh in space. He turned and shot from eight yards, giving Thame goalkeeper, Paul Searl, no chance.
    Binfield?s winner came from a corner in the 81st minute when defender Gary Callaway?s header took a deflection to beat Searl. The last few minutes saw sustained, and sometimes frantic, Thame pressure but the visitors held out to take the points.

    Thame United: Searl, Ansell, Graves, Hocking (West), Higgs, Boult, Braun, Watkins (Green), Reading (Leach), Jack, Connelly.

    Thame United travel to Wiltshire next Saturday (22nd) for a FA Vase match. The next home game is on October 29th when Englefield Rovers are the visitors.

  • Have Your Say On Waste

    RESIDENTS in Thame can take part in a consultation exercise on the future of waste collection in the district.
    Residents will be able to have their say on issues such as the collection of food waste and glass,
    the frequency of refuse and recycling collections and the use of wheeled bins.
    An online questionnaire is available on the South Oxfordshire District Council website:

    The deadline for completed questionnaires is Friday, October 5.