Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • What Would Life Be Like Without Cars?

    FIND OUT by visiting the ‘Public Transport and the Private Motorcar’ exhibition, currently on at the Oxfordshire Records Office, St Luke’s Church, Temple Road, Cowley, which explores the relationship between the two.
    Called Life?s Highway, the exhibition, by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, includes a replica petrol pump showing two short films, as well as images that show how owning and using vehicles has changed over the years.

    The free exhibition will runsl until the end of June. Opening hours are 9am to 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday. Refreshments available. Tel 01865 398200.

    Photo: Courtesy of www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

  • Photos From 1950s Go On Show

    PHOTOGRAPHS and memorabilia from the 1950s in Oxford are currently on show at the Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock.
    The photos, a nostalgic look at leisure and labour in a city still recovering from the second world war, are drawn from the ?Tommy? Thomas photographic collection, normally housed at Oxfordshire Studies in the Central Library, Oxford, both run by Oxfordshire County Council.

    Social events as well as views of the city are covered in this exhibition, and visitors may recognize photographs of businesses that no longer exist, such as John Allen & Sons Ltd, Pressed Steel Ltd, OUP printing works and Lucy?s Iron Foundry.

    What does the memorabilia include?

    The memorabilia, which includes magazines, adverts, theatre brochures, kitchen utensils, toys, costume accessories and models, has been borrowed from Oxfordshire Studies, the Oxfordshire Record Office and private collections.

    The county council?s Museums Resource Centre, in Standlake, which stores and conserves museum artifacts, has contributed evening wear, underwear, uniforms and a wedding dress.

    The exhibition, which is free, will be in the Treasures and Picture Galleries. Tel. 01993 811456 for opening hours and more information.

    Oxfordshire county councillor Don Seale, Cabinet Member for Cultural Services, said: ?These fascinating photos are well worth seeing by anyone with an interest in local history and will bring memories flooding back for many people.?

  • Young Musicians at Festival Concert

    YOUNG musicians from across Oxfordshire, including Thame, will be opening the Festival Concert in South Parks, Oxford, on Sunday 13 May, as part of the county?s Oxfordshire 2007 celebrations.

    The Central Music School Sinfonia – run by Oxfordshire County Council and comprising 120 students from Oxfordshire secondary schools – will play the Star Wars suite by John Williams.

    Tickets for the event, which starts at 6.30pm, cost

  • Visit Artist In Their Homes & Studios

    THE latest annual Oxfordshire Art Weeks begin this weekend, and their are several artists in the Thame area taking part.
    The dates for the Oxfordshire Artists’ Festival are: City: 12-20 May, South: 19 – 27 May, North: 26 May – 3 June.
    Free guides are available from libraries and tourist information centres in Oxfordshire, and also from most museums, galleries and art shops or download a guide from: Link

    Also visit the online gallery at www.artweeks-gallery.org.

    Photo: Textile by Mary Lowry from Tiddington

  • Fete For Hospital Funds On Sunday

    Thame Community Hospital League of Friends are holding a Fete from 12noon until 4pm on Sunday, 13 May.
    Lots of attractions including Colonel Custard, Barbecue, Entertainment, Delicious Teas, Grand Raffle.

  • Thame Hair Business Is Cutting Edge

    A THAME HAIR salon group based in Thame, has received a prestigous employment and learning skills award.
    Read full story

  • Latest Results From Thame Tennis Club

    THAME Tennis Club Men?s first team are enjoying a strong start to their summer season in the Oxford League. Following their earlier victory over Witney, the 3 pair team secured a 7 sets to 2 win over a surprisingly weak North Oxford C side. First pair Steve Bell and Chris Russell took all 3 of their sets. Lee Wright and Ian Catchpole won 2 of their 3 sets, only losing to the visitors? first pair, as did Richard Bradley (c) and up and coming young player Mark Wilkins.

    Elsewhere in the same league, the Ladies 3 pair in Division 2 had a good victory away to Witney by 6 sets to 3. Team: R Suter, F Pidgeon, D Munro, K Pinner, T Merry, J Mcleod. In Division 5, the Mixed 2 pair team, joined by new member Kevin Bowers, had a very successful match, beating Southfield B by 8 sets to 0. Team: S Nannery, C Redding, K Bowers, C Gray (c). Meanwhile, the Men?s C 2 pair were at home to Bicester D, losing 2 -6, with Tony Knightley and Doug Still taking 2 sets from Bicester?s second pair (other pair B Fieldsend (c), P Bozier).

    For the first time this year, the Club has entered a Men?s and Ladies? team into the National Club League, which provides extra opportunities for its advanced players. The Ladies have started their challenge with a match at North Oxford. Terry Merry won her singles match whilst Dawn Munro lost hers. They teamed up together in doubles and went to 3 sets, finally losing in the 3rd. Away to Cholsey on a beautiful evening, Terry again won her singles, with Fiona Pidgeon also winning her match. The pair then had a straight sets victory over the hosts? in the doubles.

  • New Management For Thame’s Citizens Advice Bureau

    THAME?S Citizen?s Advice Bureau, which has recently grown both physically and in the number of advisers available, has a new manager ? a man determined to up-date the image of the service.
    Originally from Scotland, Tom Fox has lived in Oxfordshire for 30 years and spent most of his working life in business IT and Marketing, but in the last couple of years he has worked in the voluntary section at the Carers Centre in Didcot and for the British Red Cross in Abingdon.
    Tom told ThameNews.Net: ?One of my main aims is to market the bureau to reach out to more people in the out-lying areas of Thame as well, and to develop relationships with local organisations in the Thame area like the WI, church groups, clubs and societies like the British Legion.
    ?Word of mouth is so important,? he added.
    ?I want people to know that although the bureau is in this wonderful old, historic building, what we offer on the inside is up-to-date information by properly trained advisors.

    Tom explained that the main areas of advice being sort by local people in an apparently, affluent market town are advice about state benefits, debt or employment advice ? particularly for people not in full-time work; housing issues particularly those faced by people in rented accommodation, and advice sought by frail and disabled people. Many of these are referred to Tom and his team by local GPs.

    ?I am looking forward to the challenge of the job,? concluded Tom, ?and raising the profile of this place which has perhaps been taken for granted over recent years.?

    Photo: Tom Fox, the new Manager of Thame Citezens Advice Bureau, (Right) with the Chair of the Bureau’s Trustees, Peter Todd.

  • Homeshare Scheme To Be Launched

    IF you are looking for somewhere to live and can help out an older or disabled person in return for rent-free accommodation, Oxfordshire County Council wants to hear from you.
    The council is piloting a national Homeshare scheme that matches older and disabled people who need companionship or help with basic tasks, such as gardening or shopping, with people looking for a place to live.
    The council is working in conjunction with NAAPS, the National Association of Adult Placement Services.

    Who is Homeshare aimed at?
    The Homeshare scheme is aimed particularly at students and key workers, such as nurses and police officers, but applications from anyone who has a genuine interest in Homeshare will be warmly welcomed.

    Everyone will need to be police-checked before they can move in, and householders and people looking to move in will be carefully matched by the council?s Homeshare Co-ordinator.

    How long will the scheme last?
    The pilot, which is being funded by the Department of Health, will run until December 2008 and the scheme may be extended after that.

    Oxfordshire county councillor Jim Couchman, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: ?This is an excellent scheme, that will enable householders to stay in their own homes rather than go into a care home, while helping to solve the housing shortage problem many people on lower incomes face in this very expensive county.?

    To find out more about Homeshare, please contact Victoria Harwood on tel 07889 002 526; email Victoria.harwood@oxfordshire.gov.uk

  • Message From Thame Festival Organisers

    DETAILED planning for this year’s Thame festival and carnival are taking shape and the organising committee has sent out the following message to all those taking part.
    The Festival date, June 16, is fast approaching, and it?s time to get the final plans in place, but firstly, we would like to thank those of you who have decided take part in the Carnival parade and/or F