Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Invitation To Senior Citizens

    THAME Town Council is hoping for a repeat of last year’s very successful Christmas party for the town’s senior citizens.
    All senior citizens of Thame and Moreton, are being invited to the party which will be held in the Upper Chamber of the town hall on December 1, between 2-4pm.

    As this is the year of the Queen’s 80th birthday, places will be allotted first to anyone born between January 1, 1917 and December 31, 1926.

    The list will close on September 28. There are 100 places – 90 and 10 reserved.

    Applications are available at The One Stop Shop in the town hall.

  • Horsewoman In Fatal Road Accident Named

    A woman who was killed when she was thrown from her horse near Thame on Sunday (27/08), has been named.
    She has been formally identified as 33 year-old Clare Clarke, of Youens Road in Thame.
    Police are appealing for information about the accident which happened at 3.50pm.

    Mrs Clarke was apparently riding her horse along Haddenham Road towards Kingsey when a sewage collection lorry approached her from the opposite direction. The horse became startled and she fell off into the path of the on-coming lorry. The horse and lorry driver were uninjured but Mrs Clarke suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

    The investigating officer, PC Graham Holt, said:”We have already spoken to a number of people who witnessed the incident but I am keen to hear from anyone else who may have seen the lorry, which was blue and yellow, or Clare on the horse before the collision so we can piece together exactly what happened.”

    Anyone with information should contact PC Holt at Aylesbury Roads Policing via 0845 8 505 505.

  • What’s On In Haddenham In September?

    Saturday 2nd – There will be another second-hand book sale and coffee morning (with home-
    baked cakes at 14 Church End, Haddenham, (10am-2pm) in aid of local charities.

    Sat 2nd – Haddenham Horticultural Society’s annual autumn show, at the Village Hall, is open to the public 2-5pm, and, with art and craft classes, photographs, flower arranging and domestic classes, in addition to the expected vegetables and fruit, there is plenty for everyone to look at.

    Sat 2nd – Haddenham Baptist Church is organising a family barn dance (accompanied by Hadda’s Band) in the Manor Farm tithe barn (6.30-10pm). Tickets (from Blooming Fruity, Banks Parade, or call 291241 or 290869) are

  • September Gardening Newsletter From Jane Follis

    WHAT a change in the weather! At least it has meant less of the manual watering. My garden certainly looks a bit more luscious, though the vegetables have been very disappointing.
    I pulled my onions last week and they are about half their normal size. The broccoli went to seed and the French beans struggled to do anything. I am hoping the Brussel Sprouts, Courgettes and Runner Beans will yield a better crop. The plants, on the other
    hand, have continued to give pleasure. Some of them, such as Rosa ?New Dawn?, Helenium ?Moerheim Beauty?and Nepeta x faassinii are now in bloom again.
    The Phlox, Hibiscus, Penstemon and Rudbeckia ‘Herbstonee’ are giving a wonderful display of colour.

    I always feel rather sad at this time of year, knowing I will soon have to cut the perennials down and put my garden to bed. I know I mentioned it last month, and sorry to be a bore, but for those of you with newly planted gardens I strongly recommend
    you mark the plants with a stick when you cut them down. They will then be easily identified in the spring when you are out there weeding and getting the garden ready for spring.
    If any of you are interested in help during the busy period of September/October, just let me know and I can arrange for one of the girls, or boys, to come out and give you a hand.
    I had a fascinating day judging the New Homes Garden Award at the Museum of Garden History in Lambeth. There were entries from developers, landscapers and designers and it really highlighted the enormous chasm there is between our industries.
    I was judging with a fellow designer and the Chairman of the Landscape Institute and sometimes it was hard to give more than 10 marks out of 100!! We weren?t being mean, we were just astounded at the poor design and quality of the build.

    I have been approached to join the Society of Garden Designers? Council and after this experience I think I might. It will be time consuming, but if I can promote good design and practice from a
    higher height, then I think it will be worth it.
    I am off to sunnier climes from 29th August to 7th September, but if any of you need anything just leave a message on the answerphone or send an email and I promise to deal with it when I get back.

    SEASONAL RECIPE
    COURGETTE SIDE DISH
    This is something I concocted when I was a student with very limited funds and now I use it to keep on top of gluts of courgettes and tomatoes:

    1 ? 2 Courgettes 4 tomatoes, skinned
    1 onion
    Roux (butter and flour)
    Milk
    Cheese
    Skin the courgettes and cut into 1? cubes and place in an oven proof dish. Chop the tomatoes and mix up with the courgette.
    Chop the onion and fry in the butter until soft but not too brown.
    Add flour and cook for a minute or two before adding the milk to form a b

  • Beware Bogus Telephone Callers – Ringmaster Message

    THAMES Valley Police has received several reports recently, that people are being contacted by telephone, by callers who claim to be from the police.
    Using different stories, such as your bank card is believed to have been cloned, they try to get the Pin numbers and security codes for your bank/credit cards along with other information.

    Never give this type of information to anybody who telephones you. If you, or some body you know has received such a call, please ensure it is reported. Call the police on 08458 505505.

    These bogus callers can be very convincing and may have some snipets of information about you to make them sound plausible.

  • Lionhearts Show Their Mettle

    THE CHINNOR Lionhearts, from Chinnor Kung Fu and Kickboxing Club, were in action last Sunday in
    Watford.
    Mark Doulin made his debut in the under 16’s, taking
    third place and looked capable of going further with
    more experience.
    kieran Calvert won the under 16’s catergory, his
    strength and superior kicking singling him out from other boys.
    Phil keavy, struggling with a recurring discolated shoulder injury, was not 100% fit, but showed in
    the latter stage of his fight what he can do when
    fully fit.

    The Club’s Sifu, Duncan Elliott, took second place in the brown/blackbelt section, only losing after a refereeing decision to score a kick that hit his arm block, which should not have been scored. Duncan later claimed that the influence of the Watford fighter’s home crowd gave the referee a hard time.

    “All in all, the overall results, a First, Second and Third place from the Lionhearts team, were very pleasing,” he said.

    The Lionhearts next event will be in mMidenhead on
    September 10.

  • Unfair Result For Thame United? (Contributed)

    MATCH REPORT – Thame United 1, Ardley United 2 – Monday, August 28.

    Thame United came in to this game bottom of the table and without a goal in their first four league fixtures, whilst Ardley were top of the table having won all of their opening five league games. By the end of the game, however, the neutral spectator would have had difficulty deciding which team were top of the table.

    Indeed, it was Thame United who dominated the opening exchanges playing neat, passing football. The first chance fell to Chris Watkin on 14 minutes whose effort from outside the box flew narrowly wide. Against the run of play Ardely took the lead on 19 minutes with a hotly disputed penalty when Sion Kitson was adjudged to have handled the ball when clearing an Ardley corner. Worse was to follow for Thame three minutes later when the referee, who was poorly positioned to see the incident, inexplicably gave a penalty against Thame debutant Adrian Smith who was fouled when clearing the ball only to see the offender fall over his clearing foot. Both penalties were dispatched by Danny Mason.The remainder of the first half saw Thame again gain the upper hand with long distance efforts from Joe Da Silva and Nathan Jack causing the Ardley keeper most problems.

    Thame started the second half in determined fashion with the powerful running of another debutant, Ross Butler, from centre midfield causing problems in the heart of the Ardley defence. Indeed, Butler had three half-chances in the first ten minutes of the half, before Alex Cairns was clean through on goal in the 62nd minute only to see his lobbed effort land on the roof of the net. However, Thame found the back the net four minutes later when Nathan Jack turned neatly on the edge of the box before planting a powerful effort in the top left hand corner of the goal that gave the Ardley keeper no chance. Despite an immediate double substitution by Ardley, Thame were by now camped in the Ardley half and both Nik Gibson and Cairns forced the keeper to make good saves. With time running out, Smith attacked down the right and a good ball found Jack in space who turned and shot narrowly wide. It turned out to be the last opportunity for Thame and the game ended 2-1 to Ardley, when a draw or home win would have been a much fairer result. Nevertheless, Thame proved that they can compete with the top teams in this league and will take a lot of positives in to the next game at Kidlington (Saturday 2nd September).

    Team: Searl, Smith, Watkin, Kitson, Rhodes, Butler, Gibson, Cairns, Miller, Jack, Da Silva

    Subs (not used): Johnson, Cakmak, Hocking.

  • Thame United Fail To Convert Chances

    MATCH REPORT, League game Saturday, 26/08/06 – Fairford Town 3, Thame United 0

    THIS was a game in which, despite the score, there was little to choose between the two teams. Thame had their fair share of possession and created as many scoring opportunities as their opponents. Fairford however converted their chances into goals, whereas Thame were unable to get the ball into the Fairford net.

    Thame had the better of the opening exchanges and, after 9 minutes, Luke Fisher forced a good save from Ian Gill the Fairford keeper. On 20 minutes Fairford won a corner and, as the ball came over, Fisher was judged to have deliberately handled the ball. Fairford captain, Kevin Coles clinically despatched the resultant penalty, giving goalkeeper Paul Searl no chance. The second goal came 8 minutes later when a high ball from the right found Ryan Pratley unmarked about 10 yards from goal. Pratleys powerful, low header forced a good fingertip save from Searl, but unfortunately the ball fell to Phil Corcoran who finished well. Then came a period of sustained Thame pressure with a strong Nathan Jack shot blocked and Nik Gibson putting a header wide, when it seemed easier to hit the target. The sides went in 2-0 at half time.

    The second half was fairly even but, as Thame pushed men forward, they inevitably left defensive gaps. This lead to the third goal when, in the 82nd minute

    a defensive clearance fell to Corcoran, who bore down on the Thame goal, beat his defender, and launched a powerful shot from 15 yards beating Searl.

    So, lack of finishing and defensive errors cost Thame this game. The season is still young, but Thame United, who are probably the youngest team in the league, need to address these problems.

    Thame United: Searl (Capt.), Jackson (Hocking), Watkin, Kakmak (Gomme), Kitson, Connelly (Da Silva) Fisher, Cairns, Miller, Gibson, Jack

  • New Thame Bureau Manager Needed

    THAME’s Citizens’ Advice Bureau, bases in the Old Market House in the Upper High Street, is in need of a new Manager.
    The successful candidate for this demanding position will need to have a good knowledge of the voluntary sector and proven ability to manage a team of staff and volunteers, as well as being able to demonstrate sound administrative, leadership and management ability.

    Candidates will have to demonstrate the ability to earn and maintain the trust of those people with whom the Bureau works, especially funding bodies, and the ability to work effectively with a Trustee Board to which this position is accountable.

    The Bureau is currently open three days per week and the successful candidate should have a commitment to developing and expanding the advice service.
    Please write to:-

    Thame and District Citizens Advice Bureau
    Market House
    North Street
    Thame
    OX9 3HH

  • Woman Horserider Killed Near Thame

    MOURNERS of a local woman killed when whe was thrown from her horse, have been gathering at the scene of the accident and laying flowers.
    The 33-year-old woman was killed after she was thrown from a horse and hit by a passing HGV lorry.

    The incident occurred at around 5.45pm on Sunday, August 27, on the Haddenham Road, Kingsey. The lorry was travelling towards Haddenham when it slowed and overtook the horse which apparently became scared and threw the woman. She received fatal injuries and was declared dead at the scene.

    Her identity has not yet been released.

    Photo: The scene of the fatal accident in Haddeham Road, Kingsey.