BUSINESSES, community groups and other local organisations in Thame have another chance to apply for funding to boost the town?s image and economic vitality.
South Oxfordshire District Council will award the best proposals with a share of the Thame economic development fund, of which
THAME Neighbourhood Plan Consultation – Draft has entered its third week which means that there are now only have three weeks to make your views known. This is the last time Thame Town Council will be asking local people for comments before the Plan is submitted to the District Council.
Several Topic group meetings, open to all, have been arranged by the council, including that for THAME’S ECONOMY on September 26, at Thame town hall, 6.30pm to 8pm.
ALL local businesses, shop proprietors, tradespeople and Professionals are being encouraged to go along and find out what’s in the plan so far and to suggest ideas of their own.
The next public meeting is on Wednesday, September 12, from 6.30pm to 8pm at the Town Hall, seeking views on the section of the Plan about Housing.
Future topic group meetings include one on the subject of MOVEMENT, on September 19, same time, same place.
There will eventually be a referendum for local people to decide whether to accept the plan or not. At least 50% must vote for the plan for it to be adopted.
NEW BUSINESS GROUP CHAIR NEEDED
Following the retirement of Sonja Francis as Chair of 21st Century Thame’s Economic Working Group, Thame4Business, the town partnership is looking for someone to step into her shoes.
Cat Young, Deputy Chair of 21st Century Thame, said: “Sonja will be sorely missed as she has been the driving force behind Thame4Business (and some of its predecessors) for a long time.
What we need now is some people to take over from where Sonja left off. We’re looking for a new Chair and others to take on roles like ‘membership secretary’, ‘finance’ and ‘events organiser’. The more we can spread the load of running a group like this the less effort it will be.
“In return for your time you will receive increased exposure for yourself and your business within the Thame Business community, and you will be able to be involved with the future of the town at a strategic level through T4B’s relationship with 21st Century Thame.
“Are you someone who can spare a couple of hours a week to keep our business community thriving? Do you know someone who would be willing to volunteer?”
To find out more, or to offer your services, please contact Cat Young (cat@stw-online.net) or Anne Terry (anneterry2397@btinternet.com).
THAME LOYALTY SCHEME
Most people in the town are now familiar with the Town Loyalty Card scheme for local people and businesses, aimed at helping Thame retain local business and to maintain the attractiveness and economic vibrancy of its shopping areas.
The leaflet promoting the scheme, which includes a tear-off joining form, is due to be reprinted at the end of the month so any local shop or business that would like to be included in the scheme should contact the administrator as soon as possible. Call: 07792 487 030 for more information.
Existing businesses in the Thame Loyalty Card scheme include:
Thame Therapy Clinic
2 Wheels bicycle shop
A Piece of Cake
Bizzie Lizzie
Brothers
Cherry’s Nursery
Colour Me beautiful
Free Range
FROM (new one)
Gallery Wood Flooring
Glynswood (New)awaiting info
iCatching design
Kismet Jewellers
Medusa Jewellery (Thame market)
Newitts
Planet Organics
Powder
Racquets
Rumseys
Thame plumbing supplies
The Thatch
Time Out
ZKS Martial Arts
ZKS Print & design
Fuji
Cup and cake cafe
Anyone can buy a membership card by going into any of the participating businesses and paying a one-off
CHANNEL 4?s Fabulous Baker Brothers are back with a brand new series but this time they are celebrating traditional British food.
Do you have a tea shop, caf
HOW do ?real world? companies compete with low cost, low overhead internet businesses like Amazon? A new series of events sponsored by Oxfordshire Business First and Bicester Vision will bring together the experiences and knowledge from Oxfordshire business people who are doing just that.
Called ‘Clicks and Mortar’, the events will focus on the issues and opportunities available to business people who want to use Internet resources more effectively to grow their businesses.
The events follow on from the ?Practical Innovation? series that was held during the first half of 2012 in venues across the county. At those meetings, web-based companies were consistently referred to as examples of innovative thinking and ?game changing? ideas.
The events also revealed that local companies ? from recruitment firms to hotels ? were using web-based tools to grow their businesses faster than and more effectively than they had before.
According to Oxfordshire Business First Chairman Frank Nigriello, the enthusiasm and imagination of the business people at those events has sparked the ideas for Clicks and Mortar.
?We met people who were attributing
A FREE Business seminar is to be held by Wantage & District Chamber of Commerce, and they are inviting business organisations throughout the county to join them on Tuesday, August 14 (tomorrow).
The seminar will be held at Shush the venue, Newbury Street, Wantage OX12 8BU. The Guest Speakers will be:
Stuart Roper & Yves Cozon- Federation of small Businesses. Lobbying on behalf of small businesses: www.fsb.org.uk
“Every year the UK and the EU produce policies that directly or indirectly affect small business. As the biggest representative body for small business in the UK and European Parliament, the FSB Policy team lobbies to represent the views of small business in Westminster, Whitehall and Brussels”
Di Chesterman- Didcot First: www.didcotfirst.org.uk
“Didcot First is an independent, non-aligned organisation, committed to bringing together commerce, statuary bodies, volontary agencies, and the general public for the specific purpose of ebsuring that Didcot is a positive place to live, work and invest – and is promoted as such.”
Suzanne Malcolm & Trudy Godfrey- Economy, Leisure and Property South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk
“We encourage economic growth and diversification throughout the county and work in partnership with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in driving activities aligned with its four key programmes: skills, infrastructure, inward investment and broadband. We also manage Invest in Oxfordshire which provides a free, confidential inward investment service.”
Ben Molyneux- The Oxfordshire Project: www.oxfordshireproject.co.uk
“The Oxfordshire Project is joining with independent businesses, to speak with a clear and passionate voice about the need to support Oxfordshire?s economy, community and culture.
Our message is simple, buy local and keep your hard earned pounds within our county. We aim to be a new rallying point for people who feel passionate about putting their county and their environment first. We are creating a forum to share views, raise issues and encourage collaboration.”
There will also be the opportunity to network with businesses throughout Oxfordshire. This is a great way to build relationships for the future, finding new business and contacts is every company’s ongoing target.
To confirm your attendance, please RSVP admin@wantagechamberofcommerce.co.uk
THIS month’s Late Breakfast event in the Eden Suite at The Spread Eagle Hotel will be from 9 – 10.30am on Thursday, August 16.
Catherine Warrilow of Publicity Oxford will be back by popular demand to give an update on the latest social and business media trends with pointers on how you should be focussing your attention to get the most from all the platforms that are available.
Book here or through the website by 12.00 on Wednesday, August 15, to appear on the guest list or simply turn up on the day. Either way the entry fee of
RUMSEY’S Chocolates, with shops in Upper High Street, Thame and in Wendover, have won five 2012 Gold Star Great Taste Awards for their delicious hand-made chocolates. The sumptuous, crunchy, Chocolate Coated Macadamia won a much coveted Two-Star Gold Great Taste Award, whilst one-star Gold Great Taste Awards were awarded to the Hazelnut Rock, Praline Cocoa, Mexican Vanilla and Simply Plain Organic chocolates.
?Can you believe it?? asked Master Chocolatier Nigel Rumsey. ?This is fantastic news and such a great endorsement of everything I have tried to achieve here. We are ?over the moon?!?
Fellow Director, Mary Rumsey, is looking forward to displaying the Gold Great Taste Award logos on the products after receiving the awards, which are judged by a panel of 350 of the nation?s most discerning and knowledgeable food experts over a 45 day period. To achieve Gold in Great Taste is a very significant achievement for any food or drink producer. This year a total of 8,807 different food and drink products were entered.
“The Chocolate Coated Macadamia is a sublime cluster of roasted macadamia nuts in sumptuous milk chocolate that creates a taste explosion in the mouth!” reads the mouth-watering description of Rumsey’s winning chocs. “Hazelnut Rock is full of lovely subtle nut flavours in a milk chocolate coating, Praline Cocoa is a dark chocolate with just the right cake feel and crunchiness and with overtones that sit on the tongue like a fine wine, Mexican Vanilla is a creamy rich soft centre hidden in a luscious mysterious dark chocolate exterior and Simply Plain Organic maybe simple but plain in taste it isn?t!” Gulp !
Nigel Rumsey has been creating an exquisite range of hand-made chocolates since 1991. Starting from a small catering unit at the back of his house, his simple aim has been to produce top quality products from the finest ingredients. His 30 years experience as a Patissier provided the inspiration he needed to become a chocolatier of distinction. Wherever possible, Rumsey?s Chocolates use sustainably sourced cocoa and products with local provenance including cream from Lacey?s Dairy in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire.
The Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, are now in their 19th year and going from strength to strength. Their judging standards are the most rigorous in the UK and they only endorse products of the highest quality. Judges this year included Masterchef winner and restaurateur Mat Follas, restaurant critic and Masterchef judge Charles Campion, food writers Lucas Hollweg and Xanthe Clay and over 300 food buyers from leading food halls, delicatessens and farm shops, including Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason.
To find out more about Rumsey?s Chocolates please see the website www.rumseys.co.uk Follow on Twitter @rumseyschoc and on facebook.com/rumseyschocolates
SOUTH Oxfordshire?s growing popularity with Midsomer Murders fans means more chances to explore town and village locations used by the production company.
Four companies now offer a range of guided tours of the area and enquiries come from individuals and travel agents as far afield as the USA and Australia, while in Europe German and Swedish viewers keep the programme at the top of TV ratings.
The popular TV series shows in 220 countries worldwide, resulting in an international fan base keen to experience rural English life, including traditional pubs and cricket played on the village green.
South Oxfordshire District Council recognised the potential of Midsomer Murders as a tourist draw and created the website www.visitmidsomer.com to help fans find local locations. As well as details about the tour companies, there are two self-guide trails, books about the locations and free leaflets.
SOURCE: Press release
AFTER reading that the town council had turned down a request for money towards Jubilee mugs for all Thame primary pupils, a Thame businessman decided to do something about it.
Alun Rowe, who runs Pentangle Internet Limited, read about Thame Town council’s inability to match fund monies raised from a Jubilee quiz held over the Bank Holiday, to provide every primary school child in Thame with a Jubilee mug, on ThameNews.Net
“After reading ThameNew.Net’s article, I felt something could be done,” said Alun, who has a five year-old son himself.
“As Cllr Mary Stiles said,” continued Alun: ‘This is an historic occasion and the people who raised
THAME businessman and resident, Steve Young, is to undertake a 250km (156 mile) charity cycle ride from his home to Harmer Hill in Shropshire, on July 21. Steve is raising money for international sight-saving charity, ORBIS and the cancer charity MacMillan.
Steve, 42, who will be undertaking the ride with his friend Andrew Haxton, is mainly a mountain biker but he has been training for his challenge both in his home area and whilst on holiday in Corsica – but the greatest distance he has so far completed is just 88km!
“I’m hoping we will get to Harmer Hill in under 14 hours – and that the weather will be kind!” Steve commented.
Steve became aware of the work of the sight-saving charity through a friend who works for the organisation and as well as raising funds to help ORBIS, he will be splitting the money raised between ORBIS and the cancer charity, MacMillan in memory of his grandmother who died of cancer. Steve’s company, Downtown Recruitment, based in Thame, will be donating