Category: Business News

ECLIPSE Hair Design,Thame, are having a charity day again this year with all proceeds going to Breast Cancer.
All the staff are coming in on their day off on Tuesday, October 31, for the event.
The prices are – Blowdry

A SUBSIDISED health and safety course to promote European Week for Safety and Health (23-27 October)is to be run by South Oxfordshire District Council.
The one day course will take place at the Council?s offices in Crowmarsh Gifford on October 24. The course is being offered at the significantly reduced rate of

A POWERFUL network of local businesses has linked up with Oxfordshire County Council to promote recycling at work.
The Oxfordshire Town Chamber Network, which links together town chambers and business partnerships across the county, including Thame First (formerly Thame Chamber of Commerce), involves more than 1,300 business members.
Director John Naish said:,”Finding ways to reduce, reuse and recycle commercial waste is a real issue for business.
“It is one that many members of the 16 town chambers and business partnerships in the Network are tackling, but still have questions about. We are very pleased to be able to link with Oxfordshire County Council?s commercial waste team to help signpost their way to sources of expertise and answers.”

The Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network aims to help its member organisations share ideas, best practice, and experience of common issues that they are tackling in their towns in Oxfordshire, and engage the groups in lobbying local authorities and other decision makers.

For more information about the Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network visit www.otcn.co.uk or email waste@otcn.co.uk

Oxfordshire County Council says that it recognises the importance of sustainability in business, and works with organisations like the OTCN as well as providing a number of free services to help local businesses go green. These include:

? Waste audits, on site analysis of a business? waste, with tailor made advice on waste reduction

? Waste workshops. Where businesses can explore everything from waste reduction to compliance with waste legislation. There are a limited number of spaces at the next waste workshops in Abingdon (21st September) and Henley OT (26th September). To book your place call 01865 815959 or email waste.management@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Cllr Roger Belson, Oxfordshire County Council?s cabinet member for sustainable development, said:”Businesses have so much to gain from becoming greener ? from saving money through resource efficiency, to improving their marketability. That?s why Oxfordshire County Council is proud to work with the OTCN on these issues.”

A THAME company, which specialises in fire protection equipment, has recently supplied smoke detection equipment to Durham cathedral.
Kidde Products (formerly Anugus Fire Armour), based in Wenman Road, Thame, is set to invest millions of pounds in a new factory in the North East.
Read Full Story: Link

A THAME-BASED business has been sold to an International company in Dubai.
Travelodge, whose headquarters are in Aylesbury Road, Thame, has been bought by a a private equity company owned by the Persian Gulf emirate’s government.
See Link

A Fit@Work conference, to be held on September 13th, is an opportunity for businesses in Oxfordshire to learn how to save money through creating a healthier, more productive workplace.
Frank Nigriello, from UNIPART who are hosting the day, said:”We are delighted to support this exciting initiative and believe we lead the way in supporting our own staff to lead healthier lives. We are also keeping delegates active on the day with an opportunity to participate in a FitBall challenge to help raise money for the new Oxford Children?s Hospital!”
The event will showcase how workplace health programmes can help reduce worrying levels of absenteeism and staff sickness caused by stress and chronic injury, to improve business productivity. Speakers on the day will include representatives from the British Heart Foundation, Sport England and Oxfordshire Mind, and will include presentations on subjects such as;

A THAME recovery company has been involved in a clear-up operation, after a road crash between two articulated vehicles carrying poultry – one live chickens, the other slaughtered birds.
See Link
to full story from the The Banbury Guardian.

THAME’S Chamber of Commerce, which recently changed its name to Thame Business Association, is now to be known as ‘Thame First’.
The second change of name was made to avoid confusion after it was realised that that another business networking group in the town had a similar name, and that it is also the name of a cafe-bar in the town centre.

At the ex-Chamber’s recent EGM, held at the Thame Barns Centre on June 27, a new committee was elected.
The new Chair is Alun Rowe, of Pentangle Internet, Thame, Vice Chair is Sonja Francis of Thame.Net, the Secretary is Heather Brown of Pickles, Thame, the Treasurer is Keith Slater of Essence, Thame and the Membership Secretary continues to be Kathryn Lock of The Practice, Thame.

As well as working with Thame Town Council to look at the recommendations of The Lockwood Report regarding the future economic viability of the town centre, ‘Thame First’ is looking forward to Christmas and has already had an exploratory meeting with the town council’s Christmas event committee.

For more information about ‘Thame First’ contact either Alun Rowe or Sonja Francis on 01844 218832, or email Alun at: Alun.Rowe@pentangle.co.uk

Photo: New Chair of ‘Thame First’ (formally Thame Chamber of Commerce) Alun Rowe (Copyright ThameNews.Net)

NEWITT & Sons, has been named the UK?s Best Family Business.
The Thame Butchery business was chosen by Coutts’Bank because of, what it called, the company’s out-standing growth over the past three years.

M Newitt & Sons, was last week awarded the prize for ?Best UK Family Business,

OXFORDSHIRE County Council?s Fire and Rescue Service has announced new fire safety rules that will shortly come into force, affecting all non-domestic premises in the county.
The government made the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order in June 2005.
It is the biggest overhaul of fire safety legislation in decades and will affect businesses throughout England and Wales.

Oxfordshire?s Fire and Rescue Service wants to alert all types of businesses in the county to the change in legislation to ensure that they know what to do when the law comes into effect in October 1.

A series of guides have been issued by the government that will help people carry out the necessary change. These are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website: Link
or by email: fire.safetyreform@communities.gov.uk

People will need to act by October 2006, if they are:

? responsible for business premises
? an employer
? self-employed with business premises
? a charity or voluntary organisation
? a contractor with a degree of control over
any premises.

Councillor Ray Jelf, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at the county council said: ?I would urge businesses of every kind to access the information that has been provided by the government so that they know what they have to do well before the new legislation takes effect.

?The government?s aim is to save more people from death and injury by reducing the risk of fires and it is keen to support businesses in the changes that will be necessary to do this.?