GUNS, riot shields, tazers and IEDs were just some of equipment on display today as hundreds of families gathered at the Southern Road Recreation ground in Thame, to enjoy the sunshine and to find out about the work of the emergency services.
The 2017 Thame Emergency Services Day was co-ordinated by PCSO James Hopkin, a member of the Thame neighbourhood police team, with the support of Thame Town Council. Visitors were able to learn about the different roles in the police force, including the firearms section, the Public Order team and the Traffic Division. There were plenty of activities for children including exploring the inside of emergency vehicles like ambulances, fire engines and even an army rescue helicoptor. There were stalls with information about working for the emergency services and anyone could have a go at learning how to do CPR, seeing how remote-controlled ‘robots’ operate to help bomb disposal experts examine and render safe explosive devices, without putting themselves in danger.
Oxfordshire Lowland Search and Rescue were also there, showing off their equipment and techniques, with their rescue canoes attracting particular attention from the younger children. The various Thame cadet organisations were represented too chatting to potential new sign-ups about the great fun and challenges that they enjoy as members.
Second only to the long queue to see inside the helicopter, was that for the ice-cream van – just as popular among the emergency services staff as with the children !
More pictures HERE (click on the icon, top right, of a rectangle with arrow in the centre, and view as a slide show) PLEASE NOTE – all these images are copyright of Sonja Francis. Please ASK if you want to reproduce them elsewhere or download them.
Dear Editor – The incidents associated with the presence of travellers on the show ground are replicating those experienced by others elsewhere in the country and reported on Google web sites. The claim by the Thame Agricultural Association that a ‘good faith’ booking was taken after background checks had been carried out begs the question; why didn’t they seek the opinion of the authority where the Darlington group held their last gathering?
Having become aware of the calamity that they had brought upon themselves and upon the neighbourhood, what measures did members of the TAA take in order to safeguard their assets? I have a grandstand view of activities around the entrance to the site and I certainly haven’t seen evidence of containment there.
The individuals purporting to be traffic controllers appear to have been drawn from amongst the travellers. They initiated one or two spectacular traffic jams and made no effort to curtail the dirt track-like activities of numerous drivers as they snaked recklessly up and down the driveway at high speed, generating clouds of dust that drifted into the houses bordering the site. The driveway quickly became severely rutted and as a result of heavy rainfall, became a channel of mud carried down to the B4012.
I witnessed a 4×4 being driven out of the driveway straight across the two lanes of the B4012 and up on to the grass verge on the opposite side, before snaking at speed along the grass to the entrance to Cromwell Avenue then turning sharply into the traffic flow and back into the Show Ground driveway. This reckless and quite pointless action drew no comment from the ‘traffic controllers’. The grass verge which is used by walkers and joggers and which has always been carefully tended by council groundsme, was taken over by the travellers for parking cars and lorries and there was even a woman attempting to sell clothing to the travellers from the boot of her car. The area gradually became devastated.
There was a constant flow of vehicles on to and off the site from six in the morning until well after midnight when the noise and the blazing headlights were a great deterrent to sleep.
Each morning we were treated to a display of litter picking around the entrance to the driveway, though in truth there is little in evidence there. However there was no attempt to extend the search around the corner into Cromwell Avenue which is the route followed into town by many pedestrians from the site. The entire exercise seemed hypocritical when one considers the lack of concern shown for the local environment as a whole by the visitors to the site.
No doubt it will cost the TAA a considerable sum of money to restore the Show Ground to a satisfactory state for the {Towersey} festival in a couple of weeks time. My concern is that the cost of restoring the land adjoining the site should not be borne by the local residents. The damage done can be attributed to people who came to the site with the blessing of the TAA and surely it must, therefore, be the responsibility of the TAA to pay to put it right.
I wish to assure the TAA that my comments contain no rumours or Chinese whispers; they relate to things that I have witnessed myself. Much of the evidence was there for all to see.
THE rain on Tuesday (August 8), failed to dampen the spirits of Thame Farmers’ Market traders who celebrated their 18th birthday with balloons, cake and drink.
The Mayor of Thame, Cllr Tom Wyse, joined the celebration to cut the cake, which was topped with miniature decorations of some of the produce you can find at the Farmers’ Market including fruit and vegetables, meat and cheese. Visitors to the market were treated to a slice of cake too. The cake was handmade by Little Flower Cakes who are based in Thame.
Speaking after he’d eaten his cake, the Mayor said: “I was very pleased to be asked to cut the lovely cake to celebrate the 18th birthday of the Farmers Market on Tuesday. It was a shame about the wet weather and the fact that part of the Mayor’ Regalia is being updated. I am sure we all appreciate the additional fresh produce that the Farmers Market brings into our great town and I’m sure it will do for many more years to come!”
Stay up to date with Thame Farmers’ Market on Facebook HERE, follow them on twitter HERE and check out their new Instagram too!
THAME Town Cricket Club are celebrating after three wins and a draw from their four matches last weekend, August 5-6.
Gami Kanishka
Thame first XI put in a commanding performance in the final timed game of the season to demolish Shipton-under-Wychwood last Saturday. Despite the threat of Shipton’s overseas fast bowler Sanklecha, Thame’s batsmen rose to the challenge superbly. The seamer finished wicketless as the top order rallied around Thame’s own overseas star, Gamindu Kanishka (pictured). With great support from the other batsmen, on a difficult wicket, Kanishka stole the show with a sensational 122 not out, from just 117 balls, allowing Thame to declare on 252-4 inside 46 overs.
Taking 10 Shipton wickets in 44 overs was not going to be easy against batsmen intent on defence but Thame’s spinners showed excellent patience in chipping away at the Shipton top order. Mike Higgs in particular was faultless in producing figures of 5-24 from 18 overs, but with 25 minutes of play remaining Thame still required 4 Shipton wickets to take a well-deserved victory. It was left to Andy Russell (3-6 from 9 overs) to spark jubilant scenes as he had the final batsman held at short leg by Adam Phippen with 10 minutes remaining. Shipton were finally dismissed for just 58.
Thame still sit fourth in the HCPL, within touching distance of promotion with four games remaining.
Firsts finish second in T20 group after beating rivals Aston Rowant
TMAE welcomed Aston Rowant to Church Meadow on Tuesday, August 1, in the last game of the group stages. Batting first, Captain Will Sutcliffe led the way with an unbeaten 72, supported by Callum Russell (29) and Gamindu Kanishka (26), as Thame posted 149.
Adam Phippen and Will Rooney claimed 2 wickets each and Jeffcock, Kanishka and Higgs (1-7 off 4) all picked up one apiece. Tight bowling along with 2 run outs, meant Rowant ended up on 130 after their 20 overs. This means that Thame now travel to Wormsley on September 16th for Finals Day, to compete for the Wilf Bennett Cup.
Second XI dig in at Shipton-under-Wychwood
WINNING the toss and electing to bat, Shipton got off to a strong start, with runs coming from Swann (38) and Nelson (45). However, the introduction of Alastair Thomas (2-42) and Chris Penny (3-60) tightened things up for Thame. Quick run scoring in the final overs did nevertheless push Shipton’s total up to 198. In response, Thame faced an uphill battle, with only 42 overs to reach the target. Despite runs from skipper Matt Furness (38) and Daniel Patey (52), Thame ended on 160 for 8, forcing a draw. Thame welcome local rivals Tiddington to Church Meadow this Saturday, August 13.
Thame thirds keep pushing for promotion
Thame thirds beat second-placed Challow & Childrey thirds, in Wantage, in a rain-affected match, by 65 runs. Thame were asked to bat first and were bowled out for a competitive score of 166. Andy Jinman once again led with the bat, making 61, with good support from Oli Sutcliffe (29) and Ian Chappell (22), as well as useful runs from James McStay (14) and Ian McStay (12). In reply, Challow were put under pressure by opening bowlers Ian McStay (3 wickets) and Pete Tervet (2). The run rate rarely climbed above 2 runs per over and Will Bruce-Morgan then chipped in with 3 wickets in a controlled seven-over spell. C&C were eventually bowled out for 101 in 32 overs and Thame claimed 25 points to remain in the promotion hunt. They are now just 15 points behind second-placed Challow with 4 games still to play and entertain Stokenchurch seconds this Saturday.
THE project to install a unique bench in memory of 17 year-old Megan Biddle, from Thame, is moving forward, and is it hoped that it will be installed at the Southern Road Recreation Ground in the town, by November 1, the date of Megan’s birth.
The project, which is being overseen by David Bretherton, was started by a group of Megan’s close friends, who raised over £ 10,000 towards the bench, which will be based on an original design which will be both a bench and a piece of art, along the lines of a long board, shaped into a semi-circle with four wheels that spin at the end.
The money was raised through activities such as Tombolas, music nights and friends having their hair shaved off ! You can read more about the project by visiting the website http://thatbidkid.com/
Thame Town Council will pay for the galvanised steel and painted bench to be transported from the manufacturer, its maintenance and insurance, as well as for two litter bins close by.
THE well known travel review organisation, TripAdvisor, has given one of Thame.Net’s popular Accommodation listings, one of its exclusive Certificate of Excellence accolades.
The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is only presented to the best of TripAdvisor Rentals’ out hundreds of thousands of homes.
The Certificate of Excellence is given annually to those properties that provide consistently outstanding experiences and whose owners offer first-class customer service to their guests.
The owner of the holiday cabin, known as Lakeside Town Farm, at Kingston Blount, awarded the accolade, Theresa Clark said that she was ‘thrilled’ with the recognition.
“We are very pleased to earn a Certificate of Excellence for our property, Lakeside Town Farm,” she said. “We have listed with TripAdvisor Rentals for 12 years and we always strive to provide great customer service. It’s great to be rewarded by TripAdvisor Rentals after all of our hard work and it’s wonderful to know that our many guests over the last year have really valued their stay.”
Laurel Greatrix, Communications Director, TripAdvisor Rentals, said: “We’re excited to recognise and honour the top homes and homeowners on our site. This is a hard-earned accolade, and we’d like to thank these property owners for their dedication to providing travellers with consistently outstanding experiences.”
www.townfarmcottage.co.uk is available to book on TripAdvisor Rentals, where travellers can search, compare and book hundreds of thousands of properties worldwide. Or find Lakeside Town Farm’s details and those of many more local places to stay, in Thame.Net’s Accommodation section HERE
PROFESSIONAL golfer, Adam Wootton, recently hosted a Golf Day in memory of his friend Johnny Stevens. Johnny from Horspath, Oxford, died in a tragic road traffic accident in July 2016, and raised over £10,000, for the local activity centre for children with special needs, Thomley, near Thame.
Left to right: Craig Disley, Warren Koehler, Adam Wootton
Adam and another of Johnny’s friends, Craig Disley, wanted to do something positive to mark the first anniversary of Johnny’s death. As Johnny was a keen golfer and member of the Oxford Golf Club they choose to organise a golf day there, to raise funds for local charity Thomley. Thomley, based in Worminghall, Bucks, helps over 7,500 disabled people and their families every year. This charity was close to Johnny’s heart as his nephew is a regular visitor there and has benefitted greatly from the unique & vital services they provide.
Laura, Johnny’s sister, saif of Thomley: “It is a special place we go to regularly to spend time as a family. Not only does it offer a wealth of fun activities for our children to take part in, but it is also a place where we feel comfortable and accepted. The staff at Thomley are amazing and always on hand for support. We really value what the charity provides for us, and so many other families.”
The golf day attracted a huge amount of support with over 200 players taking part with fabulous prizes donated by a range of supporters. The event raised £10,880 which will be spent on the purchase and installation of a play train at Thomley in memory of Johnny.
Adam himself explained: “The golf day Craig and I organised for Johnny was a phenomenal success; the money raised in aid of Thomley went past all of our expectations. We are extremely thankful to everyone who kindly donated prizes and gifts for the day. Everyone who uses Thomley will benefit from what we have achieved.”
Warren Koehler, CEO of Thomley thanked Adam and Craig: “On behalf of Thomley, I would like to thank Adam and Craig for all their efforts in organising a golfing event that led to this very generous donation towards our work here. We are delighted that Johnny’s family have chosen a piece of play equipment that will provide ongoing fun and enjoyment to all our visitors and a fitting tribute to Johnny’s memory.
“Johnny’s parents, Ally & Mark Stevens, fondly remember their son as ‘A lovely, caring, thoughtful, funny and very loving man’. The efforts of his friends and the support they received is a fantastic tribute to the love for Johnny and his family.”
To find out more about the services which Thomley offer, or how you could support Thomley, vsit www.thomley.org.uk
THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a serious injury collision in Great Kimble, on Friday, August 4.
At about 3.35pm on Friday (4/8) a black Volkswagen Golf, which was travelling from the direction of Aylesbury towards Princes Risborough, was involved in a collision with a toddler in Lower Icknield Way, the B4009, near the Swan public house.
The driver of the Volkswagen remained on the scene. The two-year-old boy who was hit, was taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital and was later transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where he remains in a critical condition.
The road was closed in the area while emergency services were in attendance and officers from the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing began an investigation. The road was re-opened by 6.15pm.
Investigating officer Police Constable Nigel Rosier, from Roads Policing based in Amersham police station, said: “It is very important that anyone who witnessed the collision who has not already spoken to police comes forward with any details as this may help the investigation. The child involved has sadly suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision and specialist officers are supporting the family through this difficult time.”
If you have any information relating to this case, call 101 quoting reference ‘URN 964 4/8’, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
THIS month’s The Late Breakfast meeting, at The Spread Eagle, Thame, will feature Sara Hammond, with her presentation, Be More.
Sara Hammond
Working for yourself has a number of really good advantages. However, working in a small business means that things can often be hectic. With targets to achieve, deadlines to meet and clients to please, you can often feel overwhelmed and unfocused. Many businesses and leaders are turning to Mindfulness to train themselves to be able to cope with the challenges, complexities and ambiguity of our times.
The Late Breakfast – Monthly networking
Benefits of mindfulness can include increased resilience, a greater ability to focus, improved decision-making and strategic-thinking abilities, heightened emotional intelligence, and enhanced creativity. Sara will guide you through some mindfulness practices and explain the benefits and myths of mindfulness.
THAME Town council has today issued the following statement regarding the Christian caravan gathering on Thame Show Ground:
“The Town Council shares the concerns of many in the community with regard to a current event at Thame Showground. As always it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. Opinions expressed range from outright support to outright indignation. We have been assured by the Police that they are doing all they can to monitor and control the current situation, based on the factual knowledge they have.
View from the air of the showground – Image courtesy of National Police Air Service
“They are the right organisation to deal with anything that is reported. The Town Council’s position is that that we will provide support if requested by Category 1 responders (which includes the Police), in line with our emergency response plan. Our advice to residents (and agreed with the Police) is to always call 999 in an emergency i.e. if you see a crime is being committed, there’s a risk of injury, or there’s a risk of serious damage to property.That gives the best chance of the perpetrators being apprehended. If it is after the event then it is also critical to report, so that the true picture can be established by the police, and they can allocate available resources accordingly.
“Let’s all hope that not many reports need to be made. Thank you for your support, which will help reduce both the reality and the perception, and make us all feel a little safer.”
New statement from Thame Agricultural Association
The Thame Agricultural Association have issued a second statement, rowing back on some of the accusations included in the first statement. The revised statement reads: “”Further to lots of posts in social media we would like to put the record straight on a few points.
“As previously stated yes, the showground was booked and fully paid for by the “Darlington Christian Fellowship Group”.
“There were background checks done on the group and all checked out and passed, they paid in full plus a deposit, they hired and paid for two large roll on roll off rubbish skips, they hired and paid for Biffa bins and also toilets.
“This booking was taken in ‘good faith’ by the TAA, there is no one person to blame it was as far as TAA believed a normal showground hiring and nothing more.”
“Cutting down of trees did not occur.”
The statement concluded: “We would ask the people of Thame to just try to let this religious group have their get together and hopefully there will be nothing major reported, and unless individuals have seen things with their own eyes then please don’t start with rumours or Chinese whispers, that’s how things get blown up out of proportion.”
Oxfordshire Lowland Search and Rescue were also there, showing off their equipment and techniques, with their rescue canoes attracting particular attention from the younger children. The various Thame cadet organisations were represented too chatting to potential new sign-ups about the great fun and challenges that they enjoy as members.
