THAME charities are £1800 better off this week following the Thame Rotary Art Show which took place at the Thame Barns Centre over the weekend November 29 to December 1.
The event was run by Thame Rotary Club members, family and friends. Delicious home made cakes prepared by Inner Wheel and Rotary Clubs members were also available for sale.
Jeannette Matelot Green, President of the Rotary Club of Thame said: “The Thame Rotary Art Show was a double success this year. From the moment Lotte Duncan opened the show at the Preview until the doors closed on Sunday, the Barns Centre was busy with art lovers. We managed to raise over £1800 for Rotary charities whilst putting on an excellent exhibition of mainly local artists. We are now looking forward to next year’s show.”
The Rotary Club of Thame opens its doors to community minded people who enjoy helping running events like this and having fun at the same time. To send a request to become member of the Thame Rotary Club, visit: www.thame.rotaryweb.org
Notes:
Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, part of Rotary International has 1,845 clubs and more than 55,000 members.
Rotary International was funded in 1905 in Chicago and is now the largest international service organisation with 1.2 million professional men and women as members. There are 33,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary Clubs are open to men and women who are business, professional and community leaders who want to use their experience for the benefit of others. Rotary initiates local and global projects to promote world understanding and peace and improve conditions for people of all ages and cultures.
LORD Williams’s School in Thame is now ready to respond should anyone on the premises suffer a cardiac arrest.
Image courtesy of physical-sports.co.uk
The school has recently purchased two defibrillators. One is located at Upper School on the Oxford Road, and the other is located at Lower School in Towersey Road. Both are by the main reception areas.
Thame Barns Centre is also one of the growing number of establishments around the town to acquire defibrillators, and a group formed there, called ‘Staying Alive’ will be hosting a Valentines Party Night in aid of Defibrillators in Thame, on Saturday, February 15 , 2014.
THANKS to the voluntary work of a retired Thame man, 1500 pupils from Thame’s three primary schools have had the opportunity to experience an alternative sport to the mainstream of football, rugby, tennis and cricket.
Roger Ridler, explained: “Since retiring in 2005, I have been organising a programme of Squash taster sessions for the three primary schools in Thame, Barley Hill, John Hampden & St Josephs. The schools visit Racquets Fitness Centre during school hours.
“The sessions give year 5 and 6 students an hour of 20 minutes squash basics, 20 minutes ball coordination and 20 minutes gym exercises over a period of four weeks for each class attending. This is a programme which is fully supported by the teachers and was instrumental in the club obtaining a grant from Oxfordshire Sports Partnership of £400 to purchase new junior equipment .
“Whilst I am a qualified coach I do this on a voluntary basis and Racquets Fitness Centre provides its facilities free of charge, including their gym staff, as well as generously awarding free, yearly Junior Memberships to selected students.”
To find out more about junior squash at Racquets Fitness Centre, visit the website.
THE Trust responsible for providing care services at Thame Community Hospital, wants to find out what patients think of the care they receive there and whether they would recommend the hospital to family and friends.
In a statement this week, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: “The Family and Friends Test is currently being used in wards of acute hospitals and A&E departments. Community hospitals will be required to use the FFT test from 2014. However Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is already starting to collect this data so that we can better understand how satisfied patients are with the care they receive. In September all those that responded at Thame hospital said they were ‘extremely likely’ or ‘likely’ to recommend the service to a family member or friend if they required similar treatment. In October, 7 out of the 8 people who responded said they would recommend the service. There are a small number of inpatients who are treated at Thame hospital and therefore the size of the group surveyed is very low.
“This month we have also introduced patient experience tracker devices in Thame hospital so that patients can give real time feedback about their care. Patients can also submit feedback, good or bad, through our website or they can contact the Patient Advice Liaison service. Contact details can be found on our website.”
ON Monday, December 9th, between 9.20am and 8pm, a property in Chinnor Road, Thame, was broken into. Offender(s) have smashed a rear kitchen window to gain entry and stolen a hand held Microsoft tablet.
Between 7pm on Sunday, December 8th and 10am on Monday, December 9th, a vehicle in Cromwell Avenue was broken into. Offender(s) have damaged a lock and stolen a leaf blower and a hedge trimmer.
Between Friday, 6th and Monday 9th December, a vehicle in Pelham Road, Thame was broken into. Offender(s) have damaged a lock and stolen a cordless drill.
If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message please call the police on 101.
Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
FUND raising for Aston Rowant Primary School’s new hall was given a boost after its charity movie premiere, organised by BBC Sport presenter, Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes, made just over £3000.
Members of the dance group, White Star Performers, with Amit Gupta, Ray Panthaki and Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes
In a pop-up style cinema, Kingston Blount Village Hall was packed with movie goers to watch the DVD premiere of the British feature film, Jadoo, followed by ‘an audience with’ the Director – Amit Gupta’ afterwards.
Delighted with the success of the evening, Lizzie said: “The night was everything I’d hoped it would be. It had a proper ‘movie premiere’ feel with the red carpet and dancers. Everyone loved the film and we had so much local support with free canapés from DuoChef, to the wine and beer from a local wholesaler who wants to remain anonymous. Kingfisher lager and Majestic Wine were also very generous and the popcorn was donated from Waitrose. It was just like a real cinema!”
The film’s Director, Amit Gupta, lives locally and his daughter attends Aston Rowant School. He explained how the event came about: “I was asked by Lizzie, whose daughter is in the same class as mine, if I would mind the film being screened to raise money for the new hall. You don’t say ‘no’ to Lizzie and the school clearly needs a hall. The kids can’t do PE if it’s raining and they need somewhere to stage plays and performances.”
Amit’s close friend and one of the film’s stars, Ray Panthaki, also attended the premiere. The former Eastenders actor joined in the question and answer session and pulled the raffle.
Aston Rowant’s Head Teacher, Judith Lawson, thanked the audience for their support afterwards adding: “This is just the beginning. We were given planning permission this week to build the new classroom so we can convert the old hall back into a hall for sport and assemblies, and for the children to eat their lunch. We need to raise over a quarter of a million pounds to complete the building project. Aston Rowant is a great little school and together we can make it greater.”
As well as the film screening, the red carpet event featured a specially choreographed dance routine from White Star Performers who provide dance tuition to school’s in the Oxford area. Tanya White, Director of White Star Performers, said: “We felt strongly about supporting this event because the new hall will enable the pupils to do dance classes at school. It was wonderful that so many of the guests were delighted with our dancers as they came onto the red carpet, even to see some joining in with us! We’d like to thank Linda Mace who provided our costumes for this fantastic event.”
The cinema experience was made all the more genuine by Kandya Limited who provided their professional screening services free of charge. The company’s Director, Graham Southgate, is friends with the event’s co-organiser Phil Archer, whose children recently attended Aston Rowant Primary School. “Because I know Phil, when Lizzie asked, I wanted to help,” he explained. “The end result looked and sounded really good. It’s incredible how you can turn a village hall into a proper cinema. They even had my friend’s children as ushers with torches!”
ABOUT JADOO
Co-starring Madhur Jaffrey, Jadoo is a British-made comedy about two feuding brothers and their curry restaurants in Leicester (a bit like East is East.) The film has just finished its UK general release following its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.
The Express – “Buoyant and beautifully shot, the picture is a celebration of food and family life that adroitly sidesteps many cultural clichés”
The BBC’s Mark Kermode – “I watched the whole thing with a big smile on my face.”
Jadoo’s classification is 12a, running time – 84 minutes.
MEMBERS of Thame’s Twinning Association are back in England after a successful visit to Thame’s French twin town, Montesson, for the annual Christmas market, having raised welcome funds from selling English tea, cakes and marmalade, and Christmas crackers!
Vic Watson from Thame & District Twinning Association is visited by two elven friends of ‘Père Noël’ during the Montesson Christmas Market
The team of Thame twinners who travelled to Montesson, Nigel Champken Woods, his wife Alison, Julie Fitzsimmon and Vic Watson, made a profit of almost £300 which will contribute to welcoming a Montesson party of residents to Thame next May, 2014.
Nigel commented: “It was hard work, but in the end we practically sold out of everything. Unfortunately we had to disappoint our first customer who asked for shortbread biscuits which we were unable to take over this year, something that’s usually a big seller at the Montesson market. It was very cold but as usual great fun!”
Find out more about The Thame and District Twinning Association by visiting its website HERE
DOG owners who exercise their pets in the Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve are being asked to be more considerate, following an increase in dogs fouling the footpaths and disturbing the wild life.
Cuttlebrook volunteers during the recent BBC Oxford broadcast from the reserve
The Management committee are considering putting up more signs aimed at reminding dog owners of their responsibilities. Next year is the 21st anniversary of the reserve and there will be a special exhibition at Thame Museum sometime in the new year. Find out more about Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve on Facebook HERE
SINCE the publication of this item, the Manager of the Oxfam Bookshop has clarified the details of the wrapping service. Shop volunteers will wrap items purchased in the shop, using the customer’s Gift Wrap if they so choose and bring it with them, otherwise they can sell customers a roll of the shop’s own wrapping paper.
“If the customer does not wish to buy a full roll,” says Dick Jennens, ” we can use ours but we would encourage them to empty their pockets and purses into the donations tin.”
SINCE the launch of the Philippines appeal, over 100 local people have made the journey into the Oxfam Bookshop in Thame and donated generously to this appeal. But as the Manager, Dick Jennens says: “The bad news is still happening!
A Syrian child refugee struggling to keep warm (Courtsey of UNHCR)
While we in Thame are looking forward to beginning the Christmas festivities on Friday with our fun, Dickensian Christmas, Oxfam has launched its Syria Christmas Appeal, “Twelve Days of Giving” with the aim of raising £1 million.
Dick explains: “With winter approaching the plight of the Syria refugees is bleak. The children face a dire Christmas this winter. So far Oxfam have helped 250,000 people but we plan to help 650,000 refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon over the winter season.
“The volunteers of the Oxfam bookshop in Thame have set a target of raising £1,500 during the twelve days of this appeal. The volunteers are planning to hold a ‘Have Your Purchases Gift-wrapped for Christmas’ on Tuesday, December 17, in exchange for a donation to this appeal. They provide the paper and ribbon is necessary.
“Please help and donate to the Oxfam Christmas Appeal.”
CHINNOR RFC’s motto of the day was clearly “defence wins matches” as they squeezed the life out of London Irish Wild Geese to record an away victory of 27-16, on Saturday (30/11).
Chinnor Captain, Liam Gilbert
From the kick-off, Wild Geese attacked vigorously and were rewarded with two quick penalty goals from Oscar Thomas to go 6-0 ahead on the sixth minute. With almost their first use of ball in the opposition half, Chinnor, through Frank Jones, exploited some pace out on the right. Quick hands from Liam Gilbert put Marston 15m from the line with three defenders to beat. A drop of the hips and some hard running saw Marston dot down for Chinnor’s opening try. Millett’s conversion put the visitors ahead 7-6 ahead with nine minutes on the clock.
Three minutes later, Thomas for the Wild Geese slotted his third penalty goal to put the home side 9-7 ahead. Chinnor’s Daniel Barnes was forced to leave the field after a lengthy delay suffering the effects of receiving his second, late armless tackle. Keohane, for the Wild Geese, kept his backs moving across the park in an effort to find a hole in the Chinnor defence. With the match being played almost exclusively in the Chinnor half for long periods, the Oxfordshire boys managed another breakout and were rewarded with a penalty which Millett dispatched to put Chinnor ahead 10-9 on 22 minutes. Rapid handling from Chinnor, on another breakout from one side of the field to the other, saw Harrison take the ball at top pace from behind his back, control it and touch down in the corner to put Chinnor 15-10 ahead on the 27th minute. Millett added the extras for a 17-9 lead.
After a further 10 minutes defending on their 22, Chinnor again broke out and, with fluidity and high skill, worked the blindside to allow Fielding to ghost through for a try under the posts. Millett converted to put the visitors 24-9, a score they defended until the half-time whistle.
The second half started with a Wild Geese attack in the Chinnor corner. After about 10 minutes of scrums and lineouts, Chinnor managed to clear their lines. It did not last long as Wild Geese took play back again to the same corner. With the Irish pack starting to gain ascendancy in the scrum, it only seemed a matter of time before a pushover try was awarded to the home side. Chinnor, however, repulsed everything thrown at them and managed once again to clear their lines. 19 minutes of play was concentrated five metres from the Chinnor line and Wild Geese’s only reward was one lineout, which they lost. It could not have been any more frustrating for the home side.
Chinnor then had the cheek to break out from their 22m citadel to gain three points, courtesy of a penalty goal from Millett on the 65th minute. Wild Geese came right back and again and laid siege to the Chinnor line. With play now well into overtime, Keohane eventually broke the Chinnor line to score under the posts. Converting his own try with a quickly taken drop conversion, Keohane closed the deficit to 27-16. Chinnor defended the last few seconds and slumped to their knees when the final whistle sounded, exhausted from their extraordinary defensive effort.
London Irish Wild Geese did not play like a team perilously close to relegation. They attacked freely and moved the ball well but were unlucky to come up against a side who knew how to defend. The Geese had a number of opportunities out wide but the Chinnor scramble defence was always up to the task.
In the first half, Chinnor defended comfortably and attacked with skill and pace to score their 3 tries – playing some of their best rugby of the season. Their defensive resoluteness and physical strength in the second half was a thing of wonder, given the relentless pressure from the home side.
Nick Harrison had a storming game in the first half and the whole team, impressively led by Liam Gilbert, was immense in the second half. However, new boy Jamie Townsend gave a man of the match performance – tackling fiercely, throwing accurately and, most of all, carrying the ball with power and purpose.
Chinnor: George Blewitt, Joe Marston, Matthew Goode, Dan Barnes, Leo Fielding, Will Millett, Frank Jones, Nathaniel Titchard-Jones, Jamie Townsend, Joe Winpenny, Tom Mowbray, Andrew Tibbats, Adam Hastings, Nick Harrison, Liam Gilbert (c) Replacements: Tom Whelan, Ian Stock, Andrew Smith, Sam Angell, Ricky Hopwood
