THAMES Valley Police is appealing for the public’s help in tracing a boy who went missing from Princes Risborough yesterday afternoon, Wednesday.
Brandon Malaure, aged 17, was last seen yesterday (19/9) at around 3.45pm at Aylesbury Railway Station.
He is white, 5ft 10ins tall of slim build and has short dark brown hair. He was last seen wearing dark tracksuit trousers and a dark t-shirt.
Investigating officer Inspector Tracey Benham based at Aylesbury police station, said: “I would like to hear from anyone who may have seen Brandon, or anyone who knows where he may be.
“We just want to make sure that he is safe and well.
“Brandon, if you see this, please get in touch and let us know you are safe.”
If anyone has information about Brandon’s whereabouts, please contact Police on 101, quoting 43180287199 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
AS the deadline for applications for 2019, Year Seven at Lord Williams’s School in Thame, draws nearer – it’s October, 31, 2018 – the school’s Open Evening will be on October 3, 2018.
MORE details from the school:
“Our Open Evening for prospective students and their parents/carers is taking place on Wednesday 3rd October 2018. This is an opportunity to hear from the Headteacher and current students, see the facilities of the school and talk with staff and students.
“You are welcome to tour the school at your own pace, visiting any of the areas highlighted on the map (provided on the evening) between 5.30pm and 6.55pm. There will be a talk by the Headteacher, with contributions from current students, starting at 7.00pm in the Sports Hall. The evening will finish at approximately 7.30pm.
“PLEASE NOTE: Parking is limited so we advise you to walk or car share where possible and ask that you please do not block neighbours’ driveways or park on the verges. Parking Marshals will be in operation, please ensure you follow their instructions for your safety and the safety of pedestrians on site.
Additional parking will be available at Chinnor Rugby Club (Rectory Pavilion, Kingsey Road, Thame, OX9 3JL) which is approximately a 5-10 minute walk from the school.
AN entertaining evening is guaranteed for anyone who accepts an open invitation to Thame Speakers Club’s annual Humorous Speech Contest, next Wednesday (26/09) at the Thame Town Hall.
George Anderson, demonstrating his public speaking skills
A FREE welcome glass of wine awaits on arrival at the event that kicks off at 7:30 pm with an informal networking session – a great chance to meet new faces from the local area. The speaking start at 7:30 pm and run until 9:30 pm.
Thame Speakers Club’s President, Dom Stanway Williams, said: “With speakers of all levels competing, the event is a great chance to gain insight into how anyone can develop there own public speaking skills, no matter how competent they feel!”
Thame-based Well-being expert, George Anderson, who since joining Toastmasters in 2007 has developed a career in public speaking, added: “Toastmasters has helped me build my confidence in public speaking, as well as teaching me how to become a more effective communicator. At the open evening I’ll be sharing some of my experiences as a professional speaker, as well as some of my top tips for improving your presentation skills.”
If you’re keen to know more, make sure you come along to the Town Hall on Wednesday.
The club’s following meeting with be held at the new venue of the Thame Barns Centre (where the club have moved to from the Cross Keys Pub) from 19:45 – 21:30 on Wednesday, October 10. As always, guests will always be welcome for FREE, and not expected to speak! – Parking is available on site.
For more information about Thame Speakers Club, visit the group’s website HERE
SINCE joining Thame Players more than thirty five years ago, I have watched and been in, some wonderful productions and some not so wonderful, some financially successful, others not so much. Watching Steve Lambell’s production of ‘Oh! What A Lovely War’, last week I decided that it definitely belonged in the wonderful production category if not lacking just a little pace in parts.
If a person watches anything live in a theatre and then finds themselves singing the songs and going over certain scenes in their mind for some days afterwards, that surely means the production must have made an impact. Oh! sure, there were a few ‘moments’ shall we say, some members of the of the cast were stronger than others – but that is only to be expected in a piece which has a cast of thousands, (sic), and starts off being a complex entertainment to stage in the first place.
The director, the crew, the technical team – all of the backroom personnel and not least of all the cast, made one hell of a fist of Joan Littlewood’s vision of the pathos, humour and futility that came with the ‘Great War’, the war to end all wars – we were told!
This isn’t an easy Musical Entertainment to stage. With numerous entrances and exits, a massive number of costume changes, the same actors playing different parts, alarming sound effects, a complicated lighting plot and an intricate back projection storyboard, all of these pitfalls could have conspired to spell out a disastrous night at The Players Theatre in Thame.
Instead, on the night I attended it seemed a seamless production. With the ringmaster, Tony Long weaving a thread through the narrative, keeping us informed as it were, (as well as following his calling as a believable Padre), with such wonderful vignettes being portrayed by accomplished actors like Bernadette Tildesley and Colleen Tudway, the sombre mood and high humour portrayed by soldiers Adam Hurst, Steve Batchelor, Josh Rush and John Fowler.
The solo numbers projected confidently by Lucy Hardy, Juliet Kendall, Nicky Rochford, Julia Rush and John Poole. The adept tinkling of the ivories by Steve Bannister as Musical Director – all combined to make this a suitable testament to the Centenary Anniversary of the First World War. Added to this, who can forget the hilarious drill sergeant scene? A virtuoso performance by Andy Dale, the staring eyes and awesome presence of Adrian Vickers’ Field Marshall Lord Haig, the tongue twisting rendition given by the ‘Ladies’ of ‘Sister Susie Sowing Shirts…..’ lead by Carolyn Ross and the unforgettably haunting offering of Tom Mackriell’s ‘When This Bloody War Is Over’?
Other names to be Mentioned In Dispatches and who more than ably supported their colleagues on the battlefield are Niamh Blane, Jane Burke, Janet Erskine, Gill Quartly and Charlotte Schuman, Oh! oh! oh! what A Lovely War – indeed.
ON Sunday, September 30, a group of normal people from Thame will gather at Haddenham and take a train. They won’t be going to their day jobs.
Robin Storey
Instead, cross party and no party Peoples Vote supporters will be heading to Birmingham on the 0900 to call on John Howell MP to join the campaign for a Peoples Vote at the Conservative Party Conference.
Robin Storey, Founder member of the Open Britain Thame group, and campaigner for a Peoples’ Vote on the Government’s final Brexit deal, explained: “A botched no-deal or bad deal Brexit will leave the Constituency in a mess. We’re asking John Howell MP to take a lead and help find a way out from party infighting, along with other like-minded moderate Conservative MPs. It’s no longer good enough to say things are fine with Brexit, as we know so much more about the adverse effects on real people.”
Nobody voted to be poorer
“These national issues are also local issues – nobody in Oxfordshire voted to be poorer and all voters feel increasingly deceived, with livelihoods threatened by a Brexit that isn’t going well,” he added.
“Every Saturday, Peoples Vote stalls are being held in Thame at 2pm to sign up supporters, and a national march will take place in London on October 20, calling for a Peoples Vote on the terms of the final Brexit deal. Over 100,000 attended the last march, including many from Thame.
“We’d like to talk again with John Howell MP at one of these constituency events or in Birmingham. Specifically, we’d like to talk about jobs and weakening investment. BMW Mini in Cowley have warned publicly of the threat to their supply chain. Jaguar LandRover have also warned that many thousands of jobs are at risk by a no deal Brexit.
“High tech business around Oxford wonder why they are losing qualified EU staff, who no longer feel welcome. Commuters who live in Thame are worried. JP Morgan and many other firms have recently announced jobs moving out of the City, taking with them key parts of our tax base and capability.
In the Retail sector,John Lewis have blamed Brexit as one reason for poor recent results.”
NHS and public services
Robin continued: “We’d like to talk about how this affects the NHS and funding for all our public services if the economy and tax base does less well, outside of the EU single market and customs union, with much less comprehensive and efficient trade arrangements than we currently have.
“Staff shortages at the John Radcliffe are a problem already, as EU staff return home, leading to ward closures.
“In future, the Treasury’s own figures show 7% less cumulative economic growth through to 2030 with no deal. How will these services be funded?
“These are the sorts of issues we’re asking our MP to engage with at a time like this. That’s why we’ve been calling on John Howell MP to support the Peoples Vote on the terms of the final Brexit deal and why we’ll be in Birmingham.
“See you on the 0900 from Haddenham on Sunday, September 30!” Robin concluded.
THE Thames Valley Police Neighbourhood Team for Thame, has issued its monthly news update, which included the information that a 26 year-old male from Thame has been sentenced to prison for twelve weeks for possession of cocaine, failing to stop at a road traffic collision, having no insurance and driving without due care and attention. He was also disqualified from driving.
A thirty eight year-old male, also from Thame, was arrested on 07/04/18 by the Thame neighbourhood team on suspicion of drug driving. The male was then arrested on 23/07/18 for driving with excess alcohol and no insurance. He was suspended from driving for four years and fined £150.
What the neighbourhood team have been doing
PCSOs Diane Jackson and Maya Brien gave a talk to the Thame day centre on 08/08/18 regarding door stop crime – how to avoid this crime and stay vigilant.
Have Your Say meetings
The Thame neighbourhood team will be having a number of Have Your Say meetings in and around Thame. Anyone is welcome to go along and discuss any local concerns:
• Wheatley Merry Bells – 13/09/18 at 11am & 04/10/18 at 11am
• Waitrose Thame – 24/09/18 at 3pm & 19/10/18 at 11am
• Coop Thame – 14/09/18 at 3pm & 15/10/18 at 1.30pm
More PCSOs for Thame
This month the Neighbourhood team welcomed a brand new PCSO to Thame, PCSO Maciej Stempniowski. Also, PCSO Natalie White is now back from maternity leave and will be working from 9am – 6pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. From the 01/10/18, PCSO Graham Davey will be back in Chinnor.
FOLLOWING the government’s announcement that ‘Corridor B’ is its preferred option for the proposed Oxford Cambridge Expressway, South Oxfordshire District Council has issued its response.
The A34 during a rare quiet period. Image courtesy of geograph.org.uk/
The government has stated that this route would see a road pass either to the north-west or south-east of Oxford, then north to Bicester and beyond which would be designed to take up to 40 minutes off the journey between the A34 and the M1.
Cllr Jane Murphy, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “It’s important that progress is now being made on the Oxford to Cambridge Corridor. Our residents have been waiting for an update on this issue, which will have a significant impact on life in Oxfordshire. We are disappointed the announcement doesn’t bring the clarity or certainty our residents need about the route around Oxford. We are now calling on the government to confirm their intentions as soon as possible, and we stand by our position that the route to the west of the city is the best outcome for our residents.”
THAME Remembers, set up in 2014 to commemorate every named person on the town’s War Memorials, with a special cross, has achieved its aim of remembering all 212 men from Thame who fell in World War One by placing a Thame Remembers Cross on their grave or memorial wherever in the world that may be, by the centenary of the end of WW1 in November this year.
Troops leaving Thame railway station to fight in WW1
To achieve this, Thame Remembers has calculated that over 300 volunteers have travelled more than 150,000 miles and visited; four continents, 23 countries, 31 memorials and 102 cemeteries, and the team behind the project have expressed their gratitude to the people of Thame for this fantastic achievement.
For more information about Thame Remembers, go to www.thameremembers.org, where you can also find information about their upcoming Ten Tommies from Thame production on November 9 & 10 . Tickets are for sale from Spear Travels, in Greyhound Walk, Thame.
THE police are advising Thame school children, parents and guardians to be extra vigilant to and from school, following a report of a stranger approaching a pupil on her way to school yesterday morning (12/09).
According to a letter sent out today by the Headteacher of John Hampden Primary School, a year six pupil was walking on her own but within sight of an adult responsible for her, when a male, wearing a dark ‘hoody spoke directly to the child. The Police were apparently alerted immediately.
The children have been spoken to about ‘Stranger Danger’ and have been advised not to walk to school alone for the time being but to walk in groups or with an adult. The other primary schools in the town have been advised about the incident.
Anyone who sees anyone or anything suspicious on their journey to or from school, is advised to phone the Police immediately.
THAME seems to have escaped major impact from the proposed Oxford to Cambridge Expressway, after the Government today announced its preferred route out of the three alternatives it has looked at.
The Government’s chosen route, Corridor B, will follow the East-West Rail Corridor, (See more in depth explanation of the alternatives in our previous report HERE) not the favoured route of South Oxfordshire District Council.
The Government said that Corridor B was: “… judged to offer greater benefits to the region – outperforming the other options by providing better links to jobs, education, leisure and health services.”
The expressway, with options to pass either west or east of Oxford, is expected to take up to 40 minutes off the journey between the A34 south of Oxford and the M1.
Despite the Government’s statement today saying that ‘The choice of this corridor means that the government has ruled out construction in the area of the Otmoor nature reserve, underlining its desire to protect the natural environment’, Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is ‘profoundly concerned’ following today’s announcement.
Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive BBOWT, said: “In our opinion Corridor B is the worst of the three options. We told Highways England that the potential impact on biodiversity of Corridor B is so serious that the route should have been discounted entirely. The only way to avoid exceptionally serious impacts on biodiversity would be to develop a road route that is so convoluted that it would fail to qualify as an expressway.
“Our most serious concerns are for the designated sites and nature reserves in Cothill Fen, Oxford Meadows, the Otmoor Basin, Upper Ray Valley and Bernwood Forest.”
BBOWT has publicly voiced its concerns about Highways England’s failure to commission a Strategic Environmental Assessment as part of the process of selecting a Corridor. This is required under European Law for plans or programmes of this size. “This means the public has been denied the opportunity to fully scrutinise the comparative economic, societal and environmental impacts of the options. Several local MPs, councillors and pressure groups share our concern about the lack of consultation,” claims BBOWT.
You can read the full statement from the Department for Transport, Highways England HERE and HERE
Thame’s MP John Howell, has been communicating with wildlife groups about the possible affect on sensitive sites and you can read his response HERE
He is white, 5ft 10ins tall of slim build and has short dark brown hair. He was last seen wearing dark tracksuit trousers and a dark t-shirt.
