Category: Thame news

THE Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) has announced a new fund and package of support available to help community and voluntary organisations meet the new needs and challenges created by the Coronavirus emergency. 

OCF’s new Community Resilience Fund has been kick-started with a donation from the Indigo Trust and has already reached more than £500,000. At a time when they have never been more needed, many charities and voluntary organisations are at risk, with little or no working capital, thus anticipating significant cash flow problems.

 “We want our new fund to unlock the power of our community,” explained OCF CEO Jayne Woodley. “This is a time when their services have such potential to provide the essential lifeline so needed by those who are most vulnerable and at risk in our communities.”

How the funding will be distributed is currently being formulated as Kate Walker, OCF’s Marketing Projects Manager, explained to Thame.Net: “We are working hard to pull the details of grants that will be available as soon as we can.  As I am sure you can understand we want to do this right and also ensure that there is a long-term solution as well.

“We are currently working on the details of how the fund will be managed. Information will be released on our website as soon as these are completed. People will be informed by email when the fund is open for applications and anyone who does not normally receive OCF communications, can opt in to receive these emails here.”

The objectives of the fund are to:

•  Help organisations to respond better: grants will help organisations meet new needs appearing as a result of the Coronavirus and help organisations for whom restrictions mean they have to find new ways of meeting existing needs.
• Help organisations to recover stronger: grants will help to ensure organisations can survive if their operations or income are interrupted by the Coronavirus.

The design for operating the fund will be guided by the following:

•  The need to respond quickly and to adjust to a changing situation. Therefore, the fund to include a “light touch” element.
•  The recognition that there will need to be flexibility with regard to milestones and reviews.
•  An assessment of the wider context of needs and resources available. This will include a needs analysis in relation to urgency and importance, plus the evaluation of applications based on their relative levels of impact.
•  The need to be professional and thorough in assessing applications and the use of funds.

Help to scale up efforts to distribute food

The fund will help organisations like SOFEA (South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance), who can scale up their efforts to distribute food to vulnerable people across Oxfordshire. It is already working together with existing volunteer hubs, such as Oxford Together and Citizens Advice Banbury.

This means renting additional vans, buying more fuel, cleaning materials and redeploying staff. SOFEA have committed to this even as their cash flow is reaching a critical point. Restrictions on educational activities are reducing SOFEA’s income. The speed with which the fund has been set up means that SOFEA has already received an emergency cash injection of £10,000. CEO Richard Kennell said, “Support from this new fund is vital for us. It enables us to focus on meeting the urgent needs of the crisis and gives us confidence that SOFEA will still be here when the crisis is over.” 

The OCF funds will be pooled with other money being made available, including that from the National Emergencies Trust (NET).

ALL libraries in Oxfordshire, including Thame’s, have been closed to the public, since Saturday, March 21, to keep the community and staff safe.

In a statement, the Library Service said: “The Library Service is working hard to help customers during these uncertain times and our staff will be working behind the scenes exploring ways we can further develop and increase our online services.”

The statement continued: “The Library Service is working hard to help customers during these uncertain times and our staff will be working behind the scenes exploring ways we can further develop and increase our online services.

Renewals, returns and reservations

“Please don’t worry, as until further notice, we have rolled forward the return due dates on all library books and audio visual items for all borrowers. This means you don’t need to renew items which you have on loan now, it’s been done for you. You won’t be asked to pay fines or hire charges for items that were due on these items.

“If you are concerned about returning items on loan, please don’t worry, especially if you are self-isolating. You won’t be asked to pay fines or hire charges. Nor will customers receive pre/overdue emails during this period.”

Online services

Oxfordshire Libraries has a wide choice of online services that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home, especially if you are self-isolating. There is a wide choice of eBooks & eAudio, eNews, eMagazines and e-reference databases as subscribers already know from our eNewsletters.

You will also begin to see more of the library service’s lively social media – Facebook and Twitter – as they develop more online services and help to keep you in touch.

“When the time is right, we will be back with our face-to-face services,” concluded the statement.

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council is increasing resources to help groups in the community providing support to those most in need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Due to the ongoing public health risk from the virus, the council has closed its office building and reception in Milton Park as of 4.30pm yesterday,  Friday, March 20.

Residents can continue to access information about council’s services, and make payments, or make an application or a report via the council’s’website southoxon.gov.uk

Follow the LINK to read the whole bulletin.

FOLLOWING reports of Covid-19 related scams, Thames Valley Police is urging the public to remain vigilant against criminals using the publicity around the coronavirus as a chance to target their victims with fraudulent emails, phone calls, text messages or door to door services.

In a statement today, the police said: “We are encouraging residents to look out for their friends, family and neighbours. There are examples of communities working together to help local residents and we don’t want to discourage this so we ask that people consider the following advice to avoid falling victim to fraudsters, and protect yourself.

Door scams

“We are aware of people knocking on the doors of elderly and vulnerable people offering to shop or other services for them and then taking money without providing what they have offered.

• If you can only accept help from people you are familiar with or who can prove who they are.
• Do not hand over a bank card or large sums of cash to anyone on your doorstep.
• Please look out for your neighbours and family members who may not have access to social media and therefore will not be receiving this information.

Watch out for scam messages

“A number of online scams offering fake services are being reported nationally. Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details.

Shopping online

“If you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first, and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase. If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.”

For more information on how to shop online safely, visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/shoponlinesafely

Coronavirus Testing Kits

The police are aware that some may be trying to sell fake coronavirus tests, and warn: ” At this time the public are not being offered COVID-19 tests to purchase, and no companies have been deployed to carry out checks in homes or businesses; this will be a scam.”

If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber-crime, report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040

AS Thame will undoubtedly have people who, because of jobs lost and the other hardships associated with the challenging  times ahead for all us, many will appreciate the news that Thame is to get its own Community Larder. 

Sharing Life Trust, who run the local foodbank, are collaborating with SOFEA, a charity based in Didcot, to bring a Community Larder to Thame. 

John Hulet, a Trustee of Sharing Life Trust, explained: “This was planned before the current coronavirus emergency but we think it will be welcomed by many, as a way of accessing staple foods during what will be tough times for many people in our community as jobs are lost or the self-employed find themselves without any work.

“ If there is a demand, we hope to start this up quite soon. Our friends at Christchurch have made their hall available for us free of charge which is fantastic. Volunteers will be needed as well. If we start we will not run the social aspects of the larder at this stage for obvious reasons but we will be able to provide the food items.” 

For more details about the scheme, to sign up or to help or become a member, visit the Community Larder page on the website. www.sharinglifetrust.org

DESPITE the frequently empty shelves of tinned food, pasta, rice, toilet rolls – and today, strong white flour for bread-making,

Thame is coping well so far with the challenges of this unprecedented event in the town’s modern history.

For the independent shops in the town, as of Saturday, March 14, it’s a mixed picture. CAAOS, the computer repair shop above Pet Care, a shortage of electronic equipment from China a couple of weeks ago has now eased and stocks are available at the moment. The store reports an increase in phone calls from people asking about how to set up for working from home which they are happy to help with. FROM, the gift and life-style shop in Cornmarket that specialises in selling work by local artists, designers and makers, reported a drop in footfall, less browsing, but generally a good level of sales on Saturday to people coming in with intent to buy something, often for a Mothers’ Day present.

Glynswood said that had noticed an up-take in the purchasing of puzzles, colouring materials and kits, the sorts of things people, including children, can do at home, whilst Autoparts reported that the town had been quieter than usual in the week, illustrated by the unusual number of available parking spaces in the town centre, but that Saturday’s sales had been pretty buoyant, particularly as they had received a shipment of hand sanitisers. Umberto, in Greyhound Walk, was not feeling a particular downturn on Saturday, but was not optimistic for the future if shops have to close if the government’s strategy for controlling the spread of the virus meant people having to stay in their homes.

‘Community spirit’

The kindness and community spirit of the people of Thame has really come to the fore this week, with the emergence of several facebook groups aimed at supporting people affected by the virus, whether they’re isolated by the illness itself, or having to work from home to protect themselves and each other.

A group called Love Thame Helpers has been set up to allow members of the existing, Love Thame facebook group, a dedicated area to request and offer help in response to the outbreak of the Corona Virus.  Leaflets have been printed and are being posted all around the town, offering a helpful hand.

The facebook group, Thame Homeworking Community has emerged for those people in the Thame area who are working from home. It could be by choice or because they may be self-isolating, or may be directed by their employer because of the COVID-19 virus. The aim is to enable them to share and support each other. 

Many events postponed or cancelled

Following the latest advice of the government for everyone to stay away from social gatherings, and to remain at a distance from each other, many forthcoming local events have either been cancelled or postponed. They include:

• Thame United, Wednesday’s fixture is off! March 18 – all grassroots football in England is postponed for the foreseeable future
• Thame’s Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, March 24
• Chinnor RFC Thame has suspended all rugby activity including club training, league and cup matches plus rugby education courses from March 17 – April 14 subject to continued review
• Thame Tidy, April 18
• Music in the Park, May 3
• VE Day celebrations, May 8
• Mile of Coins, May 30
• Thame Choral Society’s May concert – Handl’s Messiah; TCS hopes to perform the concert later in the year, in October or November
• Cricket club comedy night
• Thame Players Theatre closed
• Taste of Thame – postponed
• Thame Town Council’s Planning meeting cancelled – March 17
• Information Centre Town hall, not open to the public –  information centre, contact by phone 01844 212 833 or email info@thametowncouncil.gov.uk
• Mother’s Day Afternoon tea – March 22, 2020 at the Guide HQ

GP Surgeries

GP Practices are being advised not to see patients face to face wherever possible in order to limit the spread of Coronavirus. The Rycote Practice will be using telephone, video and eConsultations where possible until further notice. You can eConsult via the website at any time. All other contacts will be triaged by telephone and only seen face to face if necessary. Only call the surgery for essential requests in order to keep the lines free.

Appointments such as blood tests and dressings that cannot be dealt with by telephone will only be booked if they have been requested by a doctor or nurse.

DO NOT go to the surgery for any reason if you have a temperature, a persistent cough or flu-like symptoms.  Some routine appointments and services will be cancelled or postponed.

Support services and contact

Thame Information Centre and the Town Council offices will remain open but the council is asking that you  call (01844 212833) or email (info@thametowncouncil.gov.uk) if possible. Please check the Town Council’s Twitter Feed for updates. There are lots of useful support services contact details on the counci’s website HERE

Latest from South Oxfordshire District Council

FOLLOWING government and Public Health England advice on the risks to people over the age of 70 and with underlying health conditions, as well as following good practice for reducing the amount of unnecessary contact between individuals, SODC has taken the decision to cancel some events as follows:

• Community-based leisure events and activities at our arts centres involving older and vulnerable people
• All formal council meetings until the end of March have been postponed – they will review the plan for meetings scheduled after the end of the month in due course, and will consider the latest government’s advice at the time.

SODC staff who are already able to work from home without affecting services to the public have been asked to do so. Otherwise, the council is operating normally. If you do need to find out information about the council, make a payment or apply for something the council provides, you can do so using the websites. A page on the council’s website is being kept up to date with the latest information. LINK HERE