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Category: Thame news

  • Grab a hedge tree – and a cake at the Volunteer Fair

    VISIT 21st Century Thame’s Volunteers Fair on Saturday, February 15, and pick up FREE hedge trees and/or small trees for gardens.

    There will be six different types of hedge trees to choose from. Apart from the Thame Trees Plant 2020 stall, there’ll be an assortment of local organisations offering the opportunity to get involved with one of the many local organisations that do so much for our sense of community, our environment and those more vulnerable among us here in Thame.

    Go along and find out about 21st Century Thame, Thame Carnival, Thame Tidy, Thame Museum, Girl Guides, Scouts, OX9ers, Thame Youth projects, Thame Art Crawl, Oxfam, Music in the park, Thame Climate Action, Taste of Thame and others….

    Refreshements will be available including a Cake Sale in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, and children will be encouraged to have a go at racketball, table tennis and squash on offer at Raquests Fitness Centre, which is hosting the event.

    At the Volunteers Fair, you could:
    1. Pick up a tree to plant in your garden (part of #ThameTrees)
    2. Meet the leaders and other volunteers of over 10 different voluntary organisations from around Thame
    3. Have drink in the Racquets bar and chat through what opportunities there

    Come on – join in – and continue the work of making Thame a great place to live, work and visit.

    The Volunteers Fair runs from 12 noon through to 4pm.

  • Thame & District Day Centre could use your help!

    DO you have the gift of time to give to an enjoyable and rewarding activity?

    Thame and District Day Centre meet at Thame Town Cricket Club on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30am to 2:30pm and are open for 50 weeks of the year.

    Alison Biddle from Thame, one of the volunteers who helped at the Day Centre’s Christmas party

    They provide a day out with plenty of refreshments, a two-course meal and a variety of entertainment for people from Thame and some nearby villages, who are elderly, frail, or perhaps isolated. They first opened nearly 30 years ago and currently have about 60 members and a small waiting list.

    This wonderful service is dependent on the commitment of an excellent team of volunteer drivers and Day Centre helpers. They need helpers to support the managers with serving drinks and lunch, organising activities and entertainment and providing a friendly, sociable atmosphere with time to listen and chat! They also need volunteer drivers who can use their own cars for an hour in the morning and/or afternoons to pick up their members and take them home afterwards. A clean driving licence and an empathetic and friendly manner is all that is needed and mileage expenses are paid. If you are an entertainer, speaker, singer or even magician, they can always accommodate your skills in the Centre. Expenses or your standard charges can be paid if they are within budget. Volunteers with particular skills e.g. manicurist, hairdresser, chiropodist or craft worker would be most welcome to enhance the members’ day out.

    Whether you have just a few hours or the whole day to spare, please consider helping out and call Gillian Coleman on 01844 212080 for an informal chat.

    SOURCE: Thame Town Council’s news letter

  • District Councils push for zero carbon homes

    BOTH South Oxfordshire and the Vale District Councils, have called for zero carbon homes in a joint respose to the Government’s Future Homes Standard Consultation which ended yesterday.

    In their response, the two councils have agreed with the move to produce clearer standards and guidance in line with the recommendations of the Hackitt Review, and that restructuring the guidance so that it is clearer about what is expected of the home builders and developers in complying with the requirements would be a positive step.

    However, although supportive of the intention of the targets being proposed, both Councils felt strongly that the Government should be ‘far more ambitious’ with their targets and timescales in the move towards constructing zero carbon houses, and in their expectations of local authorities, housing developers and homeowners.

    The standards proposed in the consultation document however, are lower than those for London, setting out carbon reduction targets 25% lower than those detailed in the 2016 London plan – a fact pointed out to the government in a recent letter to the housing Minister, from the Mayor or London, Sadiq Khan.

    The Future Homes Standard is currently under consultation and is due to come into effect in the latter half of 2020, covering England only. In its current form, it includes a goal to reduce the carbon intensity of new builds by 75% by 2025, which will be delivered through fresh mandates for housebuilders on triple glazing, low-carbon heating systems, onsite renewable generation and energy-efficient building fabrics. The 75% target is down from an initial proposal of 80%.

    Last year both councils declared a Climate Change Emergency. At South Oxfordshire District Council, they have set a date of 2030 by which they expect to reach carbon emissions of net zero or near to net zero. At Vale of White Horse District Council, they are aiming for a 75% reduction in carbon emissions in the district by 2030.

    To read the whole statement from the two councils, click HERE

  • Chinnor need to ‘let the shackles off’ next match

    MATT Williams, Director of Rugby, is urging his Chinnor players to let the shackles off at Kingsey Road when Old Elthamians visit this weekend.

    Hooker Nick Selway, who has scored six tries in his last five games – evidence of how strong the set-piece has been. Image credit Simon Cooper

    The Thame-based side are searching for their fifth win from six games in 2020 as they bid to further cut the gap to the teams immediately above them. Just a victory now separates fourth-placed Chinnor and Rosslyn Park who are second, with a six-match unbeaten away run playing a contributing factor.

    Last week’s 42-24 win at Rotherham Titans means the side have now averaged 37 points in their last four away games. Old Elthamians were the last side to beat Chinnor on the road back in October and director of rugby Williams is hoping that form can be emulated at home as they search for a fourth successive win on Saturday.

    “The boys are confident, our set-piece is going really well, and our attacking threat is where we wanted it to be earlier in the season,” said Matt. “We’re strong on the road, but now it’s about keeping the home momentum rolling. Sometimes you go into your shell at home because there’s an expectation. We had a very good home record (a few years ago) and that’s well documented.

    “We’ve lost our way a little bit over the last 12 months at home, but away we’re enjoying it; we’re not worrying about field position; we’re playing very much heads-up rugby and it’s the same message for home now. It’s about letting the shackles off, play what you see, don’t become too scripted, but obviously build the momentum around the fact that we’ve got such a big set-piece.

    “Chris Elder (ankle) and Caolan Ryan (concussion) are still sidelined, but Williams has close to a fully-fit squad. It’s exciting. I’ve been waiting for two years to have a moment where we have the depth we do. There’s over 30 very fit boys, (who are) very hungry for a starting jersey this week.”

    SATURDAY’S SQUAD
    Chinnor (v Old Elthamians, home): from Dancer, Fidler, Goss, Harries, Hoadley, Hodson, Kirwan, Laverick, Marley, May, McNulty, Pieterse, Ramshaw, Rees, W Ryan, Southworth, Selway, Thomas, Tyas, Watson, Worrall, Yawayawa.

  • First of 500 new trees planted in Thame

    THAME Tree Plant 2020, 21st Century Thame’s latest initiative, really has taken root – and planted its first trees.

    A team of six local people planted 30 assorted young trees, including Hornbeam and Bird Cherry, on land close to Thame belonging to a local resident, to form an eventual copse.

    The Thame Tree Plant 2020 project is for 21st Century Thame to commit towards the 1 million trees Woodland Trust mass tree planting campaign — part of National Tree Week and the Big Climate Fightback. The project is pledging to plant 500 trees around Thame in 2020, aiming to raise upwards of £3K from local businesses and other donors, to purchase the trees.

    Visit the Thame Tree Plant 2020 webpage, to find out more about this ‘green’ initiative, and find out how you can take part by either donating cuttings from your own trees, joining voluntary tree-planting days, like that held last Wednesday, or to make an offer of land that you like to see planted with young trees.

  • Forward notice: Temporary Road Closure at Thame, Southern Road


    THERE will be a temporary road closure to apply to a section of Southern Road whilst gas works are carried out, from April 28, 2020, up to and including May 1, 2020 – This will be a 24 hour road closure.

    Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for those frontages within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works and liaison with the works supervisor.

    Further information regarding the works may be obtained by contacting Claire Stewart on 07866784678 or email Claire.stewart@sgn.co.uk

  • Happy birthday Thame’s First Thursday Music Club!

    LEADING pop rock band VAN SUSANS are coming to help Thame’s First Thursday Music Club celebrate its 10th birthday.

    Lead singer Olly Andrews said: “The FTMC and its associated Thame Town Music Festival are two of our favourite places to play. We are delighted Johnnie asked us to help out with the party. Such music clubs and festivals are the grassroots of the UK’s music industry and it is vital we all recognize how important they are.

    “The FTMC, in particular, is always a brilliant night with a wide variety of really good quality acts and it’s such a wonderful atmosphere.”

    Van Susans will be joined by local favourites, The Vibe and Celtic Heartbeat, rising star Francesca Luker and her band, Meghan Gallagher, Paul Chapman and an appearance by Tom Crook who is presenting a very special guest.

    The First Thursday Music Club offers the opportunity for artists to play live in front of a warm and appreciative audience, the club now operates a pre-booking system for acts to ensure that artists are not disappointed by turning up and not being able to get a slot at this very popular event. Go on the FTMC Facebook site to get in contact and book a slot at a future event. Meanwhile Happy Birthday to the FTMC! Another eclectic evening is guaranteed and entrance, as always, is FREE to all!

    FTMC Contacts:
    Jon Littler, 07771 673996, jon.littler@me.com
    Jim Greenhough, 07771 543131 jim@mycornerhouse.co.uk
    Phil Westerman, 07971 545689, philwesterman@hotmal.com

  • Chinnor’s unbeaten run on the road continues

    CHINNOR delivered another superb performance on Saturday, to claim a bonus-point victory and extend their unbeaten run on the road to six games.

    The Thame-based side scored six tries to beat Rotherham Titans 42-24 in blustery conditions. a victory that has helped them to further close the gap to the teams above them in National League One, and they are now only four points behind second-placed Rosslyn Park.

    With the wind at their backs, Chinnor were dominant from the first whistle and opened up a 28-point lead after 29 minutes. Penalties were costing Titans, who had both Tom Benjamin and Dan Preston-Routledge sin-binned, before conceding a penalty try. Jason Worrall, Nick Selway and Kieran Goss then also crossed for Chinnor, Laurence May converting.

    Rotherham hit back through Benjamin’s unconverted effort, but Chinnor went on to score a sensational try which saw them go from one end of the field to the other. May played out on his own five-metre line and Will Harries galloped through a gap and to the half-way line before sending Worrall racing over. May converted to make it 35-5 at the break.

    Two tries in three minutes from Connor Dever and Ben Robbins, Sam Hollingsworth converting once, cut Chinnor’s lead. But the visitors scored their sixth try when Matt Marley forced his way over on 67 minutes, May adding the extras.

    Titans picked up a consolatory four-try bonus point in the last play through Benjamin, but it did not dampen Chinnor’s day.

  • UPDATE – February at Thame Cinema

    UPDATE – Another screening of ‘Judy’ is scheduled for Friday, February 8, at 5pm, doors 4.30. Thame Cinema 4 All will swap any 8pm tickets to 5 pm if ticket holders email films@thamecinema.org.uk
    SOME great films showing during February at the Players Theatre, Thame, by Thame Cinema 4 All. Next up is Judy on February 7 (25 tickets only left for Judy!), followed by The Peanut Butter Falcon on February 15. TRAILER HERE

    Tickets are available online http://thamecinema.org.uk or on the door. Online bookings close three hours before the screening and all unsold tickets will be available on the door. Thame Cinema is based at the Thame Players Theatre in Nelson Street. All films start at 8pm (unless shown otherwise) and doors open 30 minutes before each film. Admission is just £5. There is a licenced bar.

    More information and to book, LINK HERE

  • Thame news in brief

    (1) THAME Carnival committee will be meeting this evening (Tuesday) at Racquets Fitness Centre at 8pm. Lots of volunteers are needed to make this wonderful community event a success – especially an Event Lead. Sponsors too are needed.

    This year the theme is ‘The Heart of Thame’ giving everyone, residents, businesses, schools, and local organisations an opportunity to show just what a wonderful community we live in.

    (2) THE number of people killed on the roads last year across the Thames Valley has fallen.

    (3) THE Thames Valley Police, Roads Policing Team has released its yearly overview which shows they attended 58 fatal collisions this year, compared to 80 the year before.

    Figures also show in 2018 there was 3176 arrests for drink/drug driving which increased to 3576 in 2019.

    (4) SHOULD Thame’s Christmas Lights event be held earlier this year? A poll is being held by the town council on Facebook and Twitter, or you can email the council with your preference if you’re not on social media. A decision will be made, using the results from the poll, at the council meeting on Tuesday, February 11, as to whether the event should be held on Friday, November 27, 2020, or Friday, December 4, 2020. The polls close at 10am ON FRIDAY, February 5.

    (5) YOUNG people leaving the care system in Oxfordshire will get a helping hand after local councils decided to grant them Council Tax relief up to the age of 25.