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Category: Thame news

  • Thame photographer shortlisted in Xperience Awards

    THAME portrait photographer Mark Hewitson has made the shortlist as a finalist in the prestigious Xperience Photography Awards.

    Talos

    The Xperience Awards, run by the Xperience Group, is a competition with entries from professional portrait studios across the UK and Ireland. Attracting thousands of entries every year the awards celebrate creativity and excellence in photography. Mark’s finalist image has been shortlisted in the ‘Top Dog Creative’ category and features long haired Chihuahua, Talos playing with bubbles during his session.

    A thrilled Mark said: “To be shortlisted as a finalist in such a prestigious and highly contested awards is a huge honour and I am delighted that my work has been recognised to be both of excellent quality and creativity.”

    The winning images in the 2019 Xperience Awards will be announced in November with the client of the overall winning image in each category receiving a 20 inch, beautifully framed wall art which will undoubtedly take pride of place on their home.

    If you would like a portrait of your dog to be in with a chance of winning the 2020 Xperience Awards, you can contact Mark at http://markhewitson.co.uk/ or on 01844 278015.

  • Back to the drawing board for Local Plan 2034?

    THE Cabinet at South Oxfordshire District Council has recommended that councillors vote to withdraw the council’s emerging Local Plan 2034 from examination and begin work on an ambitious new Local Plan.

     

     

    Cabinet debated the issues at a public meeting at the council’s offices in Milton Park on Thursday, October 3, and agreed to make a recommendation in a motion to Council, that will be considered and voted on by councillors at the full Council meeting next Thursday, October 10.

    The motion sets out Cabinet’s reasons for recommending full Council withdraw the plan, an approach which they believe is in the best interests of South Oxfordshire residents.

    MOTION
    That Cabinet recommended Council to:
    (a) withdraw the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034,
    for the following reasons:

    1) The uplift above the standard method from 627 homes to 775 homes a
         year is excessive, and the existence of the Growth Deal should not be
         used as a justification for this uplift
    2) The overall supply of homes in the Local Plan period is considered
         excessive as it is over 5,000 homes greater than the need identified for
         South Oxfordshire, even allowing provision for Oxford City’s unmet
         housing need.
    3) The Local Plan does not give sufficient weight to responding to the
         climate emergency that we face as recognised by the decision of Council
         of April 11, 2019
    4) Concerns about site selection issues including:
    * that the scale of Green Belt release is not justified
    * flawed site selection having regard to the sustainability and
       deliverability of strategic allocations
    * concerns about the impact of the housing mix delivery and density
       policy

    (b) Withdraw from the Oxfordshire Statements of Common Ground linked
          to the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034
    (c) Agree to commence work as soon as practicable on a new ambitious
         Local Plan, to seek to address the above concerns
    (d) Request a report on the merits of a joint Local Plan with neighbouring
          authorities
    (e) Request the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to
          provide financial support to support a new ambitious Local Plan
    (f) Explore other opportunities for funding
    (g) Bring forward revenue expenditure on a new Local Plan currently
          estimated at £2 million into the next Medium-Term Financial Plan
          period, representing the most cost-effective option
    (h) Ask officers to prepare a new Local Development Scheme and work
          programme and bring this to Cabinet for approval.

    Cllr Sue Cooper, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “We have considered the detailed matters relating to the Local Plan long and hard over the past few months and I’m pleased that we’re making a clear, decisive and strong recommendation to councillors. In making this recommendation, my Cabinet has sought to do the right thing, not the easy thing, and we will continue to work positively and constructively in the best interests of all South Oxfordshire residents while also tacking the climate emergency, which we have an enormous responsibility to address.”

    Cllr Leigh Rawlins, Cabinet Member for Planning at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “I am pleased to have had unanimous support from my Cabinet colleagues for the motion I put forward. I firmly believe it reflects the needs of South Oxfordshire residents and addresses their serious concerns. Subject to the support of councillors next week, I’m looking forward to getting to work on an ambitious, sustainaPrevble new Local Plan that properly reflects the needs of our residents.”

    SOURCE: Press release – LINK to background stories

  • Begging in Thame town centre

    THAMES Valley Police have recently had reports of homeless people (LINK) begging in Thame town centre, and have issued advise to the public.

    The Thame Neighbourhood Policing team have said: “We have engaged with these individuals, identifying any welfare needs and concerns, signposting them on to support agencies. We would advise to not give money to individuals who are begging.

    “We believe that offering shelter, emergency food, clothing and specialist support for substance abuse is a bigger help and we work with a number of local organisations to help those in need.”

  • Growing friendships in gardens and schools

    BREXIT rages on but Thame’s european connection thrives through friendship and cultural exchanges, even down to its youngest residents.

    Following another successful, annual trip to Thame’s twin of Montesson in France recently by Thame’s Twinning Association, a Thame primary school has been presented with a selection of French story books, a gift from its partner school in the French town.

     

    The children of Yr 3, at John Hampden School, Thame, explore their French gift of books to help them learn about France and its language

    Last Friday, September 27, Year 3 pupils from Mrs Laura McRonald’s French class at John Hampden Primary school in Thame, were presented with a wonderful selection of story books and picture books, brought back to them from Montesson, reciprocating a similar gift from John Hampden school, taken to Montesson by ‘Thame twinning’ members. The English story books were presented to Madame Nathalie Lacroix, who teaches English at École Élémentaire Ferdinand Buisson in Montesson, just before the Thame group left Montesson for home.

    Highlight of this year’s road trip to Montesson for the Thame contingent was a visit to the artist Claude Monet’s garden at Giverny, originally planned and planted by the artist himself to resemble an ‘Impressionist’ painting, a garden including the actual Pond Lily pool and Japanese bridge, tunnelled these days with dappled green planting, that featured in Monet’s famous work depicting that very scene.

    Visitors to Monet’s garden at Giverny, take shelter from the hot, September sun

    The house and studio have recently been sensitively developed into a musuem, every room in the house, decorated as it would have been in his day, filled with objects that belonged to him, furniture, dinner services, and all around the walls, photographs of his family and friends and scenes from his life, and paintings, some his own and many Japanese works of art – a country he was facinated by.

    The annual, communal rictual of eating a little meat pie, resembling a flattened sausage roll, took place later in the early evening, in a park in Montesson accompanied with wine, all part of the festival of the pâté à la Carmen, which includes a street carnival on the Sunday morning. The reason behind this yearly celebration isn’t completely understood by the locals themselves, but a suggestion of its origins can be found here LINK

    A convivial shared meal on the Saturday evening revived flagging bodies, for the day had been very hot and sunny. Here representatives of the French, some German and the visitors from England – our’s being the Chair of Thame and District Twinning Association, Linda Emery – spoke of each other’s deep feelings for the continued friendship that continues between their countries, in Thame’s case, we have been twinned with Montesson for 18 years.

    If you would like to discover more about Thame & District Twinning Association, visit the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ThameandDistrictTwinningAssociation/ and look out for details of the up-coming quiz night.

  • Next steps for delayed district Local Plan

    HAVING already agreed to consider the implications of the Climate Emergency on the next Local Plan to 2034, Councillors in South Oxfordshire are due to decide the next step for the district’s Local Plan at the council’s next round of meetings, following discussions with the government and partner organisations.

    Concerns of local residents

    At the Council meeting in July this year, councillors voted to spend some time to find effective and suitable ways to ensure the plan takes into consideration feedback from local residents, who have raised concerns about the emerging Local Plan’s approach to providing land for housing in the district, particularly Green Belt issues and the impact of the proposed Oxford to Cambridge Expressway on the district.

    Protecting funds already awarded by government

    Since then, councillors and senior council officers have written to government ministers and partner organisations and have been in discussions with representatives from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government about the options for the Local Plan. Discussions have included options for protecting Housing Infrastructure Fund money that the government has awarded to Oxfordshire County Council for Didcot.

    Boundary of South Oxfordshire (image courtesey of SODC)

     

    The Local Plan was submitted for examination back in March, but the new Lib Dem-Green coalition administration, elected in May this year, has been reviewing key policies and projects in development across the council, including the Local Plan.

    What are the options?

    Councillors will now be considering three possible options on the way forward for the Local Plan – the council’s Scrutiny Committee will discuss the options at a meeting on Tuesday, October 1. The committee’s comments will then be considered by the council’s Cabinet on Thursday, October 3. The Cabinet will make a recommendation, which councillors will debate and vote on at the full Council meeting on Thursday, October 10.

    Benefits and risks

    Here is a brief summary of the options, which are explained in full along with the benefits and risks of each option in a report to the Cabinet, HERE

    Option A – make no changes to the plan at this point and allow it to continue to be examined by inspectors.
    Option B – withdraw the plan from examination, modify the existing plan and then carry out a final public consultation before submitting the plan and the consultation responses for examination.
    Option C – withdraw the plan from examination, commence work on a new plan and carry out two further rounds of public consultation before submitting the new plan for examination.

    Implications of the decision

    Cllr Sue Cooper, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This is a very important decision, so it was necessary to spend some time ensuring we had greater clarity on how each of the options ahead will affect the district and the wider county, especially the impact they will have on our residents and the climate emergency. Councillors will now consider all these issues along with the financial, planning and legal implications of each of the options.”

  • We have a winner!

    AFTER many hours of deliberation, the adjudicators have announced that the winner of Thame Chamber Choir’s 20th anniversary Choral Composition Competition is Alison Willis, with her setting of Yeats’s poem The Everlasting Voices.

    Alison Willis

    Chosen from no less than 62 entries from around the world, Alison’s piece impressed the judges with its “Enjoyable and well written vocal lines, evocative piano part, thoughtful response to the poem and clear structure….”. It will receive its world première at Thame Chamber Choir’s concert, ‘Poetry in Motion’, in St Mary’s Church on Saturday, October 19, as part of the 2019 Thame Arts and Literature Festival. 

    The concert, compèred by TV star Bruce Alexander, takes us on an eclectic journey, not only by plane, train and automobile, but also by sea and on foot. The journey includes music by Brahms, Vaughan Williams, John Rutter and Bob Chilcott, as well as an unusual and truly remarkable piece with words by a Somali refugee – believed to be receiving its first performance in the UK.

    Tickets for the concert are available from the TAL Box Office and on the door.

    www.thamechamberchoir.org

  • A fantastic night out for comedy fans

    THE Unbound Sketchbook is coming to the Players Theatre, Thame, on Friday, September 27, with the very best in rib-tickling skits from a formidable repertoire of comedy sketches.

    The Unbound Sketchbook is Aylesbury’s very own home-grown comedy team which, having built up a repertoire of all-original comedy, is now touring across the country with a fast-paced show.

    Have you ever wondered what might happen if a self-service checkout developed a conscience? Or fancied finding out who’d win a ‘Battle of the Accents’ between a farmer and a pirate? Well, here’s your chance…

    This is a fantastically funny night out with a wide variety of comedy ranging from superbly silly visuals to witty wordplay and even a dash of mirthful music.

    The Unbound Sketchbook is the perfect evening out for comedy fans who appreciate comedy that isn’t afraid to be silly when it wants to be.

    “Truly my sides hurt from laughing so much!”
    “A fabulous show – highly recommended!”

    Tickets are £10 or £8 concessions from Spear Travels, Greyhound Walk, Thame, telephone 01844 217228, or online from https://www.thameplayers.co.uk

    The Unbound Sketchbook is the comedy team of Unbound, the in-house production company at Aylesbury’s Queens Park Arts Centre https://www.qpc.org/, founded in 2014. The Sketchbook produces and tours new material every year and has performed at fringe festivals as well as commercial venues across the country.

  • Come and Sing for ‘Hope and Love’ in Thame

    A Come and Sing event at St Mary’s church in Thame this coming Saturday (28/09) will raise funds for two charities, including Sharing Life Thame, which tackles food poverty.

    The all-day Come and Sing, with the theme of ‘Hope and Love’, will involve learning ten songs with a mixture of genres including folk, pop, classical and musical theatre, will also benefit Wycombe Homeless Connection. In the evening singers will perform in front of an audience. Helen Swift, Musical Director of Thame Choral Society, the Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir and Towcester Choral Society will teach and conduct throughtout the event.

    This is the second year Come and Sing has taken place to benefit these two charities. Promoter of the event, Ralph Westby, said: “Last year we raised money to help people in need through singing, which was enjoyed by singers and audience alike. Our charities were SharingLife Trust, Thame (food poverty) and Wycombe Homeless Connection. We want to do the same again this year. Will you help us achieve that goal, please?

    “We will learn 10 songs, many in four parts, on the theme of Hope and Love, songs including items from well-known shows and films, as well as from Karl Jenkins, Morten Lauridsen, Howard Goodall (Thames’ own), Eva Cassidy, Leonard Cohen and John Rutter’s arrangement of a Somerset folk song.  There will also be two guest items, reflecting both musically and emotionally the highs and lows of the human condition.

    “This is a fun event, which we expect to be entertaining as well as thought provoking. We still have space for more singers – just £25 for everything including music (yours to keep). Audience tickets are a bargain at £10! The day for singers starts at 10.15 am for registration and the concert is at 7pm.”

    Contact Ralph on 07790 498718 or email comeandsingthame@gmail.com to take part: book now to secure your place. Audience tickets
    available at all times, including on the door.

  • Cinema for Children begins this Sunday

    A new Children’s Cinema is launching in Thame next weekend and the first screening will be Mary Poppins Returns, on Sunday, September 29, at 2.30pm.

    The following week, Sunday, October 27, The Secret Life of Pets 2 will be shown, with further dates planned for the new year. Tickets are £5 each (for adults and children) and are available now from: www.redkitefamilycentre.org/events.

    The films will be shown at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, and refreshments will be available to purchase.

    Email info@redkitefamilycentre.org to be added to the Thame Children’s Cinema mailing list to receive the latest news including about future film screenings.

    The Children’s Cinema is supported by Thame Town Council, Thame Cinema 4 All, Thame Players and 21st Century Thame, who all raise funds for the Red Kite Family Centre.

    Bingo !

    Don’t miss out on the Red Kite big Bingo fundraiser on Friday, September 27.

  • Survey will help council track town centre progress

    THAME Town Council is undertaking a survey of people who regularly use the town centre to help it better understand why people use the town, what they perceive as its strengths and what areas they feel need to be improved in relation to ‘keeping our town vibrant’.

    The results of the survey will also allow the council to track progress made as a result of actions taken since the last survey was completed in November 2017.

    “We would really appreciate as much input as possible,” says the council. “It should take 12 minutes to complete and the results of the survey will be used to direct our time and resources over the coming year, as well as to develop a plan for new and improved Wayfinding around the whole town – encouraging more of us to walk or cycle, rather than use our cars.”

    Follow the LINK to complete the survey or pop into the Town Hall to pick up a paper copy. The survey will close on Sunday, October 6, 2019.