Thame.net

Category: Thame news

  • High Police Presence For Halloween

    POLICE Officers, Police Community Support Officers and Local Crime Reduction Advisors in Thame have been working closely with local schools and shops to ensure a happy and peaceful Halloween.
    To reinforce all the activities that have been taking place in preparation for Halloween on October 31, there will be a number of dedicated officers on duty to respond to calls from the public that relate to Halloween.

    Neighbours are asked to look out for elderly or vulnerable residents in their area, to reassure them at this time of year and to make sure that they know who to contact if they feel threatened or vulnerable.

    Any one experiencing problems on Halloween evening should call Thames Valley Police on 08458 505 505 or in an emergency, dial 999.

    ‘No Trick or Treat’ Cards to display in windows are available from your local police station.

  • Change Of Broadcast Date For Weakest Link

    THE episode of TV’s, The Weakest Link, that will feature Chinnor man, Donald Avery, will now be shown on November 2, and not November 1, as first announced. See below

  • Theft From Cars Appeal – Ring Master Message

    THAME police are appealing for information following four thefts from cars in just over three hours yesterday evening.
    Between 19:30 and 22:45 hours, yesterday, Thursday, October 19, four vehicles were broken into between Tiddington and Thame. Offenders smashed windows to gain entry, then pulled down the rear seats to get into the boot area, from where they stole property including laptops and golf clubs.
    All the vehicles were parked in pub or club car parks.

    Earlier in the morning, between 08:15 and 10:15 hours, three vehicles were broken into at Welcome Break services. The same method of was used to gain entry to these vehicles, and laptops were stolen.

    The advice is, do not leave any valuables in your car even if its for a short period of time.

    Call 08458 505505, if you have any information about any of these crimes.

  • Chinnor Man Is ‘The Weakest Link’

    A CHINNOR man who promised his nieces and nephews he was going to be famous one day, is to appear on the BBC TV programme, The Weakest Link.
    Mr Donald Avery, of Glimbers Grove, Chinnor, took part in the quiz show on October 4, at Pinewood Studios, surviving the hard-nosed ‘mickey taking’ of the programme’s famous compere, Ann Robinson.
    Mr Avery, or Donny as he is known to his friends, works as a grinder for Howle Carbides in Princes Risborough. He told ThameNews.Net that the lady herself is: “..not as bad as people make out. Of course she took the ‘mick’ out of me, but hey, what do you expect if you go on that programme? It’s all part of the fun. She is a nice lady and certainly helped to make the experience something I will never forget.”

    The episode of the programme that Donny took part in is due to be televised on November 1, at 5.15pm on BBC 2.

  • Water Company Denies Delays Relate To Its Sale

    THAMES WATER has refuted suggestions that the sale of the company to an Australian consortium may have anything to do with delays in sewage works in Thame.

    A spokesperson for Thames Water told ThameNews.Net that the delay to works in Cedar Crescent, Sycamore Drive and Hawthorne Avenue, due to have begun on October 16, are not related to the sale.

    “All work planned under our current investment programme to 2010 will remain unaffected,” she said.
    “I am trying though to establish exactly what the cause of the delay is and I will let you know as soon as I find out.”

  • Tools For Africa

    DO you have any unwanted tools that would be useful to poor communities in Africa?
    The Rotary Club of Thame will once again be setting up a stall in the Upper High Street (opposite The Nags Head), on Saturday, November 4, to accept donations of tools for the Tools for Self Reliance Charity.
    Any useful tool for building or repair work will be gratefully received, but no garden tools please.

    Once collected, the tools are refurbished by a team of skilled volunteers before being shipped to Africa and given free to people there who desperately need them to work with.
    Up to 10 shipments are made each year, each containing 100 kits, each kit reaching 8 ? 10 artisans.
    Tools for Africa (Tools for Self Reliance) helps approximately 10000 tradesmen and women to earn a living.

    Photo by Simon de Trey White

  • November Gardening News Letter

    IT’S another beautiful day and I am just wondering how much longer we can enjoy this Indian summer? Rain is forecast for later this week. This can only be a good thing with the number of plantings I am doing at the moment!
    By the way, the bulbs are delayed. My supplier is having problems with the tulips. Don?t worry – as soon as they arrive I shall be sending teams out to
    plant them. We still have plenty of time.
    I am keeping very busy and have some really lovely jobs on.
    Whether a coincidence or not, I was contacted by a developer last week who builds only ?very prestigious? homes in South Bucks,Hertfordshire and Derbyshire. I have a meeting with him tomorrow to discuss designing his show homes and possibly for
    individual buyers. This could be very exciting and might even lead to me entering the New Homes Garden Awards next year.
    One of my clients, Clive and Caroline, sent me some great photos of their recently completed garden and I have sent these off to the developer who built their house in the hope that he might like to use my services on future developments. I?ll keep you
    posted.
    It?s been great fun these last few weekends to actually get down to re-designing the borders in my own garden. I was so inspired at a recent seminar that I have decided to experiment with a few
    varieties I am not so familiar with. I have planted the giant Eupatorium purpureum ?Atropurpurem?. This reaches over 2m and has wonderful purple stems and pink flowers. Persicaria polymorpha is another beast, very vigorous with lovely white flowers. I have mixed these with Verbena bonariensis (still the designer?s favourite plant) and black and pale blue Irises. These
    are flanked with Molina caerulea ?Transparent? which has to be my favourite grass. It is so delicate and reaches a height of nearly 2m. In a few weeks? time it will gradually change colour to the
    most wonderful oaty/orange mix and give so much for weeks to come.
    NOTE: We have been experiencing technical difficulties with my website. If anyone has tried to reach me via the ?Contact? page, do please try again, or give me a call. We think it has been out of order since May!!

    SEASONAL RECIPE
    Roast Pumpkin Soup
    I medium pumpkin Olive Oil
    1 litre chicken or vegetable stock 5 cloves of garlic
    Salt and Black Pepper Curry powder
    Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the pips. Chop into chunks, skin and all. Put into a large roasting tin and drizzle the oil over them. Crush the garlic cloves, leaving the skin on and add to the pan. I usually mix it all up with my hands at this stage.
    Bake in the over for about 40 minutes (Gas 5/Elec. 190), turning a
    couple of times. When they are tender, scrape the flesh from the skin and squeeze out the flesh from the garlic. Add this and the curry powder to the stock and then liquidise until you have a soft
    smooth consistency.
    If you can?t get pumpkin, you could always use another form of squash.

    SEASONAL TIPS
    We are doing a lot of splitting of perennials this month. The beauty is you get ?free? plants to infill any gaps and the parent plant will benefit. It is also a good time to move plants ? they may have become overcrowded or you may feel like a change.
    This is also a good month for taking hardwood cuttings of shrubs. By now (November) the soft summer growth has become woodier.

    Evergreens
    Take 20 ?30cm cuttings from stems that are about the size of a pencil. Cut just below a leaf node at an angle. Remove any leaves. Root into pots filled with multi-purpose compost and grit and place in a cold frame or cold greenhouse. Sink two thirds of
    the cutting into the compost and leave a third above.

    Deciduous
    These can be put into the open ground. Dig a v-shaped trench, with one side of it vertical. Put some grit in the bottom of the trench to help with drainage. Line the cuttings along the vertical side and infill with soil. With any luck you will have new shrubs
    for next autumn.

    Despite the mild weather we do need to think about what isaround the corner.
    ?Don?t forget the birds. Fill up feeders and make sure
    there is fresh water for them.
    ?Insulate terracotta pots with bubble wrap and buy some ?feet?. This really does help against frosts. Frozen compost can kill.
    ?If you have planted or potted up plants such as Astelia or Phormium this year I would recommend you protect them against frost. Stuff straw in and around the leaves and cover in fleece. This does not look attractive, but it is worthwhile particularly if they are only recently planted.
    Fleece is available at most garden centres and I buy the straw from the pet shop.
    ?If you have bay trees, it is a good idea to insulate the trunks with foam lagging ? available from DIY stores.
    ?Lag outdoor taps, or turn off at the mains.
    ?Clear leaves from paths, drains etc., and save to use as a mulch.

    VEGETABLE & FRUIT GARDEN
    You can sow broad beans this month ? do check the seed packets for the right varieties ?Aquadulce? is one I have used in the past.
    Protect cauliflower heads from frost, by tying in their leaves across them and root crops by spreading straw around the stems.
    Plant autumn onion sets and garlic provided the ground is not too wet.

    Prune Redcurrants and gooseberries. Cut back this year?s growth by half and any shoots that are in the centre of the bush.
    Prune blackcurrants. Take anything out that is diseased or weak.
    Remove anything that is looking darker in colour ? these are shoots that are likely to be older.
    Rhubarb can be split. Plant the cuttings into rich soil and well-rotted compost. Cover the crowns with straw and an up-turned pot to force an earlier crop.
    If you are on clay soil ? dig over any bare patches in the garden and in the vegetable patch ? the frost helps break it down.

    GREENHOUSE
    Check the heating system. If you want to protect seedlings without using heat, attach bubble wrap to the glass to conserve as much heat as possible.
    Pot up lettuces sown in September, or plant them in growbags.
    Stop watering succulents and only water other plants sparingly, avoiding wetting the leaves.
    Ventilate on sunny days and close it up by 1.00pm to conserve the heat.

    INTERESTING BITS
    If you have problems with squirrels digging up your bulbs there is a product called STOPPIT. These are made from renewable willow in a hoop design and act as a barrier. Available from www.peppermintgarden.com / 020 8399 5777 and cost

  • Gas Scare Mystery In Long Crendon

    TWO residents of Long Crendon were taken to hospital ealier today after two fire engines from the town attended a reported gas leak.
    All surrounding properties were checked by British Gas but no faulty appliance or leak could be found.
    Whether the two people taken to hospital (whose own property, it is understood, has not been connected to the gas system for around three weeks) were suffering the ill effects of carbon monoxide or not, is not yet known.

  • Thame Residents Annoyed With Thames Water

    RESIDENTS in Thame say they are annoyed at the inaction of Thames Water, who have not turned up to carry out sewer improvement works.
    The work was due to begin yesterday but residents are concerned that inconvenient traffic restrictions have been put in place, yet the work has not been started.
    One resident, of Cedar Crescent, expressed her anger with the water company of Radio Oxford this afternoon.

    Follow Link
     to read full road closure order.

    NB It was announced yesterday that Thames Water has been sold to Kemble Water Limited, a consortium led an Australian bank for

  • Council Loses Compensation Claim

    SOUTH Oxfordshire district council is to seek permission to appeal against a High Court decision in which it lost a long-running claim for compensation against SITA UK.
    The case involved the premature termination of a six-year collection contract with SITA in 2001, for which the district council was seeking