Category: Thame news

AFTER days of being battered by the weather, lone yachtsman, Adrian Flanagan has been forced to back into harbour to seek safe haven. (photo by Rob Wheal)
Adrian, who was hoping to become the first yachtsman to circumnavigate the globe via both poles, left Southampton on October 28, but has been dogged by bad weather ever since.
Earlier in the week, his drinking water became contaminated by sea water that found its way in through an air vent.

Expedition Manager, Louise Flanagan, explained:”After days of being utterly battered by the weather, Adrian has decided to take the sensible option and seek safe haven until the weather passes.

To that end he has now altered his course and is heading back to Falmouth Bay where he will drop anchor get some much needed rest (he has had virtually no sleep since Friday), assess problems which have arisen due to water damage inside the boat, eat and basically gather his strength. Better weather is predicted next week at which stage he will resume his journey.”

Father of two, Adrian, who lives in Ludgershall, near Thame, is attempting his heroic feat in a Trereme 38 MrIV, stailess steel boat called Barrabas.

Follow Adrian’s progress via his website:
http://www.alphaglobalex.com

TRADING Standards? chiefs have branded an undercover swoop on shops and off licences in Oxfordshire a massive disappointment after shops sold alcohol to a thirteen-year-old child.

Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards? officers carried out the undercover test purchasing exercise with the assistance of child volunteers.

The children, aged from 13 to 15, were asked to enter each premise and attempt to buy alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks or aerosol spray paint. It is illegal to sell any of these products to children.

Seventeen out of the 85 retailers failed to challenge the children and sold them restricted items. The figures for alcohol were the worst, with 14 sales out of 65 attempts (22%).

Nigel Strick, Head of Oxfordshire County Council?s Trading Standards said: ?As a service we are committed to preventing the sale of alcohol to young people and so we are naturally disappointed that some retailers were prepared to sell alcoholic drink to children.

?Retailers should be asking for proof of age, and I applaud those shopkeepers who are taking their responsibilities seriously and who refused to serve our child volunteers.

?Retailers are warned that we will be planning more undercover exercises at retail premises across Oxfordshire.?

County Councillor Ray Jelf, Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: ?Retailers need to act responsibly when selling alcohol or any other age restricted product.

?Equally we need to do what we can to help retailers, recognising the issues that they are faced with, for example, a high turnover in staff.

?Retailers should be aware that both the licensee and the sales assistant who sells alcohol to a person under 18 can be prosecuted, so everyone needs to know what they should be doing.?

Investigations into the illegal sales are now continuing.

Oxfordshire Trading Standards uses intelligence gathered from a number of sources, including complaints from members of the public, concerned parents and information from the police, to target areas of the county where illegal sales may be being made.

LISTEN OUT FOR THE ‘SHOP TIL YOU DROP’ RADIO CAMPAIGN AND COMPETITION PROMOTING THAME AS A GREAT PLACE TO DO YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ; MIX ’96 – STARTS NEXT WEEK

THE big clean up of Thame centre, which was to include removal of chewing gum, has been suspended.
The clean up, which was to cost between

THAME’s young people were praised by police today for their good behaviour in the town during Halloween celebrations last night.
Paul Gregory, who is in charge of co-ordinating police operations for Halloween, told ThameNews.Net today: “This year we did a lot of work in the run up to Halloween, going in to primary schools and pointing out to youngsters that they are not always welcome on Halloween night, particularly by some of our more elderly residents. We also made leaflets available to be displayed where Halloweeners would not be welcomed and the message seems to have got through.
“We also had extra police officers, Support Officers and Thame’s Special Constables out patrolling on foot in many of the residential area, interacting with the Trick-or-Treaters, without putting a damper on their fun.
“In previous years we used to get a lot of calls around flour and egg throwing at cars and houses but this year, we did not have one single call in Thame, which I am sure was helped by the fact that we went to local shops asking them to think twice about selling trays of eggs, milk and eggs to gangs of young people who were obviously, not planning to make cakes!
“We will continue to monitor things for the next couple of days but hopefully, the good behaviour shown by Thame’s young people will continue.”

THAME?S Town Councillors have been warned that the economy of the town has reached a critical point.
Speaking to members of the Town Council?s Policy and Resources group last week, the Town Clerk, Helen Stewart, warned: ?We are on the cusp now. If we do not do something, we could end up in the doldrums?.
The committee was discussing whether or not to support the Campaign for the Sustainable Communities Bill, which aims to prevent what has become known as ?Ghost Town Britain? by encouraging the government to allow a bottom-up approach, allowing local communities and local councils to drive sustainable economic and environmental solutions.
The Bill aims to “turn the world of politics upside down”. It would enable principal authorities to reverse the process of what is being called Ghost Town Britain – a reference to the fact that over the last decade Britain has lost a fifth of its post office network, a quarter of its independent grocery store network and a third of its bank branch network, as well as thousands of other local shops, independent pubs and local services and facilities. This situation destroys local commerce, damages the environment (through increased traffic and congestion) and causes social exclusion and reduced active citizenship.
The campaign organisers, Local Works, say: ?Communities and local council?s (not civil servants) are the experts on their own problems and the solutions to them.? They are asking local councils to, for instance:
Write to their MPs, asking them to support the Bill and sign Early Day Motion No.641.
Promote local economies, local services and facilities.
Protect the local environment.
To write to Local Works expressing their support.

The committee had earlier heard how the Clerk had been working with the ?Try Thame First? campaign, which is aimed at helping to reverse the down-turn in both footfall and turnover, currently being experienced by many retailers in the town.

The committee voted unanimously to support the Campaign for the Sustainable Communities Bill by doing all the things it was asking.

For more information visit: http://www.localworks.org
Photo: Could this happen to Thame shops?

POLICE Officers across the region are urging people to take care with fireworks this year, the first since new Fireworks Regulations came into being in 2004.
Brought in by the Government in response to public concern about the use of fireworks, particularly with regard to their anti-social use, the new regulations mean enforcement for firework offences has moved to the Police.

The regulations prohibit people under the age of 18 from possessing an ?adult firework? (any firework except for a cap, cracker snap, novelty matches, party poppers, sparkler, serpents and throw-downs) in a public place and prohibit anyone from using an ?adult firework? during night hours (11pm to 7am most of the year though this can be changed for special occasions like November 5 – midnight, Diwali and New Year?s Eve ? 1am). The regulations also prohibit anyone, other than regulated professionals, from possessing a category 4 firework, which is the type of firework used in professional displays and not commercially available to the public.
Any breaches could result in a fine of up to

A new cafe, especially for mums with new babies, is now open in Thame.
‘Baby’s First Cafe’offers a relaxing and welcoming environment where mothers can feed their new baby, have a cuppa and a chat with other mums and speak to a breastfeeding advisor if they need to.
Health Visitor, Christine Johnson told ThameNews.Net: “There are between 20 and 25 babies born every month in the Thame area, of which about a half are still breastfeeding after a week or two. In the first weeks of breastfeeding, many mothers experience worries – Are sore nipples normal? Is the baby getting enough milk? What about when I return to work? How do I express?
“All these questions and more can be answered by a trained breastfeeding advisor at the Baby’s First Cafe.
“There is so much concern these days about childhood obesity and the increasing incidence of diabetes. Many people don’t realise that breastfeeding helps in preventing both conditions.
“It also offers more protection to the mother against breast and ovarian cancers.”
Although 12 mums and babies are already enjoying the benefit of Baby’s First Cafe on Wednesday mornings, between 10am and 12 noon, in the Memorial Room at Christchurch, Thame, the cafe will be officially launched on November 9.

All new mothers will be welcomed to either drop in. For further information contact Christine or Clare Warren on 01844 212353.

WHY not enjoy an evening of pampering and shopping and help raise money for MacMillan Nurses at the same time.
This special charity event is being organised by The Practice, in Thame, who will be offering a range of treatments including foot reading, stone therapy, massage, facials, reflexology, pedicures as well as the opportunity to shop for gifts for yourself and your friends and family.
Two of Thame?s leading boutique retailers, Essence and Mi Casa, will be bringing their new Christmas items and there will be handmade silver jewellery as well as cards and candles, chocolates and gateaux, handbags and homeware, cosmetics from Virgin V and many other goodies. There will also be demonstrations of acupuncture and hair extensions (although not on the same person!)

Entrance on the night is

THE baby slide at Thame?s Jubilee pool, which has been out of action for several weeks, is to be replaced with one of an improved design.
The design of the original slide, which was covered in a soft, plastic material, has had to be replaced three times at considerable expense to the council. But at a meeting of the Council?s Policy and Resources committee last Tuesday, councillors agreed to spend