Category: Thame news

THE level of students gaining A and B grades in their A Level exams at Lord Williams?s school, has risen once again.
A record number of 562 examination entries saw the proportion rise to 46% and the number of passes overall rise to 99.29% (98% in 2004). A total of 73% obtained A-C passes.

Twenty students gained A grade passes in all their subject areas. Matthew Clark, Christopher Daniels, Elizabeth Parsons, Rosanna Ryan, Richard Thomas and Miriam Thorpe all achieved four A grades and the following students all achieved three A grades: Natalie Barnes, James Burnett, Sarah Evans, Edward Gillespie, Charlotte Goodwin, Ruth Hazard, Sian Jenkins, Lisa Merry, Jack Nicholson, Anthony Rochford, Victor Smith and Clare Stone.
Fiona Holden and Rachael Peddie both gained a Double A Award in their vocational studies.

Acting Headteacher, David Wybron, said: ?Students should be congratulated on their considerable achievements. At a time when some quarters in the press are negative about A level achievement, this school recognises the hard work and dedication of students and their teachers and celebrates excellent results. We are now working hard to make sure that each student is able to move on to the next stage in his or her educational journey.?

Kate Sheelan, Head of Sixth Form at Lord Williams?, was equally pleased: ?We are so proud of all our students? achievements. We want to celebrate how, through their hard work, the support of their parents and the dedication of all staff in the Sixth Form, they have ensured they have a bright and exciting future ahead of them.?

Information about ?next step? advice for students who may not have got the results they hoped is available from the school and also on Oxfordshire County Council?s website at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk

THE Police are urging parents to be vigilant following reports of a man approaching young girls in Oxfordshire.

The man, who has approached girls in Wallingford, Faringdon and Kidlington, in four separate incidents between 29 June and 3 August, made inappropriate remarks to the young teenage girls and asked them to go with him for money.

PC Leanne Pope, of Didcot CID, said: ?None of the girls have been touched or harmed in any way. But I appeal to parents to be vigilant and to advise their children if something like this happens to them to come straight home and tell someone.

?The man is white, aged between 30 and 40, between 5ft 5ins and 6ft, stocky or podgy, with balding hair and in most of the incidents he has been driving a white van or has been seen getting into one.

?I appeal to anyone who has seen a man of this description acting suspiciously in a white van to contact me, via 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

ACTOR, John Nettles was at The Spread Eagle in Thame yesterday, filming an episode of the ITV drama series, Midsomer Murders.
The episode currently being filmed around Thame will be called ‘Vixens Run’ and is due to be shown early in the New Year. The hotel was renamed The Swan for the benefit of the script and Salsa dancing was filmed in the hotel’s Fothergills Brasserie as well as some bedroom scenes, filmed in the hotel?s Brideshead Wing.

John Nettles was happy to pose with Hotel Proprietor Sarah Barrington who found him to be “just as good looking and charming as in the programme.”

NB If you are interested in leanrning more about the background to the Midsommer Murders series, take a look at the website for fans

THAME?s Arts Caf

CAR CRIME at the Welcome Break Services in Wheatley, has dropped since the employment of the area’s latest Police Community Support Officer(PCSO).
The Service Station has employed Chris Ratcliff, aged 23, who has been patrolling the service station off the M40 near Wheatley now for six weeks, and already thefts from cars parked at the services are down in number.

Chris, who used to work as a mechanic for a motor sport team, said: ?Since working at the station I have assisted in three arrests, worked with the staff at the petrol station on how to deal with people driving off without paying for petrol and generally interacting with the public, either on parking issues or simply giving people directions.

?My role at Welcome Break is slightly different to the other PCSOs in Oxfordshire as the people I deal with change everyday. As well as being here for Welcome Break, I also assist officers if they need help with an incident or operation.?

Crime Reduction Officer, Lesley Nesbitt, works closely with Chris on crime prevention initiatives and events at the service station. She said: ?The presence of Chris at Welcome break services has had a dramatic effect on the number of thefts from motor vehicles being reported from the service station area to just one per month.

?I work closely with Chris and other PCSOs on the Thame police area on crime reduction events, initiatives, and community safety issues. This is a great example of partnership working between Thames Valley Police and Welcome Break services to reduce the incidents of crime within the area.?

David Robinson, Group Security Manager for Welcome Break Services, said: ?Welcome Break continues to take the lead in providing safe environments for our customers and colleagues at our motorway service stations. Following on from the success of employing the first ever PCSO over two years ago at Corley we are delighted that Chris Ratcliff has joined the team at Oxford.

PCSOs perform a valuable duty; they are a highly visible presence and as a result deter a lot of criminal activity. Whether it is advising people not to leave valuables in their parked cars or helping people inside the service area, they are an additional pair of eyes and ears of the police service, to brief, observe and report. Chris has fitted in very well with the other members of staff and is an excellent addition to the Welcome Break team.?

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THANKS to a kind-hearted, Aylesbury businessman, Thame United are able to play this seasons games in the Southern League.
Within hours of a deadline to produce

THE Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was robbed on Saturday, August 13,in Wheatley.
The victim was standing at a bus stop around 8.30pm on Church Street, when two men drove past in an old style green four door car, possibly a Vauxhall. They pulled into a car park a short distance away, got out the car and walked back towards the man and forced him to hand over his wallet containing cash and bank cards.

The offenders are both described as Asian, in their late teens to early twenties. One is around 5ft 10ins, slim and with a thin moustache. He wore a black hooded top with red writing across the chest, and dark blue jeans.

The second man is around 5ft 8ins, also slim with a chubby face. He was wearing a long sleeved, light grey hooded top with black writing on the chest.

Anyone with information that could assist police inquiries is urged to contact PC Daniel Haggarty at Thame police station, via 0845 8 505 505.

If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

CHANGES in the amount of time parking is allowed in the Thame High Street car park, and that in the Upper High Street on Market days, are being proposed by Oxfordshire County Council.
The proposals are to reduce waiting time to one hour only on Tuesdays, between 8am and 6pm.
More details are available at the One Stop Shop in Thame town hall and any objections or other representations should be sent in writing to the Director for Environment and Economy, Oxfordshire County Council, c/o Milton Road, Drayton, Abingdon OX14 4EZ

YOU can now share your views with others in the community on ThameNews.Net’s new forum!
Read the latest news about the proposed 20 mph speed limit, the struggles of Thame United etc and then connect to https://www.thame.net/forum
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THE CHAIRMAN of Thame United Football Club described his feelings as ?gutted?, after a public meeting called to discuss the future of the club yesterday (Wednesday).
Jim Tite, who has been with the club for 34 years, said: ?There was a lot of talk about what had gone wrong but what was really needed was something positive about moving forward.?
But the Vice Chairman, Bernard Wakelin, was more upbeat, and said: ?We have broadcast an appeal today on Radio Oxford and South Today and whilst, unfortunately it looks as though we are not going to be able to do much for the clubs and societies that used to meet at the Windmill Suite, we are determined to keep the football side of things going and have had some offers of help from various venues, including the Thame Show who have offered us a free stand. The idea is to run a ?Left Luggage type facility for visitors to the show, as well as selling club souvenirs, running a prize tombola with donated prizes and promoting the Thame United Lottery.
?We will go forward, getting money wherever we can whether it be through sponsorship of balls, mascots etc., or even going around knocking on doors! ?

The Club will know tomorrow definitely whether or not their application to the Southern League to ground share at Aylesbury, will be confirmed. They have already received season tickets and match balls for the season and so are optimistic.

Thame Town Clerk, Helen Steward, told ThameNews today: ?I am working strenuously to try to retain a facility for community use but have no power to do anything to retain the football team.
?I am trying to encourage Mr Coleman to have discussions with Thame Town Council before putting in any planning application so that he is aware of the aspirations of the town. I am also in discussions with the district council looking at options for retaining a community facility, and looking at other options such as developing some sort of Management Committee, looking at a possible role for the Thame Partnership and looking at developing a business plan for a community facility.?

Anyone who would like to support Thame United by joining the 500 Club Lottery, and have the opportunity to win a monthly money prize, can contact Jake Collinge at 4, Arnold Way, Thame, OX9 2QA

The Club?s match on Saturday is Away to Cinderford.