THE police are advising Thame school children, parents and guardians to be extra vigilant to and from school, following a report of a stranger approaching a pupil on her way to school yesterday morning (12/09).
According to a letter sent out today by the Headteacher of John Hampden Primary School, a year six pupil was walking on her own but within sight of an adult responsible for her, when a male, wearing a dark ‘hoody spoke directly to the child. The Police were apparently alerted immediately.
The children have been spoken to about ‘Stranger Danger’ and have been advised not to walk to school alone for the time being but to walk in groups or with an adult. The other primary schools in the town have been advised about the incident.
Anyone who sees anyone or anything suspicious on their journey to or from school, is advised to phone the Police immediately.
THAME seems to have escaped major impact from the proposed Oxford to Cambridge Expressway, after the Government today announced its preferred route out of the three alternatives it has looked at.
The Government’s chosen route, Corridor B, will follow the East-West Rail Corridor, (See more in depth explanation of the alternatives in our previous report HERE) not the favoured route of South Oxfordshire District Council.
The Government said that Corridor B was: “… judged to offer greater benefits to the region – outperforming the other options by providing better links to jobs, education, leisure and health services.”
The expressway, with options to pass either west or east of Oxford, is expected to take up to 40 minutes off the journey between the A34 south of Oxford and the M1.
Despite the Government’s statement today saying that ‘The choice of this corridor means that the government has ruled out construction in the area of the Otmoor nature reserve, underlining its desire to protect the natural environment’, Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is ‘profoundly concerned’ following today’s announcement.
Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive BBOWT, said: “In our opinion Corridor B is the worst of the three options. We told Highways England that the potential impact on biodiversity of Corridor B is so serious that the route should have been discounted entirely. The only way to avoid exceptionally serious impacts on biodiversity would be to develop a road route that is so convoluted that it would fail to qualify as an expressway.
“Our most serious concerns are for the designated sites and nature reserves in Cothill Fen, Oxford Meadows, the Otmoor Basin, Upper Ray Valley and Bernwood Forest.”
BBOWT has publicly voiced its concerns about Highways England’s failure to commission a Strategic Environmental Assessment as part of the process of selecting a Corridor. This is required under European Law for plans or programmes of this size. “This means the public has been denied the opportunity to fully scrutinise the comparative economic, societal and environmental impacts of the options. Several local MPs, councillors and pressure groups share our concern about the lack of consultation,” claims BBOWT.
You can read the full statement from the Department for Transport, Highways England HERE and HERE
Thame’s MP John Howell, has been communicating with wildlife groups about the possible affect on sensitive sites and you can read his response HERE
WHERE can you go locally A) Watch an animated film about an 11-year old girl’s courage on the streets of Kabul? B) Spend an evening with John Challis, star of Benidorm and Only Fools and Horses? C) Hear about the canal that Thame might have had?
You’ll be Thame’s top culture vulture if you can answer these questions! But if you couldn’t, maybe it’s because you didn’t realise that Thame has its very own theatre and museum?
You’d be excused for not having noticed them; the theatre is inside a 100-year-old church hall just off Upper High Street, and the museum is inside the former magistrates court building at the lower end of the High Street.
The Players Theatre puts on a wide range of entertainment throughout the year – from plays and pantomime to music and comedy. It also has celebrity appearances – such as one by John Challis later this year. It also hosts film screenings organised by Thame Cinema For All, including recent releases such as The Breadwinner, an animated film about an 11-year old girl living in Afghanistan.
The Thame Museum exhibits include fascinating glimpses of life 400 years ago that can be viewed with 21st century technology. It also has a regular programme of talks such as one coming later this autumn on ‘The Canal That Thame Never Had’.
Thame Town Council would like to help the Players Theatre and Thame Museum by introducing them to a wider audience and letting people know what wonderful cultural and historical resources we have on our doorstep. So they’ve put together a survey that they would like as many people as possible to complete. Can you help by taking part? It doesn’t matter whether you’re aware of either the theatre or the museum or whether you’ve visited either in the past three years – all feedback is welcome. It takes less than five minutes to complete the survey, which is right HERE
Who knows? You might find something you didn’t know you could get in Thame, whether it’s the chance to experience great stand-up comedy every month, see brilliant films from Ladybird to On Chesil Beach, look at original Elizabethan wall paintings or hear about the history of plastic!
The survey is open until the end of October, so let’s find out how many people in and around Thame are aware of just how much culture we have here!
CHINNOR and Thame Friends of the Earth will be holding their annual, Autumn Green Fayre on Saturday, October 6, at Thame Town Hall, between 10am – 2pm, with lots to do, see and buy.
Autumn Green Fayre – 2018
There will be local and Fair-Trade stalls selling a variety of gifts, crafts, jewelry, clothes, produce and cakes. Free children’s activities will be provided using recycled or natural materials, as well as a chance to make your own Autumn decoration.
An inexpensive lunch of homemade soup and a roll will be available as well as cakes and refreshments. Anyone with surplus produce grown in the garden or allotment can be donated to Friends of the Earth at the Green Fayre, to be sold on to others for a small contribution, so avoiding waste and helping to support Friends of the Earth. Alternatively, you can do a ‘produce swap’.
Friends of the Earth are earnestly campaigning for cleaner air in our towns and cities and have been monitoring air quality in Chinnor and Thame, and raising awareness of what can be done to improve our air quality. The group is also campaigning on Climate Change, the protection of bees and reducing plastic pollution. There will be displays of their work at the Green Fayre.
There will be a collection point for the recycling of items such as unwanted stamps, foreign coins, old reading glasses, mobile phones, used batteries and empty printer cartridges.
Entrance to the Green Fayre is free, with free lucky dip prizes for younger children.
NOW that the lazy days of summer are beginning to fade, some of us are beginning to think about putting all that ice-cream, wine in the garden and’ pigging out’ on all that ‘free’ Package holiday food, behind us, and thinking ‘Am I ever going to be fit again?”
Well, Racquets Fitness in Thame may just have the answer – and at the end of it, you’ll be ready for a challenge – and an adventure.
Sue Martin Downhill of Racquets explained: “We’re offering a new Couch to Challenge programme where people who are unfit can join the programme and we’ll take them from unfit through to doing a challenge in May/June 2019.
“The challenge will be climbing Scafell Pike in the Lake District via the scenic route. To take part in Couch to Challenge, from September 2018 to May 2019, participants will need to take on a Group PT membership at £99 per month (with a £50 joining fee) or privately train with one of our PTs weekly. They will pay £40 per month towards the challenge itself with nothing to pay during the trip.”
For more details of Racquets’ Couch to Challenge programme, visit the Racquets website HERE
A THAME anti-Brexit group member has challenged the town’s constituency Member of Parliament, John Howell, over an article he wrote for a local paper, in which the MP said that ‘Brexit isn’t high on his constituents’ list of issues,’ and his lack of engagement over the issue. In an open letter Robin Storey of People’s Vote Thame, writes:
Robin Storey of ‘Peoples Vote Thame’ and ‘Open Britain Thame’
Dear Editor, Sadly, John Howell MP couldn’t be more wrong to conclude that Brexit isn’t high on his constituents’ list of issues.
A policy of denial and a few ‘conversations in the street’ with a twitter message to tell us its happened, isn’t really what the constituency deserves.
Here are a few examples of issues Peoples Vote / Open Britain Thame has raised with John Howell MP, to set the record straight. These are real conversations around the constituency and at our many Peoples Vote street stalls – none of which he has attended.
JOBS. BMW Mini have warned publicly of the threat to their supply chain. In fact, they have hundreds of people in Munich working out what they will now do and where future production facilities may be located. That’s from a local conversation with constituents who work in Cowley.
Or a conversation on the platform at Haddenham; where commuters discuss each week’s financial job moves to Frankfurt, Switzerland or Luxembourg, taking with them key parts of our tax base and capability.
NHS. Thame has seen several leaflet campaigns for the Peoples Vote group, seeking a vote on the terms of the final Brexit deal, including one raising the issue of long-term NHS funding issues, if the economy and tax base does less well, as projected by the Treasury, outside of the EU single market and customs union, with less efficient trade arrangements than we currently have.
Already, constituents wonder why there is a cancer ward shut in the John Radcliffe Hospital – due to a lack of nurses. That’s a local conversation.
High tech business around Oxford wonders why they are losing highly qualified EU staff, who no longer feel welcome and why business has been advised to ‘seek advice from a customs agent’, as the Government seems unable to answer what will actually happen if they wish to export.
The local academic community is currently struggling with the loss of EU Horizon funding and a brain drain to other European destinations.
It’s going to be a bad deal, incompetently executed. Constituents wonder why the former Governor of the Bank of England has called preparations “incompetent” this week.
These are the sorts of issues we expect an MP to be engaging in.
John Howell MP
That’s why we’ve been calling on John Howell MP to support the Peoples Vote on the terms of the final Brexit deal. Then we might see concern for constituency, not party survival.
Robin Storey
People’s Vote Campaign
The Open Britain campaign Thame
FOLLOWING the success of the Thame Art Crawl in 2017, Thame Arts and Literature Festival (TAL) is once again increasing the range of Arts on offer as part of this year’s festival.
Artist: Tricia Lenko
The event will see eleven venues hosting pop-up art exhibitions featuring original art, ceramics and homeware, the work of over 50 artists, designers and makers.
The Art Crawl 2018 will be featuring the work of British sculptor and printmaker, Jeremy James, whose main inspiration is the countryside. With his talent for sculpting the many mannerisms of his subject matter, be they hares, crows, pigs or cockerels, he ranks as one of the foremost ceramic sculptors of his generation.
Of Jeremy, the Art Crawl organisers say: “Jeremy James’s broad fine arts training introduced him to clay, and apart from bronze, no other material has tempted him. Working exclusively in clay has enabled him to explore the possibilities of ceramic form and exploit the richness of glazing that combine to give his subject matter an extra dimension.”
The man himself, Jeremy James, will be giving a talk and demonstration of his work on Saturday, October 20, at the Spread Eagle, Thame.
For more information about the other artists involved in the Thame Art Crawl, and the venues, visit: www.thameartcrawl.com or follow on Facebook or Instagram. A Thame Art Crawl map showing workshops, talks and lectures can be picked up from Thame Town Hall and participating venues.
AN appeal for information about a suspicious car following thefts from vehicles at local beauty spots, has led to some local residents criticising both the police and government cuts, and demanding action from their MP.
In an appeal today, the Thame Neighbourhood Policing Team reported: “We have received reports of thefts from vehicles at local beauty spot car parks over the weekend in the Chinnor, Lewknor, Watlington and Cowlease areas. A silver Peugeot was seen at one of the locations and is believed to have stolen plates fitted. Did you see (the) silver car or any other suspicious vehicles or people? Please call us on 101.
“When you visit beauty spots think about what you really need to take with you on your trip and whatever you do take please do not leave in the car – take it with you and review your vehicle security.”
What can be done to stop the thieves?
However, a Chinnor resident, commenting on the Chinnor Residents Group Facebook page, was less than impressed with the Police’s message, and posted: “Are they kidding? Don’t leave anything of value in the car and review your cars security!!!
“It’s the same people with the same method every time, they smash the windows in! They don’t know if there is anything of value in the car until they have broken in so leaving it at home won’t stop you being a victim!
“And short of fitting bullet proof glass or steel shutters every time you park what can you do to stop them? What the police could do is put a bait car there and catch the little s—–s who are doing this!”
‘Blame the cuts!’ says one resident after one vehicle owner traumatised
It was reported on the same Facebook page that a man returning to his car, and finding the would-be thieves in the middle of their criminal act in the car park of one of the beauty spots, was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering a panic attack. The man, apparently, had only just been discharged from hospital.
Another resident called for people to email the local MP John Howell about the incident, adding in his (the resident’s) post: “After all they have caused the cuts in Policing funding by reducing money to councils; the usual ploy whereby they can blame councils and councils can blame the Government.” The same resident added: “While money is wasted on vanity projects like HS2 that adds nothing for 99.99% of the population, the countryside has become a crime hotspot.”
Thames Valley Police have recently stepped up patrols at local beauty spots. Anyone who has any information about these or any other suspected crime, can contact the charity Crime Stoppers in complete anonymity. https://crimestoppers-uk.org
THAME Cinama 4 All has announced its list of films coming up for the autumn and winter season – and they are all crackers! Here’s the full list in advance so you needn’t miss a single one!
FOR full details and to book tickets on line, SEE LINK to Thame Cinema 4 All’s website. Films are shown at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame. Doors normally open at 7.30pm for an 8 o’clock start and there is a licensed bar.
TWO of the events for next month’s Thame Arts and Literature Festival – TAL – have proved so popular that the online allocation for them has already run out! But if you haven’t managed to bag a ticket for Lucy Worsley or Johnny Johnson, there are a few tickets left to buy when from the TAL Box Office at Thame Town Hall – open every Tuesday from 9.30am till 4.00pm & every Friday and Saturday from 9.30am till 1.30pm (Except for Thame Fair Weekend : 20-22 September).
Johny JohnsonLucy Worsley
Johnny Johnson is the last surviving member of the famous Dambusters. Hear, in his own words, the exploits of a man who survived one of Britain’s most risky operations from WW2. His appearance is on Thursday, Octobe 18, at 12.30pm, at the Players Theatre in Nelson Street.
Historian, author, curator and television presenter Lucy Worsley will be talking about the world’s most famous divorce. Lady Mary is the story of Henry V111 and Catherine of Aragon’s divorce, told through the eyes of their daughter, Lady Mary. For adults and children 11+, on Saturday, October 20, at 2.00pm at The Spread Eagle Hotel.
A record number of tickets have already been sold for this, the ninth TAL Festival – and they are selling out fast for this year’s very special speaker, Mary Robinson, first woman President of Ireland, as well as for Thame’s very own Glyndebarn, performed by Opera Anywhere; Oxus with Beer & Baroque; poet Wendy Cope; adventurer Charlie Walker; John Crace, the Guardian’s parliamentary sketch writer and for Jasper Winn, writer and slow adventurer.
If any of these events appeal to you, check out the TAL website for more details and click through to the shop to book your tickets.
This year, other guests appearing at the four-day TAL Festival range from leading historians, expert scientists, celebrated actors and famous biographers, to superb musicians, playwrights, poets and crime writers.
Visit the TAL website HERE for all the details and to book online.
