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Category: Thame news

  • Cricket for all !

    DESPITE the frosty February temperatures outside, the preparation for the 2018 cricket season got off to an enthusiastic start for Thame Cricket Club, last Sunday, February 4, in the relative warmth of Lord Williams’s Lower School gym.

    Over 30 people, including eight from the Women’s squad and several juniors, started the session keen to dust off the winter cobwebs and to prepare for what promises to be an exciting season for the club.

    The reasons for that excitement and anticipation are many and varied:-

    – a brand new clubhouse is now under construction
    – the 1st XI have reached the peak of club cricket in the region, following last year’s promotion to Division 1 of the Home Counties Premier League
    – the addition of a 4th XI on Saturdays will allow the club to satisfy all the latent demand for cricket in the town
    – the Women’s section continues to grow, with both softball tournaments and hardball matches planned
    – plus the revival of the Under-15 team, after one year’s absence, to add to the successful junior teams at U9, U11 and U13 from last year

    The club’s indoor nets will continue every Sunday until April 15, with the exception of Easter Day. All new players are welcome – contact Mike on higgzee@hotmail.co.uk or 07817-808573, or check out the club’s website for full details: http://www.thamecricket.org.uk/

  • Today’s Thame news digest

    Outdoor Cinema coming to Elms Park – AN Outdoor Cinema, featuring a huge, 20′ x 11′ inflatable screen, bar and food stalls, is to be held in the summer, running for three nights on August 17, 18 and 19. Tickets will be going on sale soon, via the website, price £14 for adults, and £8 for children. Elms Park will be closed to members of the public from 5pm until 1.30am each evening.

    A proportion of the money raised will go to supporting local charities, including the Red Kite Family Centre.

    Town Fairs – A meeting is to be held on February 21, between Thame Town Council and The Showmen’s Guild, to discuss agreeing a three-year contract so that the fairs can go ahead in September and October 2018. Last year, 2017, the September was cancelled because no satisfactory agreement could be reached between the two parties.

    Remembrance Day 2018 on the Big Screen – THIS year’s Remembrance Sunday event in Thame will be extra special, as 2018 marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. To mark this anniversary, Thame Town Council, working with with the Thame Remembers project, are planning to video the event and project it onto a large screen, and to have the names of Thame’s WW1 dead scrolling across the screen thoughout.

    Towersey Festival – Full Line-up and programme out now! – Follow the LINK – Headlining, * * ‘The Proclaimers’ * *

    Chance to audition for Thame Players’ next production – GO along to the Players Theatre in Nelson Street, Thame, on February 19 and 21, at 7.45pm, when auditions are being held for Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare. The play will be performed on July 10 – 14, at the Players Theatre. Every is welcome. Just turn up on either or both evenings.

    To find out more about the script and the parts, click on the following links;  The first is to see the cast list and the second is to see the script

    New sponsor for Thame Swimming Club – THAME Swimming Club has a new sponsor for 2018. This new deal with Sundance Pools UK Ltd, of Aylesbury, was celebrated last week at the swimming club’s annual awards evening.

    Will Hard, Communications Manager of Thame Swimming Club, said: “Thame Swimming Club is delighted to announce a new sponsorship deal with Sundance Pools of Aylesbury. Sundance’s generous investment into Thame Swimming Club underpins their commitment to the local community, and will significantly contribute towards the ongoing development of our club.”

    Don’t judge a book by it’s cover – THAT’S the intriguing tag line for for The Oxford Belfry’s event, when it mans the Thame Community Stall at Thame Market on Tuesday, February 13, in aid of the NSPCC. They will also be selling cakes and holding a Bottle tombola.

     

  • Thame Carnival 2018 will celebrate ‘Countryside’

    PLANS are well underway for this year’s Thame Carnival, to be held on June 9, with a theme for 2018 of ‘Countryside’. The organisers, 21st Century Thame, are really keen for there to be more floats this year, so all local clubs, groups, organisations and businesses in and around the town are being encouraged to start thinking about how they can best be represented in this fun and colourful annual event for the whole family.

    Floats

    The Carnival team, being co-ordinated once again by Sue Martin Downhill, are starting to organise the Parade through Thame Town Centre and the Fete that follows on Southern Road Recreation Ground. Floats don’t need vast numbers of people on the day, they need plenty of people leading up to the event to help build something that will WOW the crowds!

    A float from the carnival in Thame’s twin town, Montesson, back in September, 2017. Image: Michel Cojean

    “We are hoping to arrange a Float building workshop where the ‘Genius of John Hampden Primary School’ imparts some of his wisdom on how to make a start on an amazing float creation,” said Sue. People interested in being involved in a workshop can contact the planning team via the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thamecarnival

    To book a float or stall go to http://thamecarnival.co.uk/product-category/parade/ where you can pay online. Also, anyone who would like to book advertising in the programme, can do this via the website too HERE

    Stalls

    As ever, Sue and her merry band will be looking for a good variety of stalls, particularly involving activities for children, as well as a good selection of food and drink. There are six fee options for a stall : Extra large commercial, 6m x 6m commercial, 4m x 4m commercial, 6m x 6m community, 4m x 4x community and 25% profit share. Bookings can be made HERE

    The proceeds of this year’s Carnival will go to the PTFAs of Lord Williams’s School, John Hampden Primary, Barley Hill Primary and St Joseph’s Primary Schools.

    ALL the details are the website: https://thamecarnival.co.uk/

  • Chinnor clinch victory in a close encounter in Kent

    THIS promised to be a cracking game with Chinnor reeling from last week’s defeat to top of the table Cinderford, and with Tonbridge Juddians bouyant on a six game winning streak. However, wet and muddy conditions limited the impact of both teams’ attacks.

    Tonbridge set off with a flying start, charging at Chinnor from the kick off, then intercepting a flick pass, allowed their left wing, Watson, to sprint to the corner to score an unconverted try in the first minute.

    Chinnor slowly recovered and began counter attacking. The Chinnor forwards adapted to the adverse conditions with driving and rolling mauls, sucking in the opposition. After six phases of possession they passed the ball wide to winger Phil Chesters, who rounded the TJ’s defence to score out wide. Johnny Bentley converted to give Chinnor a 7 – 5 point lead after 15 minutes.

    A period of indiscipline by Chinnor cost them dearly as skipper Barnes was given a yellow card for talking back to the referee. Then, just before half time, full back Holland was sin binned for an alleged deliberate knock on. Tonbridge’s fly half converted the resulting penalty to give them an 8 – 7 point lead at the interval.

    Just after half time Chinnor prop, Cano, was given a third Yellow card for collapsing a scrum, reducing Chinnor to 13 players who nevertheless, defended so well. However, the constant pressure from Tonbridge told in the end when, following several forward drives, they attacked on the blind side enabling flanker Varney to score in the corner. The try was unconverted but gave Tonbridge a 13 – 7 point lead.

    With Chinnor back to their full 15 players, they began to attack the Tonbridge half. As the pitch turned into a mud bath, both the Chinnor half backs, Goodfellow and Bentley, kicked deep into the Tonbridge half to gain territorial advantage. The last 10 minutes saw a resurgent Chinnor drive forcefully into the Tonbridge 22 metre area. From a five metre scrum, scrum half Greg Goodfellow did his trade mark, “dummy, dart and dive” to score under the posts with Bentley adding the conversion.

    Tonbridge tried to get back into the game but Chinnor’s defence stood resolute for the last five minutes to earn a well-deserved but nail biting 14 – 13 point victory to maintain their second place, play off position in the league.

    Next week Chinnor face bottom of the table Broadstreet at home.

    SOURCE: Contributed

  • Thame For Europe raises it’s voice!

    SHOPPERS going about their business in Thame on Saturday afternoon, February 3, were stopped in their tracks by the sound of a lone trumpeter, playing Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, and even more amazed to see several groups of people waving European and Union flags, emerge from different directions to join him and sing the European anthem.

     

    The event was a ‘flash mob’ organised by ‘Thame for Europe’, a group that does not believe that the debate about our EU membership is over. The event took place outside Thame Town Hall where about 50 people from areas including London, Milton Keynes, Oxford and High Wycombe joined in despite a very cold, wet day.

    “As we were gathering, we were given supportive ‘honks’ from passing cars – and one loud motorbike deliberately revving – in protest we assume!” said a Spokesperson for Thame for Europe.

    The event certainly sparked a lot of discussion on local social media, with comments and opinions traded from both sypathetic Remainers and Brexiteers – not all of them in language suitable for publishing!

    After the singing, the group gave out ‘It’s not a done deal’ leaflets to passers-by to encourage those unhappy about Brexit to make their position clear to their MPs and to join protests to make their voices heard.

    “Details of the event were sent to many influential contacts from both sides of the EU debate to emphasise the growing support for remaining in the EU and the increasing realization of the negative impact of Brexit on our country,” added the Spokesperson.

    Anti-Brexit flash mobs have been happening all over the country, including Canterbury, Newcastle, Brighton and London. A large scale event is expected in Manchester on February 10, 2018.

  • Coming soon: Thame’s first ‘Creative Hub’

    Delphine Art in Thame, has changed hands after the previous owner, Delphine Beecham, decided to retire after 30 years. (more…)

  • Thame’s Community Land Trust needs your skills!

    THAME Town Council is looking for local people to be involved in the setting up and running of a Community Land Trust (CLT) in Thame. The aim is to provide some genuinely affordable housing for people with a strong local connection to the town.

     

    In particular, the council wants to address the difficulties experienced by first time buyers, and those struggling to afford private rents or mortgages. The sorts of people needed are those with the necessary skills, for example in architecture, planning, the building of small estates, finance, law, charity governance etc. If you have the knowledge or just the enthusiasm and passion to enable this exciting venture to become a reality, find out more or get involved by emailing: info@thametowncouncil.gov.uk

    Read more about Community Land Trusts at  www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk 

    And the background to Thame’s CLT project HERE

  • Nets for men AND women begin at Thame Cricket Club

    THAME Town Cricket Club’s starting indoor nets for men and women this Sunday, February 4, at 5 pm. The sessions will take place every Sunday until Sunday, April 15, with the exception of Easter Day.

     

     

    The venue is LORD BILLS’S LOWER SCHOOL GYM (off Queens Road) – TIME – 5.00 to 6.00 PM
    ALL WELCOME – WOMEN, JUNIORS (from aged 15 up), AS WELL AS MEN !

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT enquiries@thamecricket.org.uk OR VISIT Thame Town Cricket Club’s WEBSITE AT www.thamecricket.org.uk

  • Cyclist injured in hit-a-run in Haddenham

    THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a cyclist was injured in a collision with a car in Haddenham. (more…)

  • Royal scandal, politics and pathos at Thame theatre

    HERVEY at the Court of King George 11, will be performed at the Players Theatre in Thame, on Friday, February 2, at 7.45pm.

    Described as ‘An amazing show full of humour and pathos’, it becomes very clear watching that there are real similarities to politics today. Nothing changes.

    “Hervey” mines a largely forgotten area of royal scandal and one peopled by some colourful personages: King George II, a blustering German; Queen Caroline, his manipulative consul; Sir Robert Walpole, his even more manipulative Prime Minister; his son, the fatuous, reckless Prince of Wales; and Lord Hervey himself, a gilt-edged flunkey, desperate for attention and never receiving enough of it. The play is humorous throughout, and unstuffily intimate – but poignant in its conclusion – even the worst Royals have a human side.

    The Hanoverian Royals were notorious for their inability to get on with one another, but in 1737 their squabbling reached grotesque new heights: the Prince of Wales, determined that his wife should not give birth beneath his parents’ roof, smuggled the poor woman – shrieking, fainting, her waters already broken – out of Hampden Court and back to a deserted St James Palace, where she was finally allowed to finish the job between two tablecloths borrowed from the house next door. The sequel to this unpleasantness saw the Prince banished from Court, his father racked by a mid-life crisis and his mother – the vivacious Queen Caroline – die of mortification.

    “Hervey” is based on the memoirs of the King and Queen’s Vice Chamberlain, Lord Hervey of Ickworth, a waspish and witty aristocrat, desperate to make his mark as a statesman but ending up as nothing better than their Majesties’ drudge. The play, humorous and pacey, reveals all the nastiness at work among the Royals, as well as the bitter-sweet longings of the man who served them.

    Tickets £10 from Spear Travels on 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk