Category: More News

BARLEY HILL primary school has been named as one of many that will receive a portion of a

THE closure of some local post offices is big on the political agenda for the forthcoming Henley by election and today it was the turn of Chinnor to receive the attention of a political ‘big gun’.
Local campaigner and Conservative candidate, John Howell, today re-iterated his support for Post Offices across South Oxfordshire.
John was joined by Shadow Post Offices Minister, Charles Hendry.

John and Charles spent time talking to the Postmaster and local residents about the role Post Offices play in village communities across South Oxfordshire.

Commenting, local campaigner and Conservative candidate, John Howell said:”I have spent years fighting for local services across South Oxfordshire and promise to continue this fight if I become Henley?s next MP. As someone who lives in a remote rural community here in the constituency I fully understand the need to keep small shops and local services on which thousands of people rely.”

THE Labour party candidate in the forthcoming by election for Boris Johnson’s parliamentary seat, aided by a government official, met some of the residents of Pearce Way, Thame, today.
Labour candidate, Richard McKenzie was accompanied by Steven Ladyman MP, the Labour party Vice chair responsible for the south east.

DRIVERS are being warned by the police to remove their Sat Nav systems at night from vehicles, including the cradle, following a spate of thefts in the area.
Lesley Nesbit, Crime Prevention Officer at Thame police station, says that they should also wipe away the sucker marks from windows which could indicate that the Sat Nav is in the glove compartment.

Anyone with information about the following incidents is asked to contact Thame Valley Police on: 0845 850 5505:
June 5 -1.30am-7.50am Sat Nav from vehicle in Little Haseley.

June 4 -23.00 -7.30am – Mobile phone from a vehicle in Little Haseley.

June 5 – 2am and 5am – Brook Close, Little Haseley – mobile phone from vehicle.

Drivers are reminded to remove anything from site in the vehicle.

THE recent event celebrating volunteering in Thame, attracted many visitors and some potential new volunteers for local charities and organisations.
The event was held at Thame town hall.
The event was organised by the Chair of the Thame Community network, Beatrice Dobie, to coincide with
National Volunteers Week and included stalls and displays by local groups such as The Thame Museum, Cuttlebrook volunteers, Thame and District Lions, Thame Amnesty group and the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway.
Mrs Dobie said: “There was a slow but steady trickle of visitors and I was very impressed with the standard of some very appealing displays.”

THE four local U3A groups recently held their annual conference and the message was: “What U3A can do for you and what you can do for U3A.”
The conference was planned and organised by Chinnor & District, Haddenham, Thame & District and Greater Thame, or CHATT as they were labelled for the organising Committee.
The Conference took place on Wednesday, May 28, at Lord Williams?s Lower School and was attended by around 120 delegates from the 34 U3As within the Thames Valley. They were warmly welcomed by the Conference Chairman, Mike Price (Greater Thame) who introduced the theme for the day.

The keynote speaker for the opening session was Eric Midwinter, one of the three ?founding fathers? of the Third Age Movement in Britain in 1982. He spoke of the history of the U3A and the aspirations and ideology of his fellow founders Peter Laslett and Michael Young. Bearing in mind that ?the third age? is defined as ?those who are no longer in full-time gainful employment? he described how Peter Laslett challenged the idea that people would be limited in what they did as they got older because they were ageing. Michael Young believed that everyone was special and had something to offer and that this was most effective if organised collectively.

Linking in with the theme for the Conference, Eric Midwinter was full of encouragement as new U3As are springing up all around the country. Between them they provide a richly diverse opportunity for members to further their learning, share their expertise and enrich their social activities. Looking to the future he said: “It is important to remember that you need members. They may do something later!”
Quoting someone he had met at one time who had said: “You?ll never start a U3A round here, it?s full of old people!” he pointed out that we must recognise that the U3A is not for everyone. But he was sure that everyone who could benefit from a U3A should be in a U3A.

Following this talk delegates dispersed to take part in the six Discussion Groups arranged as part of the programme for the day. These were: Legal Aspects and Responsibilities of U3As; Encouraging Involvement; Interest Groups; Inspiring Visits; Are Monthly Meetings Necessary, Does Size Matter? and U3A-Education and/or Leisure?

There was much lively discussion following our inspiring keynote speech and this spilled over into the lunch break which fairly ?buzzed? with conversation.

The Discussion Groups had been led by Leaders drawn from the organising U3As and they were supported by Recorders who reported back to the Conference at the start of the afternoon session. Their reports will be summarised in the overall Conference report.

Terry Hardy, Finance Officer at the Third Age Trust, stood in for Lin Jonas, Administrator who was unable to be with us. He spoke of each U3A as being an independent body gave an overview of the support offered through the Third Age Trust. He then went on to address the various issues that U3As in the Thames Valley had raised prior to this Conference. These ranged from Charity Commission requirements, Registration to Gift Aid, payments to speakers and Insurance matters to accounts. He also brought the Conference up-to-date with the resolution agreed at the recent EGM of the Third Age Trust and the effect on the Thames Valley U3As. The Third Age Trust is now organising its erstwhile Areas into Regions in line with Government Statistical Regions. This is now a matter for our Thames Valley U3As to consider at their Chairmen?s meeting.

Professor Peter Jarvis, Chairman of Thatcham U3A, gave an enthusiastic overview of the day. Then, together with the incoming Chairman of Newbury, he also spoke briefly of the Conference being planned for 2009 and hosted by their U3As.

The Conference ended with tea and cakes. This gave delegates an opportunity to speak with Terry Hardy who was much in demand. Once again there was a real ?buzz? of discussion and conversation over the teacups.

SINCE the Henley By-election was called two weeks ago the residents of South Oxfordshire have been bombarded by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats with flyers, leaflets, letters (typed and handwritten!), newspapers and glossy magazines.
Within hours of the announcement of John Howell as Conservative candidate the first document came through my door. This was followed by a further four arriving on the following five days.

I have received copies of the Oxfordshire News, which claims to be a newspaper for South Oxfordshire. After a few seconds reading, however I soon realise that this is nothing but more election material from the Liberal Democrats.

John Howell has sent me glossy magazines, newspapers, letters from David Cameron, letters from Boris it goes on and on.

The most infuriating and amusing document to come through the letter box was the lovely blue envelope, hand written with a nice 2nd class stamp on the front. Who can this be from, I thought, perhaps some correspondence from aunty or grandma but no such luck, inside is a letter from guess who Stephen Kearney!

Apart from the annoyance there is the very serious issue of waste. When you are dealing with such large quantities it is little comfort to be told that it has come from a sustainable source.

The 13 publications which I have received from the Liberal Democrats weighs a total of 118 grams, the Conservatives have sent 10 which weigh in at 108 grams. There are 42,300 households in the Henley Constituency, so when you had up all this paper it comes to a total of 9.5 tonnes. Lets also take into account the amount of ink used, the energy used to print all this election material and delivery across the constituency. How can John Howell say “Vote Blue, Go Green? It really is a contradiction.

I was delighted to see that the Green Party have sent just one A5 leaflet to every household which totals just 15 kilos of paper. This is a party who are obviously far more confident about what they have to say.

John Howell and Stephen Kearney must be feeling very insecure to feel the need to contact their constituents so frequently. Remember lads – it’s not quantity its quality!

Mrs L Bristow
Secretary of the Dorchester Carbon Project

LABOUR candidate, Richard McKenzie, has written to John Howell, the Conservative candidate for the Henley
by-election, asking him which CCTV cameras in Thame and Henley he would like to see switched off.

Richard McKenzie has written a letter to John Howell asking him whether he supports fellow David Davies’ position on CCTV.
Richard McKenzie said: “CCTV cameras and DNA evidence cut crime and help keep us safe. I challenge my Tory opponent to identify which CCTV cameras in South Oxfordshire he wants to remove and which crimes
should be solved without DNA evidence.”
He added: “David Davis and the Conservatives have lost the plot on law, order and security. They and the Lib Dems voted against giving the police powers to
detain terrorist suspects for longer, and now they want to cut back on CCTV cameras and the use of DNA evidence which has proved so important in
securing convictions against criminals and those who would do us harm.”

David Davis, who was until his recent resignation over the 42 days custody of terrorist suspects, the shadow home secretary, is on record as saying that Britain is one of the heaviest users of CCTV in the world and that the widespread use of closed circuit television (CCTV) risks infringing civil liberties.
He proposed new rules on the use of CCTV and penalties for people and bodies that use the cameras to invade the privacy of the public.

TONIGHT (June 17) local people will have the opportunity to put questions to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, the Henley by-election candidate, Stephen Kearney and Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable MP.
The meeting will focus on the so-called credit crunch and its effects on the local area and will be held at the Chinnor Rugby Club at 7.30pm and everyone is welcome.

FANS of the red kite nest watch near Stokenchurch were delighted to see new nest images being beamed into the Studley Green Garden Store coffee shop on Monday, even though the birds in question weren?t quite what they expected.

Nest Watch, organised for the last five years by the Chilterns Conservation Board, planned to use CCTV technology to bring the public ?up close and personal? with a pair of red kites as they reared their chicks, but unfortunately, all three chicks died a few weeks ago and another suitable red kite nest couldn?t be found. Instead, a kestrel nest was located in a nearby wood, and on Monday, images of the two kestrel chicks went live.
?We hope visitors to the viewing site don?t get too confused? says Cathy Rose, who manages the project. ?Although red kites and kestrels are both birds of prey, kestrels are much smaller than kites. People may be disappointed not to see red kite chicks on screen, but I?m sure the kestrels will prove to be just as fascinating over the next four weeks or so.?

Find out more about Nest watch by visiting:
www.redkites.net