Category: More News

NATURAL England staff have revealed the hidden beauty of Lyehill Quarry, in Wheatley.
This geological site of special scientific interest (SSSI) in Wheatley, Oxfordshire has been restored to its former glory through hard work and dedication.
Lyehill Quarry in Wheatley, Oxfordshire is made up of extensive sections of Wheatley limestone that contains numerous fossils of mid-Oxfordian age (approximately 150 million years ago). The site was being used to store new cars and had been in a declining condition for the past six years as roots from developing scrub were destroying the fossils.

Natural England had a month to restore the site while it was vacant before another tenant came in. Eleven staff from offices in Oxford, Reading and Aston Rowant volunteered to help with clearance work which involved removal of scrub, shrubs and trees. Cut away areas on the rock face were treated with herbicide to prevent re-growth.

David Russell, Project Leader on the work said:
?I am delighted that staff were able to have such hands-on experience in helping to restore this site. We treated the project as a team building exercise – everyone really enjoyed the work and gained real satisfaction from the dramatic change that they achieved by removing vegetation from the rock faces and exposing the geological features.
?This is an important site in the area which we have been able to make accessible to local education groups by exposing examples of the entire sequence from the top of the Wheatley limestone to its base.?

THAMENEWS.NET was unable to be at Thame Show this year due to family committments, but follow this link to see some wonderful photographs of the event LINK

THE grape harvest in Thame’s twin town of Montesson, has not, unfortunately been a good one this year.
The grape vines were only planted recently in an attempt to revive wine growing in the town.
Huguette Fouche, a committee member of Montesson’s Twinning Committee, told ThameNews.Net: ” We have harvested our grapes but sadly about 70% of the grapes have mildew. It is a great pity because it means that we shall only have perhaps 20 bottles of our wine. We hope that next year we shall have a sunnier and dryer summer and that the harvest will be better.”

RESIDENTS in Thame can take part in a consultation exercise on the future of waste collection in the district.
Residents will be able to have their say on issues such as the collection of food waste and glass,
the frequency of refuse and recycling collections and the use of wheeled bins.
An online questionnaire is available on the South Oxfordshire District Council website:

A power cut caused many town centre shops and businesses in Thame to close this morning.
Several banks were forced to close throughout the two hour duration of the power cut, and a hot cup of coffee was impossible to find in the town centre.
The cause of the problem is not yet know, although post office staff reported a loud bang coming from somewhere behind the sorting office.

JOHN Day, President of Haddenham Lodge, recently presented a cheque for

FROM Monday, September 3, livestock markets for cattle, sheep and pigs have been allowed to resume in England and Wales, outside of the Surveillance Zone in Surrey, which was very welcome news for Thame Farmers Mart.
So far this week, Thame markets have been fairly quiet, mainly because many farmers did not realise that DEFRA had brought the date forward, in time.
The 20 day Standstill rules remain in place however, which means that any farm that receives new livestock, must be shut down for 20 days, effectively preventing any movement of livestock in or out of that farm.

THE lifting of the ban on the movement of livestock following an outbreak of Foot and Mouth desease in Surrey, has come too late for this years Oxfordshire and Thame Show which will still be without the usual livestock classes.
Unfortunately, by the time the announcement by DEFRA was publicised, the show organisers had already cancelled an order for marquees and most farmers had turned their show animals back out into the fields before the raising of restrictions, which meant that they had lost their show condition.
However, the show still promises to be one the best days out in the county, with 950 dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes entered for the dog show, and main ring attractions like the Musical Ride by the Household Cavalry.
See the show schedules
for more information about what’s happening in this year’s show, on September 20.

THE POLICE are appealing for help in finding those responsible for wilful damage to a memorial bench commemorating the life of well-known Thame resident and shop keeper, Charlie Jones.
The bench was removed from its usual location outside ‘A Piece of Cake’ in Thame, and later found on a pathway in Montrose Way. It had been wilfully damaged.
Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to contact Thames Valley Police on 0845 8505 505, or if you do not wish to give your name, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

OXFORDSHIRE County Council is carrying out a countywide survey of childcare needs and wants to hear the views of parents on how best to fill any gaps in the market.
The survey, which will also look at what childcare is available, is part of a national drive to help working parents find affordable and good quality childcare.

To complete the parental questionnaire please go to: www.oxoncis.org.uk or email childcare.survey@oxfordshire.gov.uk. Or phone 01865 815630.