Category: More News

TO celebrate Thomley Activity Centre’s fifth birthday, they are having a grand party. The invitation is: “Please come, in your best party outfit for a fun-filled day that the whole family will enjoy.”
There’ll be bouncy castles, jelly and ice cream, a B-B-Q, a magic show, the chance to make your own birthday badges and hats, a plant and cake stall, bric-a-brac sale, sporty competitions, a raffle with wonderful prizes plus lots more.
It is also hoped that the Centre’s Patron, Jeremy Irons, will be able to attend to cut the special birthday cake.

Thomley Activity Centre, Menmarsh Road, Worminghall, Bucks. For further information phone 01844 338380 or email enquiries@thomleyhall.org. www.thomleyhall.org.

THAME Town council’s Planning Committee has recommended approval of a planning application to demolish modern, rear extensions, erect a single storey replacement and for internal alterations to the Old Trout restaurant in Thame.

THE dates for this year’s Thame Summer Playscheme are July 30 to August 9, and the venue will be Lord Williams’s Lower School in Towersey Road. Children can be enrolled onto the Scheme either weekly or fortnightly.
There will be a registration evening on June 27, from 7.30 to 8.30pm in the main hall at Lord Williams’s Lower School, Towersey Road. Registration forms are available from the Thame Information Centre in the Town Hall. A fully completed form is essential for each child on the scheme.
Contact Linda on 01844 215852, Chris on 216382 or Sharon on 216949 for more information.

A plaining application for a large period-style conservatory, described by one town councillor as “the nearest thing this committe has seen to the Crystal Palace,” has been rejected by Thame Town Council.
The extention proposal was for a single storey extension to the rear of the historic Prebendal, at Priest End, Thame, a former monastery, which has been the home of Bee Gee, Robin Gibb, for several years.
But not all the members of planning committee agreed with Cllr David Dodd’s description of the plan as “appaling.”
Newly elected councillor, Rob Parker said he thought it was “a wonderful design.”
Cllr David Laver said that he felt that something that looked as though it was three or four hundred years old, similar to other stately homes like Blenheim Palace, would be more acceptable.
Cllr Beatrice Dobie described the plan as “as a disaster that makes a nonsense of the term ‘Conserevation.’
The committee voted to recommend refusal of the application, which was lodged by Arttus Period Interiors.

Photo: Robin and Dwina Gibb, pictured at the Spread Eagle, Thame, during a fund-raising event.

OXFORDSHIRE County Council has taken its first delivery of fuel based on vegetable oil.
The council?s Integrated Transport Unit took delivery of 7,000 litres of regular diesel mixed with 5% biodiesel for the 20 vehicles it runs out of its site in Headington, providing transport for people with mobility problems.

the council said that other council vehicles will continue to fill up with regular diesel until this trial has been evaluated.

Vehicle Fleet Engineer, Brian Webzell, said: “The move was the result of the council’s pledge to ensure 50% of its bulk vehicle fuel purchases are switched to a more environmentally sustainable biodiesel mix as part of its bid to reduce its carbon footprint.
“The pledge is one of twenty Oxfordshire County Council has made to Oxfordshire residents this year, and if the council continues to purchase the current mix at the current rate, the pledge will have been fulfilled by January next year.”

Brian continued that he hoped the proportion of biodiesel the council uses will increase in future years, but said that this depended on the results of this trial and manufacturers producing suitable vehicles.

He said: “We would like to use more biodiesel now, but at present vehicle manufacturers only support a 5% mix without it affecting the vehicle warranty.
As manufacturers increase the level of biodiesel allowed in their vehicles, it?s likely the County Council will follow suit. Some manufacturers already support an increased level of biodiesel mix but we must cater for the majority of our vehicles.
“The Council plans to be innovative in reducing its environmental footprint and will introduce wider uses of biodiesel mix, or other initiatives, as opportunities arise.”

Biodiesel, which is based on vegetable oil, is described as ?carbon neutral? because the carbon it releases into the atmosphere is offset by the amount the biofuel crop absorbed during growth in the recent past.
Mineral oil on the other hand comes from carbon stored millions of years ago.

There is no direct counterbalance to the carbon dioxide released in the process of extracting and burning. The result is increased carbon in the atmosphere, contributing, scientists believe, to global warming.

FOLLOWING the success of last year?s Open Day at the John Hampden Primary School & Nursery, the Staff, Governors and PTA will be welcoming visitors to Open Day 2007 on Thursday 21st June. This is a great opportunity for parents and carers of current and prospective pupils to see the school in action and enjoy a wide range of demonstrations including sports (from our competition winning teams), dance, singing and drama, as well as the work of the language and gardening clubs.
The programme of events will take place at locations around the school grounds between 2.00pm and 5.00pm, and refreshments will be available from the Fair Trade Caf

ST.Joseph?s school in Thame will be holding its Summer F

FANS of the Chilterns Conservation Board?s Red Kite Nest Watch have been dealt a double disappointment this week.
CCTV technology was being used to get an insight into the breeding behaviour of a pair of red kites, but over the wet Bank Holiday weekend, just as the eggs were due to hatch, the camera went off.

A problem with the power supply was identified, and the live link was re-established on Friday, but to the dismay of the gathered crowd at the Studley Green Garden Store, rather than the nest containing two fluffy chicks, it was empty!

Because the camera wasn?t working, it?s not known whether the eggs actually hatched or not, but it?s likely that the cold and wet weather through May contributed to the nest failure. It?s too late for the birds to lay again and there isn?t a suitable nest to relocate to.

?It?s a terrible blow to the project,? said project organiser, Cathy Rose. “Nest Watch has proved to be incredibly popular over the years and we were looking forward to seeing the chicks develop through the summer. We?d hoped that the antics of the chicks would have helped to raise enough donations to fund next years Nest Watch, but now we?re not sure we?ll have enough.?

If you?d like to help raise funds for next years Nest Watch, you can make a donation to the Chilterns Conservation Board?s ?Friends of Red Kites in the Chilterns? scheme. Call Cathy Rose on 01844 355 506 for more information.

DETAILED PLANNING permission for the demolition of garage buildings on the site of Thame Service Station’s car valeting and hire business, has been granted by the district council.
Mr and Mrs Karl White, the applicants, were also granted permission for the construction of six new starter homes on the site.
The current car valeting and car wash facility will be relocated.

THE Government has cut its financial support for the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The Chilterns Conservation Board, which receives grant aid from Government agency Natural England for its work, has had its grant aid for special projects cut by 55%. Sir John Johnson, chairman of the Board, said: “This is a blow for the Conservation Board, the AONB and our partners.” He added: “Last year the Conservation Board received over