Category: More News

FOLLOWING an agreement by the county council to fund more opening hours for Thame library, the library is keen to hear comments on its proposal to stay open until 4.30pm every Saturday, instead of closing at 1pm.
Comments on the proposal can be left at Thame library in Southern Road, Thame, before April 16.

SO says Kaleem Saeed, the Labour Party’s General Election candidate for this constituency.
In a recent statement, Kaleem said: “Let’s all sign up to his campaign for decent school food, on http://www.feedmebetter.com/getinvolved/sign.php and hope that the health and happiness of millions of our children – and their education – will be rescued from the dire effects of compacted gunge.

“Jamie’s demonstration on Channel 4, that children across the whole borough of Greenwich could be persuaded to prefer nourishing food, at an affordable price, to the mush they had thought they liked, took huge courage, intelligence, persistence, and leadership – a shining example of the ‘don’t tell me, show me’ spirit of reform – But how could the rest of us have allowed such a ghastly situation to develop?

“Until the 1980’s school meals used to be cooked from fresh ingredients by skilled women who were proud of their work and highly respected. Then came Mrs Thatcher’s efficiency drives, which made local councils put School meals (and much else beside) out to contract to the lowest bidder. Hospital cleaning and porterage went too, and eventually the maintenance of railway tracks. The tendering system has changed, but the damage takes a long time to clear.

“Already we have another election, and the Tories are again asking for a chance to make public services more efficient . .

Stick with Jamie! “

For further information on Kaleem, and comment on current issues, visit www.henleylabourparty.co.uk

THAME Police are appealing for information following criminal damage to a seat, support canes and plants at the Kinksey Road allottments in Thame.
The damage occurred sometime between 12 mid-night on Thursday, March 10 and 8.45am on Friday, March 11.
Anyone with any information can either call the police enquiry line on 0845 8505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555111.

THAME Speakers Toastmaster Club swept the board at Leighton Buzzard in the Area level, International Speech Contest and Speech Evaluation Contest last Thursday, March 10.
Both winners will now compete in the Division Contest in Weeting, Norfolk on April 24. If successful in the following two rounds the winner of the International Speech Contest will find himself in Toronto in August competing for the title ?World Champion of Public Speaking?!

The (not for profit) Club meets at the Barns Centre every 2nd & 4th Wednesday at 8pm. Anyone wishing to learn the skills required for public speaking or to boost their confidence in a friendly and supportive environment is most welcome. Come as a guest and see how they do it, you will not be asked to speak unless you wish to. For more details call 01844 299497

Photo: Winner of International Speech Contest, John Feore (right) & winner of Evaluation Speech Contest, Angus Galbraith (left).

IN recent years, architect Peter Aldington and his wife Margaret have opened their garden at Turn End, Townside, Haddenham, 2-3 times a year (including on Easter Monday) as part of the National Gardens Scheme (NGS).
This year, for the first time, they are not having any scheduled openings but are willing to open their garden, by appointment, to groups of 10 or more. Proceeds will be divided between the NGS and the Turn End Trust, which aims to maintain the 1960s listed house and garden for the benefit of the public. Call 291383 or 291817 to book a visit.

FOUR Wheatley Park School students have won the regional round of the Trading Standards Institute ?Young Consumers? competition and will now proceed to the national finals.
They were Josh Dunbar from Forest Hill, Chris Smith from Wheatley, Chris Halliwell from Wheatley and Matthew Chase from Horspath. All four are our Sixth Form students.
The competition offers young people an opportunity to show their awareness of the world around them and their ability to make informed choices about what they eat, what they buy and how they manage their money. Teams of four aged between 14 and 17 years old compete in a knockout quiz which tests them on a range of consumer issues including Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, Money and Finance, Food and Health and Safety and the Environment in Europe.

The national final will be held on June 22, at the Metropole Hotel Brighton. The four Wheatley Park economists will be competing for a

A RECENT report from AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL has highlighted the deteriorating human rights situation in Nepal, which has gone largely unnoticed in the media.
There is a long-running conflict between the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist) insurgents and the security forces, which has recently lead to the a declaration of a state of emergency in Nepal, with increased militarization and clamp-down on liberty.
On the 1st of February, the King of Nepal took direct control of the government, and declared a state of emergency. During the first few days of the state of emergency hundreds of national and district level political leaders were arrested and placed in preventive detention under the Public Security Act, apparently to prevent any protest. In addition a number of trade unionists, journalists, students and human rights defenders were also detained.
Amnesty is calling on the government of Nepal to immediately restore the fundamental human rights suspended during the state of emergency and initiate a political process for resolving the conflict, based on justice and respect for human rights.
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA310222005

Thame Amnesty meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month (except August and December) at 8.00pm in the room above the Swan Inn on the Upper High Street . Its next meeting is the AGM, which will include discussion on the questionaire about future campaigns, the Newsletter and the content of meetings. To find out how YOU can help, contact John Evans 01844-291424, john@haddenhamduckpond.org.uk for more information.

AN illustrated talk on Climate Change, by Dr Olly Watts, RSPB Environment Policy Officer, and another by John Wyatt, local naturalist and environmentalist, on ‘Birds affected by climate change.”
Go alongto an informative and thought-provoking evening about the complex and important topic of climate change and find out how YOU can make a difference to the environment and wildlife.
The Hawkslade Centre, near Stoke Mandeville Hospital, off Ellen Road (near Mandevill school) Follow the RSPB signs.
Saturday, March 12 – 7pm to 10pm – Entrance

TEACHERS and sixth formers from a Secondary school near Thame’s twin town, Montesson, in France, will be visiting Thame at the end of March.
The French visitors, from Pierres Vivant school will be staying with host families in Thame, between Wednesday, March 30 and April 3.
A group of Thame students have already been to Montesson, earlier this year.

IT’S Red Nose Day on Friday, March 11, and the Oxfam Book Shop in Thame, has gone all red!
To get your official Red Nose and a read book from a red volunteer, visit the shop in Cornmarket, Thame, and help Comic Relief and Oxfam find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering in Africa and the UK.