Category: More News

ON what was a perfect summer’s day, the community of Thame came together on Saturday, June 9, for one of the highlights of summer fun and fund-raising, the annual Carnival.

From Elms Park, to the Southern Road Recreation Ground, the Carnival parade of local groups, clubs, schools and organisations paraded through the town to celebrate, in the most diverse interpretations of this year’s Carnival theme, Countryside!

Fire engines, Medics, motorcycles, classic cars, stilt-walkers, children and adults dressed as ants, flowers, a giant caterpillar, characters from ‘The Achers’, Bees and bee-keepers, flowers and French onion-sellers, farmers, and Tour de France cyclists, all contributed to one of the most colourful Carnival parades of recent years.

The fete that followed was buzzing with happy families and visitors from as far a way as South Africa, enjoying those activities that make a typical English fete; biscuit decorating, tombolas, egg throwing, a rowing challenge, cake stalls, Pimm’s tent, bar, a Firefighters’ fitness race, dancing demonstrations and even a champagne hunt. On the stage, young members of Thame Music Academy were able to experience playing live in front of a live audience, many of the very young, for the first time.

The whole afternoon was very ably overseen by MC Dan Blaze, DJ, Entertainer and currently the host of the Breakfast programme on Red Kite Radio. A host of volunteers, from road marshals to marketing, setting up and clearing up at the end, were co-ordinated by Sue Martin-Downhill, based at Racequets Fitness Centre, and currently the Chair of 21st Century Thame – the organisation behind the Carnival (with Thame Town Council), Thame Tidy Day, the founding of Thame Food Festival – much praised in the Mayor, Anne Midwinter’s opening speech, for the work it does. She then presented the Carnival entry winner, St Joseph’s School, with the much coveted Carnival Cup.

To see pictures from the day, visit the Thame.Net Flickr link HERE (Enjoy the pictures and please, respect the Thame.net copyright. If you would like copies of any of the images, contact: editor@thame.net   – MORE PICTURES – Thame Carnival facebook page LINK HERE

A young chef from Thame has been named a rising star and one to watch in his industry by winning a coveted Acorn Award. James Durrant, 27, head chef of The Bear & Ragged Staff in Cumnor, one of Oxfordshire’s Peach pubs, was presented with the award at a special ceremony on Monday, June 4, at the Grade II-listed Lygon Arms hotel in Broadway, Worcestershire.

James was singled out for praise for his remarkable achievements as a chef over the last 11 years, a period which has seen him rise from waiting on tables to running his own kitchen, with every step he has taken so far in his career being made right here in Oxfordshire.

At 17, he started out as a waiter at The Angel, Long Crendon, quickly convincing the chef / patron to take him on in the kitchen and send him to catering college. After gaining his chef’s whites at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, he worked at The Mole Inn, Toot Baldon, a 2 Rosette, Bib Gourmande restaurant, where he impressed chef proprietor Gary Witchalls with the high standard of his cooking and his focussed and professional approach.

Keen to take on a more senior role, James moved to The Thatch in Thame as junior sous chef in the spring of 2014. Here, he took control of the entire kitchen team within three years, helping the pub to win a slew of awards as well as boosting its food sales and profits.

He became head chef of The Fishes in North Hinksey, Oxford, Peach’s biggest pub which serves up to 3,000 meals a week at its busiest time, creating a new outdoor kitchen to cook a new garden menu. When Peach took on The Bear & Ragged Staff in Cumnor this February, James became its new head chef, helping to put this classic country inn firmly back on the culinary map.

“It’s a really big deal to win a national award like an Acorn and I haven’t quite taken it in yet – in fact, I’m quite overwhelmed,” said James. “It’s certainly an acknowledgement of the commitment I’ve made over a decade to become a good chef, and recognition of all the effort I’ve put in, and I feel very honoured to have been nominated. I also know that I am fortunate to have had so many good people around me, who have helped and taught me, and it’s been thanks to their support that I have been able to push myself and work hard to get where I am today.

“I’m really excited to be bringing the award back to the pub and hope that it will encourage other young chefs to follow me into the industry and to work hard to achieve their dreams. I also hope it will inspire people from around the area to come to visit us to try the food we cook and have a great time at our pub.”

Awarded annually, the Acorn Awards seek to highlight and celebrate the achievements of 30 of the hospitality industry’s brightest prospects, with each winner nominated by their peers for their outstanding ability in their field. Just 30 Acorns under the age of 30 are announced each year and most go on to excel, including past winners such as Gary Rhodes, Marcus Wareing and Jason Atherton. An Acorn is also a life-long privilege held only by an elite group of industry professionals.

This year’s 30 young achievers have just spent a celebratory weekend at The Lygon Arms including a welcome dinner plus a team-building exercise to test their ‘Apprentice-style’ scavenging and football-related teamwork skills. They then took part in the awards ceremony hosted by organisers The Caterer, where Josh Eggleton, chef and co-owner of Bristol restaurants the Pony & Trap, Salt & Malt, Root and the Kensington Arms, was guest speaker.

OPEN Britain Thame was one of over 60 groups from across the country that met in Parliament on Tuesday, June 5, who are calling for a Peoples Vote on the final Brexit Deal.

Robin Storey, Spokesperson for Open Britain Thame, said: “It was an inspiring evening meeting, both local activists from around the UK and cross-party MPs pressing for a Peoples Vote, such as Chuka Umunna, Tom Brake and Caroline Lucas.

“The fact that so many People’s Vote groups have sprung up around Oxfordshire in recent months tells its own story.”

“We’re meeting John Howell MP before next week’s House of Commons vote and requesting that he votes for the Customs Union and Single Market amendments.”

Robin Continued: “The Treasury’s own figures indicate all the alternative trade options are worse than what we already have, but these amendments would make it much less economically damaging. It cannot be right that following Government policy consciously involves damaging the economy, when this is clearly not an express requirement of the Referendum and counter to good government. In any event the constituency voted remain.”

“On June 23,  there’s a huge march in London calling for a Peoples Vote and Thame will be there! A Peoples Vote is the best solution to this mess, as so much more is understood now about the complex reality of these issues.”

Over 60 organisations attended the People’s Vote event on Tuesday, to discuss the campaign and put questions to Thomas Brake MP, Caroline Lucas MP and Chuka Umunna MP.  LINK HERE for more information and to register for the march.

THE Oxfordshire Charity & Volunteer Awards co-ordinated by OCVA (Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action) were held last night, June 5, and were a great success with 42 individual volunteers awards, including one for a Thame volunteer, and 11 awards for community groups.

Jean Mander won the Long Service Award, sponsored by Active Learning at the awards night, held at Oxford Town Hall. She was so overwhelmed when she heard she’d won, as last week she had attended the Queen’s Garden Party in recognition of all her volunteering.

Jean is the Chair of the Thame Society for the Visually Impaired, and has been an active volunteer for 40 years come July. A celebration lunch with all the members of the group that meet every other Wednesday at Lord Williams’s Lower School, and the Deputy Mayor of Thame, Linda Emery, is to be held soon.

Full details of all the winners can be found on the OCVA website HERE

JUNE 24, 2018 marks the 375th anniversary of the death of John Hampden, who died of his wounds received at the Battle of Chalgrove Field six days earlier.

To mark Hampden’s life, the John Hampden Society will lay a wreath at the memorial plaque beside Hampden House, Thame  (at the entrance to Greyhound Walk on the wall to the right) where the man known to history as ‘The Patriot’ died.

The wreath will be laid by the Society’s Patron, Miles Hobart-Hampden, 10th Earl of Buckinghamshire, who is a direct descendant of John Hampden. Lord Buckinghamshire will be repeating his action of exactly 25 years earlier, when he also laid a wreath at the same spot in the presence of over 400 spectators as a part of the newly-formed John Hampden Society’s first public event.

Also attending this year’s ceremony will be the Mayor of Thame, Councillor Ann Midwinter, and members of the Executive Committee of the John Hampden Society.
Details and black-and white pictures of the original event 25 years ago can be seen at: http://www.johnhampden.org/…/uplo…/2016/07/Patriot_No.03.pdf

THAME’S weekly market has completed a month of special activities to celebrate ‘Love your Local Market’, a national initiative to promote markets, and has been hailed a success by the market traders.

Thame Town Council, and Thame Farmers Market joined the main market on the second Tuesday of each month, with a host of fun activities for Thame shoppers to get involved in. These included live music from Simon Markland and a draw to win tickets to Music In the Park, Story Telling with Usborne Books, the opportunity to take a ‘selfie’ with ‘Prine Harry’ the week before the Royal wedding, a photo exhibition of picture taken of the market circa 1900 and last Tuesday, May 29, fun for the children on half-term, hosted by Creation Station.

Thame Market traders’ spokesman, Chris Hurdman, told Thame.Net: “We’ve had a wonderful month of “Love your local market “ events. There’s has been a real buzz around the market and I’ve had great comments from the public who have appreciated all the effort the market traders, Thame Town Council and the Farmers Market have put into the event. I have to thank the town council for both the support and pulling out all the stops in helping us making ‘Love your Local Market’ month a great one, and all the families and visitors who came along to support us.”

MORE PICTURES on Thame Market Traders facebook page HERE

THE uncertainty of longer term funding for the Thame and District Day Centre means that it is going to have to rely on fundraising and donations, and now, this much valued Thame facility has joined the South Oxfordshire Lottery.

Alison Champken Woods, Chair of the Trustees, explained: “The Thame & District Day Centre is now in its 32nd year thanks to the commitment of staff, volunteers and drivers as without them the service could not continue. We do get some funding from the County Council and the Town Council and we have recently increased the cost for members to £12.50 per day in order to cover our rent.

“Anyone who would like to support the Day Centre can purchase a Lottery ticket for a £1 and will be asked to nominate a charity. Then, the day centre and the ticket holder will be entered into a draw with the opportunity to win £25,000. LINK HERE for details

Who attends the day centre?

Members come from a variety of backgrounds and are of varying ages and the day centre offers the opportunity to socialise, make new friends and renew old friendships. It is based on the Community Hub site at the cottage hospital in East Street, and is open three days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30am to 3pm.

“We provide a caring and sociable environment which helps to support and provide independence for the elderly of Thame and the surrounding area.” continued Alison. We provide tea/coffee, accompanied by a variety of puzzles – the men like to play dominoes! We offer a two-course hot lunch and entertainment in the afternoons. Throughout the year there a number of outings and we now have ‘Creation Station’ visiting us once a month where the older generation can interact with pre-school aged children and their parents. This allows the children and the members to be creative with paints, glue, feathers etc. and become terribly messy, but it’s great fun for all.”

If you know someone who would benefit from the service the Thame and District Day Centre offers, contact: Gill Coleman on 01844 212080 or email: info@thameanddistrictdaycentre.co.uk or download an application form the ‘Joining Us’ page on the TDDC website: www.thameanddistrictdaycentre.co.uk