Thame.net

Category: More News

  • Local employers working with school to develop students’ digital skills

    EMPLOYERS are finding it increasingly difficult to find the necessary skills within their workforce to meet the demands of a digital based business environment. Thame’s Lord Williams’s School has taken the initiative and invited local employers to share their skills requirements and explore ways of preparing students for the digital workplace.

    Recent reports produced this year highlight the growing concern over the shortfall in digital skills and how this deficit threatens the productivity and competitiveness of UK businesses. The finding from the study conducted with 1,400 businesses by the British Chamber of Commerce (April 2017) revealed that 75% of businesses reported they had a gap in their existing workforce and 84% saying digital skills are more important to their business now than two years ago. Training in terms of cost, time and provider is quoted as a barrier to up-skilling the existing workforce, but what are schools doing to prepare young people for the digital workplace?

    Nicky Stallwood, the Careers Manager at the school explained: “We know from conversations with employers how much digital skills are valued. However the recent changes to the ICT and Computer Science curriculum have meant that proportionately less students now have or take up the opportunity to learn these skills.”

    In response to this digital skills issue both in education and in the workplace, local employers were invited to join senior school staff to explore what support might be developed with local employers to extend the digital skills learning in school. Dr Melanie Smans from Economic Development at the South Oxfordshire District Council, set the local scene by sharing the findings from the council’s recent Business Innovation Skills survey where a quarter of SMEs lack digital skills in their workplace.

    Ditching ICT GCSE ‘was a mistake’

    The school’s Head of Computer Science, Debbie Keith enlightened employers on the changes and U turns in government policy with regards to ICT and Computer Science. The Royal Society has criticised the government for rushing ahead with an unsuitable, more technical Computer Science qualification after ditching the more general ICT GCSE. The Royal Society’s report revealed that over half (54%) of secondary schools didn’t offer Computer Science at GCSE in 2015-16 due to staff shortages in the subject area, and budget cuts.

    Managing Director of Groves, a large Haberdashery warehouse and distribution firm in Thame, and former pupil of the school made his expectations clear: “All students need a very good basic grasp of IT skills to ensure they succeed in employment now and in the future.’” Alun Rowe, Managing Director of Pentangle, a software development company in Thame shared his dismay at the current computer skills situation in schools: “In light of the current lack of digital skills at all levels across the UK, I find it, as both an employer and a parent, terrifying that our children’s access to computers in the classroom is being reduced as opposed to increased.”

    Local group to work more closely with the school

    As a result of the discussions at the school, Alun Rowe is getting together a group of interested employers to work more closely with the school to offer additional digital skills to students.
    If you are interested in getting involved or learning more, you can contact Alun at Pentangle: alun.rowe@pentangle.co.uk

    NOTE: Lord Williams’s School is an academy trust school for over 2000 students including Sixth Form. The Business Breakfast meetings are run three times a year and open to interested local businesses. Contact: Nicky Stallwood; E: n.stallwood@lordwilliams.oxon.sch.uk T: 01844 210524

  • ‘Shop Local’ for your Christmas star buys in Thame

    WE know that Christmas is a vital time for boosting the turnover of small, independent shops like those that make Thame’s high street so special and unique, and to help you support your local economy – and save shoe leather and fuel travelling further afield for your Christmas shopping, we’ve asked a selection of Thame’s independent retailers to suggest Christmas present ideas for you.

    Be it for the man or woman who has everything, that difficult-to-buy-for teenager or that very special someone who deserves something special at this time of the year, you really can find it in Thame.  And where better to start than with something edible, from the indulgent to a token of the festive spirit of sharing.

    THE Deli @ No 5, in Buttermarket, Thame, is one of Thame’s independent gems, specialising in products from small, UK producers.  The young, enterprising couple behind this business, Joe and Hannah, have selected just three of the dozens of Christmas present ideas from this delightful little emporium. Scarlett and Mustard‘s Medium triangle box contains six jars of luxury condiments to complete your Christmas, including Fig Jam, Quince Jelly, Cranberry & Orange Jelly, Cracking Christmas Chutney, Boxing Day Pickle and New Year’s Day Relish. That’s the festive condiments sorted for £21.50.

    It couldn’t be easier to make your own Lager, Cider or Berry Cider than with the Pub at Home kit; Just add water and 72 hours later, the lucky recipient of this gift, will be able to drink straight from the keg. The Pub at Home kit costs £24.99.

    Or, if Gin is the preferred tipple, how about the Chase Gin gift set? Three 150ml bottles of Williams Elegant Gin, Chase Vodka and Chase Marmalade Vodka – Perfect for £24. 

    Edible presents for non-meat eaters and others with special dietary needs

    MORE and more of us are becoming vegetarian or even taking the final step into veganism (including celebrity vegans like Ellie Goulding and Jennifer Lopez) and Thame’s very own, family-run health food shop, Planet Health and Organics, has a wide selection of present ideas to cater for them, and for others with specialist dietary needs.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Their award-winning Boojo Champaigne Truffles are organic, cholesterol-free, wheat-free, diary-free and gluten free! Or, how about, for the man in your life, something from the Natura Siberia range of mens’ facial and skin care from Russia?

    These days there’s no need for the vegetarian or vegan member of the family to miss out on the traditional Christmas pudding, because Planet Organics stock a gluten-free, wheat-free and totally vegan Christmas Pud from Infinity Foods.

    Clothes for the man in your life


    FROM the classiest men’s wear shop in Thame.  Gallant in Greyhound Walk, has something stylish for the special man in your life; even that old Christmas present staple, socks, will be most acceptable when he opens his present and finds these beautiful Luxury cotton stretch socks from Italian company, Effio. Gallant offers several styles in all sorts of colours and patterns. Made in Italy, they retail at retail at £15.

     

     

     

     Or, how about this must-have, very fashionable, winter warmer? An exquisite quilted Jacket from Bavarian company, Handstich. Not only does it look good, but is made with a showerproof fabric and has a cosy fleece lining. The jacket retails at £650.

    Every man loves a good shirt, and this 100% cotton shirt pictured below, beautifully made by Dutch company, Circle of Gentlemen, using Italian fabrics with contrast colour piping and buttons will make your special man look and feel fabulous. Individuality and quality for £139.95

    Make-up for Her

    IN case you’ve not noticed, Thame has its very own boutique store in Buttermarket, offering a broad range of niche brands in skincare, cosmetics and fragrance. Powder is packed with a mixed range of luxurious but affordable products and a wide selection of present-buying ideas for the special ladies in your life.

     

     

     

    Miller Harris Gift Box for Her contains three fragrances including the bestselling Rose Silence fragrance, priced at £70.

     

     


    Most ladies like to wear a bit of lippy at Christmas, especially for all those Christmas and new year parties. Check out Powder’s Delilah Colour Intense liquid Lipstick duo in a beautiful Christmas cracker. Choose either bold reds or subtle nudes. £28.

     

     

     

     

    For those on a budget, or who might want to buy something special for a colleague or as a stocking-filler, pop into Powder and ask proprietor Karen to show you the REN stocking fillers. These travel-sized Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium or Moroccan Rose bath oils, are luxuriously rich and uplifting in scent, and will leave skin moisturised, supple and beautifully soft. The perfect gift for yourself or a loved one this Christmas. Price: £10

     

    Handmade and unusual

    fitch & fellows, after two years in East Street, Thame, moved to the Buttermarket this spring and is a treasure trove of all things handmade and unusual. Owned and run by ex-West End actress and singer Susannah Fellows, it focuses on the very best in creative talent from all over the UK. Here you’ll find jewellery, glassware, ceramics, sculpture, paintings and prints that span a wide range of prices – so there is always something for everybody.


    Bob Crooks Colour-ball Candlesticks are a terrific splash of colour for your Christmas table or make great presents at £42. Each is individually made and signed by the maker. fitch & fellows also have other beautiful glass pieces made by Bob, in for the Christmas season – decanters, champagne glasses, bowls, jugs and vases – all in his distinctive style in a wide range of colours.

    For the dog-lover in your life

     

    Charlotte Lowe’s jewellery centres around the simple moments of pleasure in life – her love of family and dog walking! Couples walking on a sandy beach or night walks in the moonlight with your favourite four-legged friend are just some of her subjects. All her pieces are sterling silver – some with 22 carat gold plate – and start at £32.

     

     

    Christian Marsden’s brick vases are individually handmade in slip-cast earthenware ceramic and finished in a variety of high gloss, on trend colours. Great fun, a bit edgy and modern and only £30!

    Many of our contributing retailers are taking part in Saturday’s ‘Christmas Shopping Saturday’ event, sponsored by 21st Century Thame. Click HERE for more information and where to pick up a leaflet full of bargains, offers and treats throughout the day.

     

     

     

     

  • Mayor’s charities feel the ‘Midsomer’ effect

    THE Mayor of Thame’s charities, the Red Kite Family Centre and Thame & District Day Centre, will benefit from Thame’s popular Midsomer Walking Tours.

    Pictured L to R Midsomer tour guides, Erroll Bateman, Elaine Harrison, Tony Long, and (on the other side of the Mayor) Bernadette Tildesley, Peter Sawyer, Nick Weir

    A cheque for £374, to be shared between the two charities, was presented by the Midsomer Tour Guides to the Mayor, Cllr Tom Wyse, on Tuesday, November 28.

    The Midsomer Tours, which take in locations used in filming the internationally popular,  ITV drama, Midsomer Murders, were held weekly for the first time this year, between May and October, run by six trained volunteers who are all members of Thame Players. The tours have proved to be highly successful, with 200 people buying tickets, not only from the UK and local areas, but also from overseas countries, including Australia, Scandinavia, USA, and Germany.

    The tours cost £7.50 per person and it was agreed at the outset that the tour guides themselves would receive no income, preferring to donate two thirds of receipts to the Mayor’s Charities and Thame Museum (a Midsomer filming location), while the remaining income would be used to fund promotion for the 2018 season.

    Thame is one of the most frequently used filming locations for Midsomer Murders and regularly features, either as Causton, or as one of the many villages in the fictional ‘Midsomer County’. Midsomer Murders is still going strong after 20 years with regular screenings in the UK and all over the world. Over six million people watch Midsomer Murders in this country, and millions more in over 100 countries worldwide. Once they have seen it on TV, people want to come and visit the quintessentially English towns and villages of Midsomer.

    Tony Long, coordinator for the Midsomer tour guides, said: “We are delighted with the success of the Midsomer Tours this year, and are equally delighted to be able to donate much of the proceeds to such worthy causes as the Mayor’s Charities and Thame Museum. We’re looking forward to running the tours again next year, every Wednesday from April 4, through to the last Wednesday in October.

    “We believe these tours add a welcome new facet to tourism in the town, attracting more visitors to the historic town of Thame.”

    • The Midsomer tours for 2018 will take place weekly between 4th April and 30th October, every Wednesday at 11.00am. They will start from inside Thame Museum (79 High Street, Thame, OX9 3AE), one of the filming locations, taking in many buildings in the town centre. The tours follow on from the original tour created by David Dodds of Thame Museum, and are held under the auspices of 21st Century Thame, an organisation that brings together local businesses, community groups and councils to help keep Thame vibrant and viable as a market town.
    • Tickets may be booked online at thamemuseum.org or at ticketsource.co.uk/thamemidsomer or purchased in person at Thame Museum (open 10am – 4pm Tue, Wed, Sat, and 12pm – 4pm Sun).
    • Bespoke tours at other times can be arranged for groups of at least 4 people or more. For more information about specially arranged tours, please email thamemidsomertours@gmail.com.
    •  There is a free Midsomer Walking Trail leaflet, which enables you to do the tour yourself without a guide. It covers both the Thame Midsomer locations and those in neighbouring villages in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Copies may be obtained at Thame Town Hall Information Centre and Thame Museum, as well as at hotels, pubs, shops and cafes in the local area. Contact Helen Johns at helen.johns39@gmail.com or on 0771 743 4983 if you would like supplies of the leaflet, which will be updated for the 2018 season.

  • Less people in hospital beds since changes at Thame

    A six-month pilot scheme at Thame community hospital, is to be extended to 12 months, to give the Trust that runs the hospital more time to assess how changes might affect services over the winter.

    Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has taken out the beds at the hospital and has brought more out-patient services to the hospital, and brought other health and care services together on the site.

    Speaking at a recent meeting of Thame Town Council, Cllr Nigel Champken Woods said that since the changes (which aimed to invest in more efficient ways to get the right services, rapidly, to keep people out of hospital and to get people up on their feet and independent more quickly), the number of ‘bednights’ at Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville hospitals has reduced. He added that there are plans for people to be able to go to Thame hospital for chemotherapy and for a large Ultra-sound machine to be installed.

    SEE previous report HERE

  • Text your pothole !

    ROAD users in Oxfordshire, will be able to have more of a say about how highway maintenance money is spent in the county, via social media.

    Oxfordshire County Council says it is working on a new road maintenance policy and wants to make sure that the day-to-day experience of road users is considered when deciding which roads to upgrade.

    “Road condition is at the top the list for many people when it comes to what they would like to improve. You only have to look at social media to see this, which is why we want to take social media posts or ‘street tweets’ into account:” said Councillor, Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment.

    Now, Oxfordshire roads are assessed and decisions made on where to spend money based on factors such as condition and the amount of traffic that use them – purely engineering factors.

    However a ‘social score’ will be added so that feedback from communities and road users can help add weight to the case for work to be done elsewhere.

    This means that feedback from social media posts, letters and emails could be captured as part of the assessment process.

    Read more HERE 

  • ‘Bags of Joy’ on their way to refugee children

    JOHN Hampden Primary School children and parents are bringing joy to refugee children in northern France this week.

     

    The school ran a Christmas Appeal entitled 50 Bags of Joy with local group, Bread and Roses for Refugees. Children were invited to join in at an assembly given by Junior Members of Bread and Roses, who explained more about what a refugee is and why some children become them. Children were asked to fill small backpacks with toys, toiletries and other lovely gifts.

    A spokesperson for Bread and Roses for Refugees, said: “The group has been thrilled by the great response from the school community, especially as the target of 50 bags was smashed by a wonderful 180 bags being filled and bought to school.”

    The bags have been taken to Northern France and will be distributed by voluntary organisations working on the ground, to refugee children fleeing war and persecution, often travelling many miles and leaving with just the clothes on their back.

    Paul Hankey, Headteacher at John Hampden Primary School, said: “Never before has a charity appeal at John Hampden School captured the imagination of the school community. Massive thanks to Bread and Roses for Refugees for enabling us to help bring moments of joy into lives of refugee children.”

    Bread and Roses for Refugees always welcomes new members and invites those interested in finding out more to visit their facebook page.

  • Two arrests after perfume thefts from Boots’ stores

    THAMES Valley Police has arrested two men after £10,000 of perfume was stolen following two burglaries at Boots the Chemist in Thames and Wallingford.

    Boots Store in Thame

    A 35-year-old man from Monks Risborough, Buckinghamshire, and a 35-year-old man from Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, were both arrested on Monday (20/11) on suspicion of burglary.

    Both have been released under investigation.

    At around 3.30am on Tuesday, November 14, offenders smashed the front window of Boots the Chemist in Market Place, Wallingford, and took a quantity of perfume. This followed an incident at around 4.30am, on Saturday, November 4, in which offenders smashed the front window of Boots the Chemist, in High Street Thame. Again the offenders made off with a quantity of perfume.

    Investigating officer, PC Mark Wright based at Thame police station, said: “We have made two arrests following this incident but we are still appealing for the public to get in touch if they haven’t already done so to assist in our investigation. We would also continue to ask anyone who has seen large quantities of perfume up for sale to please get in touch.”

    If you have any information relating to this case, please call 101 quoting reference ‘43170338382’, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

  • Search for vehicle after vehicle break-ins in Thame

    THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following thefts from two vehicles in Thame today.

    Between 11.30am – 12.30pm today, (22/11), unknown offenders broke into a silver Transit van that was parked up at the Esso Service Station, Long Crendon Road, Thame, and stole tools.

    At 1.19pm today (22/11) unknown offenders broke into a silver VW Caddy van at The Rise, Fish Ponds, Thame, and stole power tools. It is believed that the offenders could have been driving a blue Citroen Picasso (index S***XYG).

    If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message please call the Police via the 24 hour non-emergency telephone number 101.

    Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

  • Thousands of pounds worth of perfume taken in chemist break-ins

    THAMES Valley Police is appealing for information after £10,000 of perfume was stolen following two burglaries at Boots the Chemist, including one in Thame.

     

     

    The first incident was at around 4.30am on Saturday, November 4, 2017, in which offenders smashed the front window of Boots the Chemist, in High Street Thame, and made off with a quantity of perfume.

    The latest incident was at around 3.30am on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, during which offenders smashed the front window of Boots the Chemist in Market Place, Wallingford, and agains stole a quantity of perfume.

    Police say that these incidents are being linked. The offenders in both burglaries are described as two men, both approximately 5ft 8 to 5ft 11 tall. One was wearing a puffer style jacket, with his face covered, the other was wearing a dark coloured jacket and also had his face covered.

    Investigating officer, PC Mark Wright based at Thame police station, said: “We are appealing for information following these two burglaries in which a total of around £10,000 worth of perfume was stolen.

    “We are appealing for witnesses and we are particularly interested in anyone who was driving in the area at the time of these offences and may have dash cam footage.

    “Additionally we would ask anyone who has been offered a large quantity of perfume for sale to please get in touch to assist with our enquiry.”

    If you have any information relating to this case, please call 101 quoting reference ‘43170338382’, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

  • ‘Grab a grant’ from your councillor before it’s too late

    THAME’s District Councillors are concerned that applications for SODC Community Grants, worth £5,000 from each Councillor, have been slow in coming forward. Only £586 of Cllr Nigel Champken Woods’ £5,000 has been taken up, by the Thame and District Allotment Society to build a Wildlife pond. All of Cllr David Dodds’ £5,000 is up for grabs and Cllr Jeannette Matelot Green has £1,700 left to give away having already awarded £800 to the TAL Festival to buy a new PA system. She has also given £2,500 to Thame Museum for a Thame Remembers legacy book.

    To find out more about applying for SODC Community Grants for YOUR organisation, visit the SODC website HERE

    Red Kite Family Centre has benefited from Councillor Community Awards. So could YOUR organisation or group!

    Some similar grants, available from Thame’s County Councillors, have been awarded. The Red Kite Family Centre – Stay & Play in Chinnor – has received £2,400 funding towards providing ‘open access universal provision’ that will help maintain the Red Kide Family Centre, satellite centre based in Chinnor Library. The main, Red Kite Family Centre, Stay & Play in Thame has received £3,000 funding towards its open access universal provision, that has expanded the stay and play sessions in Thame from one to two a week.

    There have also been other applications yet to be considered by the County Councillors. This will happen at the January 2018 meeting of Oxfordshire county Council.