Author: Sonja Francis

HAVE you ever wondered how many trees it took to build just one ship for Nelson’s fleet? Possibly not. The answer is a staggering 5000 mature oak trees, some of which were felled in Oxfordshire and floated down the river Thames to shipbuilders down stream.

This year is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Admiral Nelson. To mark the occasion 27 new woods will be planted to commemorate each of the ships in Nelson?s fleet and to celebrate the important role British timber played in our naval heritage.

Members of Chinnor and Thame Friends of the Earth planted 35 oak trees this weekend in ‘Neptune Wood’ as part of Northmoor Trust in Long Wittenham near Didcot. By the end of this month, 10,215 trees will have been planted forging a link with the past by creating new landscapes for future generations to enjoy.

Maureen Dyroff, co-ordinator of the local group said: “We were delighted to have taken part in the planting of this new oak forest in Oxfordshire. The woods will bring great pleasure as well as having a positive effect on climate change, because trees absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.”

Neptune Wood will be opened to the public next spring and there will be woodland trails with full disabled access, an oak arboretum, a woodland pond and an avenue of hornbeam.

If you would like to dedicate a tree in Neptune Wood, contact the Northmoor Trust 01865 407792.

THAME could get around

THREE women from the Thame area joined thousands of other people on Saturday to raise the profile of climate change during the critical UN talks in
Montreal, Canada.
The Rally and march, which began at Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London, co-incided with demonstrations in 32
countries worldwide and was organised by the Campaign against Climate Change and by many of the UK’s leading social, environmental and political groups, including Friends of the Earth. It went past Downing
Street where a letter was handed in, demanding that the British government reaffirms its commitment to an international climate treaty with legally binding targets on emission reductions.
Maureen Dyroff, from Chinnor, said: “The event exceeded my expectations. This was the biggest show of concern for the environment in this country for a very long time. The rain showers didn’t dampen our spirits as we arrived at the American Embassy and listened to the speaches, the message of which was loud and clear – that there has to be legislation to control these emissions to save the environment.”
“It was made clear that nuclear power is not the answer; its production is not carbon free and is uneconomic; it would just be a quick fix that could produce big problems in the future.”

Lord Williams’s pupil, Maddie Fry, who joined the march with her mother, Cecilia Fry and Maureen Dyroff from Chinnor, told ThameNews.Net: “The atmosphere at the march was great. There was an enormous mix of people; although there was the usual crowd of Socialists, Marxists and anarchists, there were also mothers and fathers with small children, students, OAPs, and people from all over Britain. There was no trouble, and the police presence was not very big. Overall, the atmosphere was light-hearted and peaceful.”

Friends of the Earth’s Climate Campaigner, Nick Rau, who spoke at the event, said: “If the UK is serious about leadership on climate change, then our Government needs to take action at home. It isn’t too
late – if the UK cuts its carbon dioxide emissions every year, starting now, we really can achieve the big reductions needed in the long term. That’s why The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth’s climate change campaign,is calling for a new law to ensure UK governments from now and until 2050, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by three per cent every year.”

Other Speakers addressing the rally included Michael Meacher MP (ex Environment Minister), Norman Baker MP, Caroline Lucas MEP and author and journalist George Monbiot.

WITH gusting winds and rain showers, Thame’s Christmas Event went with a ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’in more ways than one on Friday.
Several awnings and plastic gazebos left the ground and soaked stall holders struggled to keep their goods dry, during an evening which, nevertheless, attracted hundreds of local people and visitors to the town centre.
Despite many stall holders failing to show and others leaving early because of the weather, the donkey-led pageant was a huge success and ‘Elvis Smelvis’ whipped the brave crowd into a happy rendering of some of the Legend’s most popular songs, including “You’re The Devil In Disguise” and “Return To Sender”, sheltered from the rain by an umbrella held by the Town Clerk’s husband!
An Ad hoc collection of Morris Dancers, garnered together especially for the event from around the villages, helped bring a traditional element of joviality to the proceedings and the French market from Montesson, Thame’s twin town did excellent business selling wines, jams and preserves, and hot, freshly made crepes and galettes.
The Thame Town Band and choir of primary school children, and the Lord Williams’ Band and choir, were magnificent and helped to make the event a truly family affair and many retailers reported a good level of sales during the extra opening hours.

More pictures and reporting tomorrow.

PREPARATIONS for Thame’s Big Switch On and Town Centre Christmas event are in full-swing, and were broadcast in truly traditional style around the town on Tuesday.
Specially made decorations have been put on the tree outside Thame town hall, festoon lights are being put up all round the town by a team of brave lightmen using ‘cherry pickers’ and ladders, and a Town Crier in full costume,including gaiters, tri-corn hat, buckle shoes and bell, shouted for most of the day throughout the market and town centre, to spread the news about the event.
Ex-soldier, now Prison Officer, Mr Anthony Church B.E.M., is officially the third best Town Crier in the country, and is Banbury’s official Crier. He will be around on the afternoon and evening of the event, this coming Friday, December 2, to spread the word to the hundreds of expected visitors about some of the exciting things being put by some of the shops and businesses in the town. For instance, the new owners of what was The Cottage Bakery in the Buttermarket will be selling hot soup, sausage rolls and sandwiches, hot cheshnuts (kindly provided once again by Waitrose) will be sold by the Scouts up by the Millenium Circle, Saphire Moon at the top end of the High Street (just past the French Market) are doing spray-on tatoos, Pied Pedaller are giving away balloons and other goodies, The Social, in North Street, will have their bar-b-Q going outside selling hotdogs and hamburger plus drinks, the Thame Information Centre (TIC) are expecting a very special visitor until 6.30 pm, who will be giving away sweets, and there will be 10% off everything just for the one night.
The Farmers Market will be setting up in the Upper High Street around 2.20pm and there will be a special children’s craft activity stall near-by. (The Donkey-led pageant sets off from around this area at 5pm) Look out for the very strange statues that will be appearing in Greyhound Walk.

THE MAIN PROGRAMME timings are as follows:

The event will begin at 3.00pm, with the Stage Special at 6.30pm and at 7.00pm; the lights will be turned on by “Elvis” and Linda Robson of “Birds of a Feather”. Before that, there will be Morris Dancing in Montesson Square from around 6pm to 6.15pm and the Morris Men will then process along the Cornmarket to the town hall.
There will be a donkey-led pageant around pubs; Thame Concert Band, street entertainers; fireworks; pantomime stars; carol singing; extended shop opening to 6.30pm; farmers’ market; community groups, charities and other stalls; French guests’ stalls from Montesson, Thame’s twin town; Father Christmas; Town Crier and lots, lots more!

A road closure of the High Street from the Black Horse roundabout at the end of Cornmarket, to the Rising Sun roundabout, and including Buttermarket, will be in place from 2.00pm.

5.30pm Children?s donkey-led pageant
DEPARTS MONTESSON SQUARE
6.00pm Morris Dancers in Montesson square until
6.20pm, when they will process along
Cornmarket to the back of the town hall

6.25pm Staged event plus Mayor?s welcome

6.35pm Thame Players special appearance

6.45pm Elvis Shmelvis!

6.55pm Linda Robson from ?Birds of a Feather? with
actors from Aylesbury Theatre

7.00pm Linda Robson and Elvis switch on the Christmas
Tree Lights

7.10pm Combined choir of local children accompanied
by Thame and a surprise visitor lead community
carol singing

7.30pm Joint Blessing by Rev I Mountford and Rev P
Godfrey ? event closes

The event is being sponsored by Waitrose, the Co-op, Thame Chamber of Commerce, Second2, Fusion, Thame Churches Partnership and Thame Town Council.