Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Film Star Charms Thame Cinema-goers

    Thame Cinema 4 All welcomed film star, Danny Dyer,on Saturday, to what was a sell-out evening of film which included his Oscar winning short, ‘Wasp’.
    Danny has also starred in Mean Machine, Human Traffic and Football Factory.
    Co-founder of TC4A, Margie Barbour, said: “The audience was deeply moved by the film, which included extraordinarily natural performances from very young children. Danny told us they had been picked out when playing in the local streets by the director Andrea Arnold. Danny’s friendly and informal manner invited lively questions from the packed house; he told of being auditioned in Hollywood in a restaurant and hair raising stories about the filming of Football Factory.”
    After the showing, the audience had a chance to meet Danny in the foyer before he and his family went to eat at The Pizza House in town.

    On Saturday, June 11, Thame Cinema is showing “The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan “(PG) directed by Phil Grabsky, and Black Gold, a Sundance award winning short about Ethiopian Coffee trade, followed by a Q and A with director Marc Francis. Black Gold is shown as part of Thame Festivals “Fair Trade” theme.
    The award winning feature tells of how in March 2001, the ruling Taliban destroyed Afghanistan’s foremost tourist attraction, the 1600 year-old Buddhas of Bamiyan. This film follows the story of one of the refugees who now lives among the ruins, an energetic and inquisitive eight-year-old boy named Mir. This critically acclaimed documentary describes contemporary Afghanistan through Mir?s story and that of his extended family. They dwell in a cave with no possessions, inadequate water and scant sustenance. In post-Taliban Afghanistan, though much has changed and is changing, there is no guarantee that Mir will survive, yet his engaging story is not one of gloom and doom but that of a normal child who takes life as it comes and finds entertainment wherever he can, against the inevitable backdrop of post 9/11 militarisation. This is not a film you will have many chances to see, so don?t miss out. Described by the Guardian as “?a compelling documentary? Watching it is a reminder that you don’t necessarily need massive budgets to be a distinctive, public service… But you do need mavericks who are brave.”
    The film starts at 8.oo with doors opening at 7.30. Free membership for all. Thame Players theatre is in Nelson Street, in Thame.
    Thame Cinema 4 All is supported by SODC UK Film Council and Screen South.
    Photo: Danny Dyer meets Committee Members Catriona Hamilton and Chris Savory.

  • Beware Garden Invaders

    THE Police have issued a warning to gardeners to remain vigilant and take precautions against springtime burglary and thefts.

    As people spend more time in the garden there are a number of things that are likely to give criminals an opportunity to strike.

    One of the biggest risks is of opportunist burglars taking advantage of insecure doors and windows. It takes just seconds for a burglar to enter your home while you are in the garden and search your property, snatch your valuables and your car keys. Ensure any unsupervised doors and windows are secure if you are working outside.

    Sgt Ian Holt, Force Crime Reduction Officer, based at Headquarters, said: ?Last year measures taken by householders brought a reduction in burglaries and we hope this can be repeated this summer. As well as making security a daily routine why not this year consider planting some prickly plants or thorny hedging ? a valuable and good looking deterrent to a potential intruder.

    ?Another risk is the increased chance of unattended garden tools that can be used to break in, most opportunist burglars will not carry tools with them but use those found outside the premises. Spades and forks can be used to lever open doors or smash windows, ladders give access to windows and roofs, and even a wheelbarrow could give an easy step-up for a thief. Where possible, lock tools away when you are finished with them or keep them secured out of sight, although they may have little value they could make it far easier for a criminal to break into your house or shed.

    ?It is also important to make sure sheds and outbuildings are kept secure to safeguard your possessions and prevent tools being used for other crimes. Buy quality locks that carry a British Standard mark, Sold Secure or Secured by Design logo, install outside lighting, preferably economical bulbs that are permanently on dusk to dawn rather than intermittent floodlights ? but be careful the spread of light does not annoy neighbours. An alarm is always an excellent deterrent.

    ?Power tools and lawn mowers are often a target in shed burglaries. Security mark them with your name and postcode, there are many products that can be used, choose one that comes complete with a warning sticker as a visual deterrent to would be thieves who increase their risk of the property being identified.?

    For additional home security advice visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk or contact 0845 8 505 505 and ask for your nearest Crime Reduction Advisor.

    photo courtesy of Thames Valley Police

  • New Business Club To Be Launched

    A NEW Business club, which will meet at The Springs Hotel and Golf Club, in North Stoke, is to be launched
    on Tuesday, June 14.

    The event will take place between 7pm and 9pm and will include tea, coffee, juice and biscuits, and a quest speaker. The club will meet every second Tuesday in the month.
    Keep an eye on www.tuesdaybusinessclub.co.uk
     for updates.

  • All Awash At Barley Hill (Contributed)

    CHILDREN and parents braved the weather and supported Barley Hill School?s PTA Fun Day last Saturday, (May 21).
    The theme was The Sea and we certainly had the water! It didn?t dampen spirits though and with stalls and activities both outside and in, visitors always had something fun to do. Children from the School Council seemed to have the best idea by taking part in Sponge a Councillor, at least they were already wet! Each class competed to have the best decorated stall and this was won by Class 3WD with their underwater Badge Making Stall.
    The Beat the Goalie was another popular attraction with our three male members of staff dressed in wigs working hard to keep out the footballs. Other attractions included a Soft Toy Tombola, Panning for Gold, Lucky Dip, and Bottle Tombola. During lunchtime the BBQ and baked potato stalls were kept very busy and our refreshments tents provided somewhere dry to sit during the heaviest showers. Six kids? teams took part in a Tug of War competition surrounded by cheering parents, which was won by a Year 6 team called Quicksilver. Children from across the school entertained visitors with a country dancing display before the day was rounded off with a fantastic raffle of prizes donated by local businesses.
    Early indications show we have raised over

  • New On-line Booking For Leisure Centre

    OXFORDSHIRE based charity, Soll Leisure, in partnership with South Oxfordshire District Council, have launched a new on-line booking service for their leisure centre customers.
    Members wishing to book leisure activities at the Thame, Henley, Wheatley, Didcot, Berinsfield and Wallingford Leisure Centres can now interact with the sites 24 hours-a-day as well as benefiting from instant confirmation e-mails and advanced security for on-line payments.

    Using the latest software supplied by Wallingford based Gladstone MRM, this service integrates seamlessly with the membership database, allowing members to perform a wide variety of tasks on-line. Functions include the ability to make, view, edit and pay for bookings in real time as well as updating their personal details.

    Soll Leisure?s marketing manager, Victoria Collen, said:”We?re really excited to be the first leisure trust to launch on-line bookings. Soll already uses technology to keep members up to date on health and fitness news through e-mailed newsletters, the www.soll-leisure.co.uk website and using the latest fitness and health testing equipment; web bookings really adds another dimension”.

    Visit the SOLL Leisure Website:www.soll-leisure.co.uk or www.southoxon.gov.uk to connect to the new on-line bookings service.

  • Advancing A New Library For Thame

    THAME councillors have agreed to form a working party to bring together all the organisations interested in advancing a new library for Thame.
    The suggestion came from Councillor Beatrice Dobie, a founder member of the Friends of Thame Library, who suggested that there is a need to keep the new library in the forefront of the public’s mind. “It is,” she said, “the responsibility of the town council to ensure that the town’s views are heard about the formation of a new library, and for instance to ask the schools what they want from a new library.”

    No plan has yet been drawn up for a new library, which the county council have said will be built some time next year on the site of the current Pied Pedaller toy shop, in North Street, Thame.
    The store was given an extension to January 2008, after its owners had originally asked to terminate the lease last February.

    The site is not, however, a popular choice of site for everyone in the town, with some, including CMAG, the Cattlemarket Action Group, preferring to suspend the decision to build in North Street, until the future of the Cattlemarket site is decided, believing that a library could form part of a larger community facility on the cattlemarket site.

  • Boris Opens New Conservation HQ in Chinnor

    BORIS JOHNSON MP visited Chinnor on Friday, to official opened the new Chilterns Conservation Board office and launch the Chilterns Country Chinnor Circular Walk.

    The opening of the CCB’s new headquarters, at The Lodge in Station Road, Chinnor, was also attended by the Chairman of the Conservation Board, Sir John Johnson, local councillors, Chinnor residents and representatives of the Chiltern Society.

    In opening the Board?s new office, Boris said “I?m delighted to officially open the new office of the Chilterns Conservation Board and wish them all the best in their efforts to look after this lovely area. There are many threats to our countryside including the invasion of alien species such as Japanese Knotweed and problems caused by traffic congestion. With its new facilities the Board is in a better position than ever to tackle them.”

    At the same event the new Chilterns Country ?Chinnor Circular Walk? was also launched by Boris. The latest in this popular series of walks promotes a scenic walk around the rich industrial and natural heritage in the vicinity of Chinnor. The walk is described in a new leaflet which is available from local tourist information centres and libraries. It can also be downloaded from the Chilterns AONB website www.chilternsaonb.org. The Chilterns Country Walks series encourages people to get out and make the most of the lovely countryside on their doorstep and get some healthy exercise at the same time.

    The Chilterns Conservation Board was established in December 2004 as the statutory body responsible for protecting and enhancing the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

  • Fun In The Sun For Trim Trail

    PUPILS at John Hampden School in Thame, have been taking part in a series of sponsored outdoor activities this morning, to raise money towards two new ‘Trim Trails’ in their school grounds.
    The morning was organised by the Year 6 pupils, who over-saw teams of the younger children in rotating physical challenges and drinks stations.
    The school’s PTA are trying to raise around

  • Leaking Fuel Scare In Town Centre

    A FIRE ENGINE was called by a car driver this afternoon, when he notice fuel leaking from the tank of a vehicle he had just bought via ebay.
    Roy Betteridge, who lives in Chinnor, said: “I couldn’t believe my luck. I had driven all the way up to Glasgow to get the car and was so pleased to have a car that I wouldn’t have to work on for once!”
    Fortunately fire officers were able to quickly cover the spilled fuel with a special chemical and prevent the fuel from igniting.

  • Sexual Assault Thame – Police Appeal

    THE Police are appealing for a woman to contact them as they believe she may have information about a sexual assault in Thame.

    Between 9.30am and 10am, on Tuesday, April 26, a 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a man on the corner of Southern Road leading into Mitchell Close.

    PC Rachel Carter, based at Thame police station, said: ?The man grabbed the girl but she managed to run away as a woman walked passed.

    ?I appeal to this woman who went into an address in Mitchell Close on that Tuesday morning to get in touch as she may have seen the man responsible for the incident.?

    Anyone with information that could assist police inquiries is urged to contact PC Rachel Carter at Thame police station, via 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ? A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault. He has been bailed until Tuesday 21 June.