Author: Sonja Francis

THE House of Spice Group, alongside numerous chefs and restaurateurs already backing Action Against Hunger?s response to the Southeast Asia Tsunami emergency, has raised a significant sum to support the survivors.

On Wednesday, 26 January, one month on from the Tsunami disaster, House of Spice restaurants donated 50% of the day?s takings in support of Action Against Hunger?s tsunami relief work in Southeast Asia which totalled

EX Rugby player and keen Chess Player, Kaleem Saeed, Labour?s Election candidate for the Henley Constituency (which includes Thame), has swept into South Oxfordshire from Glasgow, undaunted by his Conservative opponent?s 8,000+ majority, really believing that he can win.
Realistic or not, nobody can say that Kaleem isn?t working hard to cover the whole constituency and doing his very best to get to know the area and talk to the voters.
I interviewed him over a cup of coffee in the Social, during a breather for coffee, or in his case, lemonade, from talking to local people visiting Thame?s Tuesday market.
I asked him about the issues local people were raising with him:
? ?War is an issue for some people but I believe that it was the right thing to do to get rid of Saddam; Most people tell me that whilst the way we went to war in Iraz does concern them, they don?t vote on one issue. I prefer to focus on the other achievements of the Labour government i.e. the introduction of the minimum wage, tax credits etc.?
? ?Student fees is another popular topic, but I ask them ? Where is the money going to come from otherwise? Their taxes? Money from the Health Service? From the education budget?
? The economy is the biggest issue for the waiverers; we have provided stability which is good for families, good for business, good for stability?
? ?What of Tony Blair himself?? I asked? Kaleem replied: ? He is the man who is behind all of this! He has radically changed so many things over the last 8 years and done what he said he would do before the last election.?
? I asked Kaleem to sum up the basic difference between himself and Boris Johnson;
?I am going to listen to people; He is good at being in the right place with the media but he doesn?t deliver on local issues i.e. the closure of Youth centre in Sonning Common ? where was Boris? Look at his statements on the Henley-Twyford line, where he got his facts wrong. He?s been too busy with his other affairs to listen to what is happening and so is misinformed. He admitted recently that he didn?t know his party?s policy on drugs!
? QUESTION: What about that majority last time? What makes you think you can defeat those numbers?
?Boris may have won in 1992, but the issues of today are different from the issues then. ?I will be a very good candidate and work on local issues. I am younger, have fresh ideas and am willing to listen.?
? QUESTION: The Lib Dems are fighting a hard campaign too and were the second-place party in 1992; doesn?t David Turner have the advantage as a known county councillor?
?I have shown more commitment than David Turner; I have not gone back to work after meetings! I have made the sacrifice, given up my job for the duration and have been campaigning since January, and I have an excellent team behind me.?
? QUESTION: What do you say to people who suggest that labour supporters to should vote tactically for the Lib Dems to get the Tories out?
?The Lib Dems are misleading people over the figures from last time; Labour were only 2,500 behind the Lib Dems ? that?s practically neck and neck. Tactical voting would only work if the difference between us were larger.
? QUESTION: If you did win the seat, would you come down and live in the Constituency? Yes

Kaleem concluded: ?If Boris wants to be MP again, he should give up his other commitments and serve people properly; he gives more commitment to The Spectator than on being an MP ? that?s not fair on his constituents.
Hezeltine had a majority of around 11,000, Boris had 8,000. There?s an obvious downward trend there. What I am saying to Conservative voters is, if this trend continues over the next two elections, their candidate is pulling their party down so they might as well vote for the right candidate now!
?Constituents should come first.?
Whatever your politics, there’s no denying that Kaleem Saeed is an astute and determined young politician who, whether he wins Henley or not, will make his mark in his party in the not so distant future.

POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a sexual assault on a teenage girl in Thame today (26/4).

Between 9.30am and 10am, a 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a white man on the corner of Southern Road leading into Mitchell Close. The man grabbed the girl but she managed to run away when a woman walked past into the close.

PC Rachel Carter, based at Thame police station, said: ?The girl noticed the man moments earlier drive past her in Bell Lane in a white transit van.

?I?m especially keen to speak to the woman who passed the girl. I also appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident or saw a man acting suspiciously in Thame this morning to contact police immediately.?

The man is aged in his thirties, around 5ft 10ins, slim, with short, light brown, receding hair. He has very distinctive teeth with one of his front teeth overlapping another. He was wearing a light blue polo shirt and navy blue trousers.

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.

THAME Police have urged vigilance following distraction burglaries in Thame and Oxford.

At around 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon, (April 23),two men claiming to be police officers entered the house of an elderly woman in Thame, in the Park Street area. They searched the house and threatened the lady, leaving with cash. The lady was very distressed but not hurt.
At around 3.20pm this afternoon two men, also claiming to be plain clothed police officers, entered the house of an elderly woman on Randolph Street in Oxford. They showed identification which may have looked like a police badge. It is not thought anything has been taken.

Police believe these incidents may be linked and could also be linked with attempted distraction burglaries in Oxford last weekend. The men were smartly dressed in dark suits, both men were white and between 20 and 30-years-old. They both had dark hair and were clean shaven. One was carrying a white plastic bag.

Det Con Francesca Sillitoe, of Thame CID, said: ?We would like to hear from anyone who has seen these men or had similar experiences. Do not let anyone into your house if you are not absolutely sure they are who they say they are. Real police officers will wait outside while you check who they are. You can check an officers identity by calling the police non emergency number on 0845 8 505 505, they will also carry photo ID.

?Please look out for your elderly relatives and neighbours and encourage them not to open the door to people they don?t know.?

If you have information please contact Det Con Sillitoe via 0845 8 505 505 or if you do not wish to speak to police call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

YOUNG Thame footballers taking part in an Oxford United training session today, stretched the Thame giant scarf all the way round the sports hall at the Thame Leisure Centre – all 460 ft of it.
The session was part of three 10 week coaching session led by two of United’s professional coaches, Steve Cutts and Chris Williams for 5 – 10 year-old boys and girls.
The picture will feature on Oxford United’s website and in a future match programme, in an effort to help find an owner for the monster muffler who will donate to the Mayor of Thame’s charities, the Thame Community car and the Dovecote Day Centre for people with dimentia.