Author: Sonja Francis

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a double fatal collision in Thame, in which a man from Thame died.

Shortly before 9.20am yesterday (26/1) a collision occurred between a black Mini and a white Volkswagen Golf on the B4445 Chinnor Road, Thame.

Sadly the driver of the Mini, a man in his twenties from Thame, died at the scene of the collision.

A woman in her fifties from Malvern, who was a passenger in the white Golf, also sadly died at the scene.

Their next of kin have been informed and their families are being supported by specially trained officers.

A woman and a man have also been taken to hospital in a serious condition. A boy also suffered minor injuries. They were all occupants of the Golf.

Inspector Simon Hills of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit based at Bicester, said: “This was a collision that has sadly resulted in the deaths of two people and serious injuries to two others. Our thoughts are with their families at this very difficult time.

“Our officers continue to support them.

“We are carrying out an investigation and are asking any members of the public who witnessed this collision to please come forward to assist us in our enquiries.”

“Anyone with dash-cam footage or anyone who may have seen either of the vehicles prior to the collision are also asked to contact us.

Anyone with information should call 101 or go to our website and quote reference 371 26/1/19.

IT will be 10 years to the day this April 7, 2019, since a terrible drink-driving car crash left a young Thame man’s life hanging on a thread, and another passenger in the car dead.

Since the crash (REPORT HERE), Joe Robinson, with the support of his family and skilled medical staff, has achieved a most remarkable and unexpected rehabilitation. To mark the anniversary, Joe and his sister Grace will be running the extremely arduous Marathon des Sables, to raise funds and awareness for Spinal Injury. LINK

In the following, Joe talks about the enormous undertaking he and Grace have set themselves, considering the damage done to his body in the crash, but how they have chosen to do it in recognition of the ‘selfless professionalism and dedication’ of everyone involved in his recovery and all those affected by spinal injuries.

The Robinson family want Joe’s extraordinary story told, not just to raise awareness but as a final chapter to such and long journey of recovery.

Joe Robinson – from Death Bed to Desert Runner

April 7th, 2009 : I was given a 3% chance of making it through the first night I was in hospital. My parents had to say goodbye to me not once, but twice.
I was in an induced coma in an intensive care unit for a month with a broken back in three different places, a broken neck in two places, a fractured skull across half the diameter of my head, my lungs had collapsed and on top of these injuries, I needed two emergency brain operations. Whilst in the coma, I contracted MRSA, pneumonia and meningitis.

…… Fast forward exactly 10 years…….

April 7th, 2019 – I will be on the second day of running across the Sahara, taking part in “The Toughest Race on Earth” – the gruelling Marathon des Sables (https://marathondessables.co.uk). This is a 250+km footrace across the toughest terrain on earth. Completely self-sufficient, I shalll have six days to complete this huge challenge accompanied by my younger sister Grace. Temperatures will exceed 40 degrees, water is rationed, and I shall have to take and carry all my clothes, food, cooking equipment and essential medical kit.

……Back to my story and the long, 10 year recovery……

My parents were told I was going to die twice. Four weeks later, they were told I was going to be blind and never walk again. The family were told my traumatic brain injury would leave me with life changing neurological problems. I was informed, I was going to need treatment for the rest of my life and so my Mum began preparing to be my carer for life.

With the help of the heroes at The John Radcliffe Hospital, my incredible friends and family, I never gave up hope. I was unwilling to accept what had not been proven and with hope and determination, I set about embarking upon a recovery that has taken up every minute of these past 10 years.

My life changed for so many reasons in those early hours of 7th April 2009. There have been so many dark moments, but so many moments of hope and inspiration. I followed the amazing progress of Richard Hammond and James Cracknell (both of whom have suffered traumatic brain injuries) and this
inspired me to keep going, to keep challenging myself and to keep challenging the hospital experts, and, most of all, to never give up. I really hope others, and I truly believe they will, can follow my story and be inspired to keep going, to have belief in ones’ self and your friends, but most of all to never ever give up.

My recovery

After two long months in hospital, my road to recovery really has been everyday over the last 10 years. My recovery will continue long after the Marathon des Sables. I have had treatment from neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, orthopaedic surgeons, the list goes on. From being so poorly and so dependent on so many people, to taking on what James Cracknell has called “The Toughest Race on Earth” (exactly10 years later), I hope this endeavour in the Sahara can be a truly remarkable moment for me to say ‘thank you’ to everyone who has helped me on this tough and challenging road of recovery.

In the last 10 years, my most memorable moments have included:

• Learning to walk again 4 months after the car accident having been told I
would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
• Cycling from Paris to The John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford less than a year
after the car accident and raising £38,000 for the hospital.
• Going to Exeter University, just 18 months after the car accident,
obtaining a 2.1 degree in Geography.
• Receiving the Deans Commendation for “outstanding performance under
exceptional circumstances” at the end of my second year at university
• Receiving the Deans Commendation for “outstanding performance under
exceptional circumstances” in my third and final year – becoming the
only student ever to have won the award twice.
• Successfully completing a Master’s degree at Oxford Brookes University.
• Running in the Olympic Torch Relay with the Olympic Torch in 2012.
• Setting up a small fundraising organisation called JR4JR – raising the
awareness of brain injuries and raising money for the John Radcliffe
Hospital, Oxford.

Personally, my heartfelt wish is for everyone that has supported me over these years to be proud of me and I sincerely hope this can be a symbol for how grateful I will always be to everyone who has helped me over the last 10 years …each and every moment over these past 3,650 days.

To donate throughto Joe and Grace’s Justgiving page link HERE

IF you could plan for a cleaner, greener community, what changes would you make? Students at Lord Williams’s School in Thame had just that opportunity this week when they worked with over 30 members of RSA Thame Group and other local community representatives to design a green living plan for their area.

Working in small groups, Year 8 students assessed their own local communities in terms of four environmental factors:

*Reducing air pollution
*Amount and quality of green space
*Safe access routes through the community for people and wildlife
*The problem of waste and opportunities for recycling

Tutors noted how the students engaged in the learning and the practical nature of the activities. One student commented: “It’s been fun to do the project with my friends, as well as learning about the threats to the environment such as pollution.”

Towards the end of 2018, Thame residents were consulted on the draft Green Living Plan produced by the RSA Thame Group on behalf of Thame Town Council. The plan will be closely linked with the Thame Neighbourhood Plan to ensure that development is sympathetic to our environment and conducive to a healthy town and community. Charles Boundy spoke on behalf of the RSA Thame group:

“I’m delighted to have had the chance to introduce the Green Living Plan for Thame to the students at Lord Williams’s School. The RSA Thame Group is looking forward to reviewing the ideas of the Year eight groups in developing specific proposals for us to take forward.  As Thame and its surrounding communities continue to expand, the chosen school focus areas of clean air, green spaces, safe routes and a better approach to waste have never been more important – for all of us and especially the students who are our future.” 
 
For those interested in learning more, visit: https://www.thametowncouncil.gov.uk/thame-town-council/green-living-plan/

AN ambitious project to restore and enhance the wildlife habitats, landscape features and cultural heritage of the Central Chilterns has been awarded a National Lottery grant of £2 million. The Chalk, Cherries & Chairs Landscape Partnership Scheme, spearheaded by the Chilterns Conservation Board will also work to educate and inspire communities to become protectors of their local heritage and landscapes.

Thanks to National Lottery players the five-year scheme will encourage people to connect and reconnect to the wildlife and cultural heritage of the Central Chilterns through a number of individual but interweaving projects across three key themes: Wildlife & Landscape, Heritage & Landscape and People, Communities & Landscape. The Landscape Partnership Landscape Partnership includes local groups and organisations including; BBOWT, Chiltern Rangers, Bucks New University, Amersham Museum, Chiltern Society, National Trust, Bucks County Council, Community Impact Bucks, Bucks and MK NEP – to name but a few.

The Key aims of the scheme :

Protecting declining wildlife – The Central Chilterns is home to a wide range of wildlife such as butterfly species including the rare Chalk Hill Blue and the Duke of Burgundy, and strong populations of bird species including Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer and Marsh Tit. In the last 20 years Chalk Hill Blue populations have declined by 6% and the Duke of Burgundy by 20%, and since 1970 farmland bird populations have declined by over 50% and woodland birds by 25%. Chalk, Cherries and Chairs will support habitat management to protect the areas that these species rely on.

Reinvigorating Chilterns Orchards – Once a mainstay of the Chilterns, providing vital seasonal work for locals, a supply of fresh fruit for nearby London and other surrounding towns and a beautiful tourist attraction, the once common cherry orchards have all but disappeared. The declining orchards will be rejuvenated and the annual cherry festival celebrating the area’s renowned produce will be revived through the scheme.

Solving the Mystery of Grim’s Ditch – Presumed to be an ancient routeway spanning 30km, Grim’s Ditch is a real mystery. When was it built? What was it for? Why are there gaps in it? Pottery finds suggest that it dates from the Iron Age (c. 700BC to AD43), but we don’t know why – was it just a boundary, or did it have a defensive use? Was it originally all connected, or are the gaps deliberate? Further research will help to solve the mystery.
Uncovering the biodiversity in the headwaters of the Chilterns – At first glance, the Central Chilterns appears to have a rather dry landscape, but it is home to a number of small streams and ponds that are yet to be fully investigated. The scheme will aim to identify and map the biodiversity of the freshwater features of the area.

Revealing the history of the Chilterns’ chair Bodgers – Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the woods of the Central Chilterns provided vital resources for families within the area to make a living. The scheme will uncover what life was like to woodland wood-turners known as ‘Bodgers’, and also allow people to reconnect with their craft heritage through events, demonstrations and even trying it out for themselves.

Supported through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), High Speed Two Ltd through the Community Environment Fund (CEF) and Wycombe District Council through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), the project will leave a lasting legacy of improved conservation and land management, partnership working, skills, volunteers, and engaged and aware communities caring for the future of wildlife and their heritage. Volunteering, learning, digital media and providing small grants to encourage community initiatives, will run across all the projects of the scheme.

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of HLF said: “As well as being part of a nationally protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty –, the Central Chilterns has a wealth of heritage stories dating as far back as the Neanderthal hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic era and continuing right through to the present day. We are thrilled that with money from the National Lottery we are able to fund Chalk, Cherries and Chairs to preserve this important natural heritage for future generations, allowing them to forge stronger connections to the fascinating history of the area, and create their own stories through the scheme.”

Commenting on the award, Kath Daly, Countryside Officer said: “Over the last two years a strong partnership of organisations, ranging from UK-wide charities to local community groups, has united to help plan Chalk, Cherries and Chairs. We are absolutely delighted that we have received this support, thanks to National Lottery players. This major partnership will provide opportunities for people to get involved and volunteer; to increase and improve wildlife spaces; and for communities to learn, create and take action for heritage.”

Recruitment of project staff has now started and work will commence in early summer. To find out more about the roles available and to apply, visit the Chilterns AONB website. LINK HERE

THAMES Valley Police have released a video explaining how drug dealers from the cities are operating to try and spread the trade to small towns like Thame, and what to do if you suspect drug dealing is happening near you.

County Lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas. They exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs, often referred to as ‘drug running’.

OCGs often use high levels of violence and intimidation to protect the ‘county line’ and control them. One of these forms of control exploits vulnerable people by using their home as a base for dealing drugs, a process known as cuckooing.

You can view the VIDEO HERE

Signs to look out for:

There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is involved in County Lines:

• Persistently going missing from school or home and being found in other areas
• Unexplained money, new clothes or electronic devices
• Receiving high numbers of texts or phone calls, being secretive about who they’re speaking to
• Decline in school or work performance
• Significant changes in emotional or physical well-being
• Cuckooing
• Dealers often entice the vulnerable person into allowing their home to be used for drug dealing by giving them free drugs or offering to pay for food or
  utilities.

These OCGs are very selective about who they target as “cuckoo” victims. Often people they target are lonely, isolated, or frequent drug users themselves.

The OCGs often operate from a property for a short amount of time, frequently moving addresses in order to reduce the chance of being caught.

Signs to look out for:
There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is a victim of cuckooing:

• Frequent visitors at unsociable hours
• Changes in your neighbour’s daily routine
• Unusual smells coming from a property
• Suspicious or unfamiliar vehicles outside an address

Contact Thames Valley Police:

If you’re concerned about drug-related crime in your area or think someone may be a victim of drug exploitation, please call us on 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also report online or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Follow our Stronghold activity on social media using #TVPStronghold and #countylines.

FROM Sunday, January 27, Thame’s Oxfam bookshop will be closing temporarily for a three-week refresh.

Donors of books, CDs, DVDs, maps, music, cameras or musical instruments are requested to donate to the Oxfam shops in Aylesbury, Headington and Princes Risborough in the meantime. These shops are better set up for these types of donations than the standard Oxfam shop in Thame, and will be open for donations and business as normal. Customers are also able to use the Oxfam website to shop online.

The bookshop staff and volunteers would like to say ‘thank you’ to donors and customers for supporting Oxfam and they are looking forward to welcoming them again following the reopening in February.