Author: Sonja Francis

FORMER Thame Mayor, Nigel Champken-Woods and his wife Alison revisited Thame’s twin town in Romania recently, and had an unexpected encounter with a Prince, the former Prince Nicholae, the grandson of King Michael, Romania’s last king until 1947. He died in December 2017.

It was during a reception on the Saturday evening held by Vlad Oprea, the Mayor of Sinaia, in ‘The Casino’ used nowadays as an events venue. Nigel recalled: “With about three minutes notice I had to make a speech, but got away with it! We were next presented to Prince Nicolae of Romania and his fiance Alina Binder along with our host Felicia. It turns out that Prince Nicolae knows Thame as he went to school at Shiplake College just outside Henley-on-Thames. We joked about the rivalry between the two towns especially on the sports field!”

Sinaia is Thame’s Twin Town based in Prahova County, Romania. The two towns have been twinned since 2012, when as Mayor of Thame at the time, Nigel signed the twinning charter. Every September the town holds a festival Sinaia Forever, and it was to share this occassion that Nigel and Alison had been invited to return to Romania.

The Thame couple had been welcomed to the Town by Vlad Oprea, who accepted a letter from Ann Midwinter, the current Mayor of Thame, explaining that she could not attend as it clashed with her civic service. Mr Oprea understood and passed his best wishes to Mrs Midwinter and all the people of Thame.

On Friday, September 14, Nigel and Alison they were taken to the top of a nearby mountain by cable car. Since their visit in 2012, this has been much improved by the extension of the Telegondola (ski lift) to the top of the mountain. Nigel said: ” The views from the top are outstanding and must be amazing in the winter. There are 16 ski slopes of varying difficulty to choose from.

“The highlight of any visit to Sinaia,” he added, “must be Peles Castle and the Monastery, which we did on Saturday morning with Dan Manea. Dan Manea, an architect, is another friend of Thame, as he thoroughly enjoyed his visit to Thame, and presentation of his book, Sinaia Land of the Elites during the TAL Festival in 2017.”

Peles was the summer home of King Carol I of Romania and featured by the BBC in a recent Great Railway Journey with Michael Portillo. The Monastery was the first building in Sinaia to offer hospitality to travellers in the Prahova Valley.

Nigel continued: “We also visited Prince Charles’ home in Viscri, not what one would expect! It is however very unspoilt and indeed you can actually stay there. We then went on to Bran, the home of the infamous Dracula’s Bran Castle. Our last full day was again spent with Dan Manea, who took us to the Royal Meadow which is situated in the mountains above Sinaia and Peles Castle. The problem was it is situated at just over 4,000 feet and while we had been driven up, we had to walk down! A fitting end to a fantastic weekend.”

Nigel and Alison were hosted by Felicia and Nicu Mirza at their home in Sinaia. Felicia as member of ASPE, a local cultural association, and visited Thame during TAL Festival in 2017. The Thame couple noticed a dramatic difference of the look of Sinaia’s main street between the visits. Six years previously, all cabling was carried on poles along the main street which has been described as looking like a giant tangle of knitting. This has now been put underground and pavements replaced and widened, cleaning the whole area up.

Nigel concluded: “We would like to thank all involved in our visit. Vlad Oprea and his team at the Town Hall in Sinaia, the members of ASPE who looked after us, Dan Manea our guide and in particular Felicia and Nicu Mirza who welcomed us into their home.”

Anyone from the Thame and neighbouring villages interested in getting involved in family, cultural, or groups visit exchange projects between Thame and Sinaia are invited to get in touch with the Thame-Sinaia Friendship Association on www.facebook.com/thamesinaia or ring/text 07764 854949.

BREXIT may be on the lips and minds of many Europhiles but a group from Thame, who regularly exchange visits with Thame’s twin town of Montesson, have just spent a very convivial weekend across the Channel.

The group of 17 members from Thame and District Twinning Association, left Thame very early on Friday morning, September 14, arriving later that evening to a warm reception from their hosts. The next morning, they were treated to a guided tour of one of the most important collections of sculptures and other works by Rodin – him of the famous ‘The Thinker’ and ‘The Kiss’.

The tour over, the ‘twinners’ ate a splendid picnic lunch in the beautiful grounds of the Rodin Museum, formerly the Hôtel Biron, a mansion which Rodin used as his workshop from 1908, and subsequently donated his entire collection of sculptures (along with paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir that he had acquired) to the French State on the condition that they turn the buildings into a museum dedicated to his works.

Paris was looking its very best in the Autumn sunshine, with its many public and historic buildings open for free on this special Heritage weekend known as the Journées du Patrimoine – a sort of annual ‘open doors’ which includes the Élysée Palace if you don’t mind queuing for four hours!

The Thame group forewent that experience but went their separate ways exploring markets, art galleries, beautiful public gardens and for a lucky few, a peak inside the historic monument and art gallery, the Petit Palais (small palace). As well as exhibiting some amazing works of art, the building itself is spectacular, including a guilded, domed central porch and a triple arcade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That evening was the first event of the annual festival of the pâté à la Carmen, which has run for around 140 years – the eating of a special, small pastry encasing a kind of sausage meat, washed down with a particular Creme de Cassis based punch. From the festival marquee in the Parc des Sophiras, it was home with hosts for dinner, before rounding off the evening with a spectacular firework display.

Because of the need to leave Montesson in the early afternoon to take the tunnel back to England, the Thame visitors were unable to stay for the grand finale, a street carnival, but spent Sunday morning either visiting the traditional street market at St Germain, shopping for wine or exploring the evocative ‘île des Impressionnistes’ at Chatou, the village near Montesson, where the Impressionist painters, their friends and followers, would meet regularly to eat, drink, socialise, go boating and of course, paint.

The famous ‘Restaurant Fournaise’, the balcony of which features in the famous painting by Renoir, ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’, has been completely restored and there is museum at the rear dedicated to the site’s history.

 

In the same location is a traditional boat yard where a group of dedicated craftsmen rescue ‘from the fire and the saw’ old wooden, traditional boats that have been replaced by glass fibre and carbon. One couple from Thame were lucky enough to have a ride in a steam-driven launch built in 1882. Througout the day, local people strolled about wearing replica costumes in the style of days at the height of the Impressionist period.

The Chair of Thame & District Twinning Association, Linda Emery, who gamely drove her happy band of travellers in a minibus, said afterwards: “Lingering over one or two ‘pate de carmen’ in a park in Montesson; relaxing after a day of strolling around the Rodin museum and marveling at icons like “Rodin’s Kiss” … ..the perfect Montesson experience combines leisure and liveliness with enough time to savor both an exquisite meal and fireworks at the park.

 

 

“We take away so much from this weekend, including memories of the fun people we met – and the lovely wine we shared.”

Despite arriving back in Thame just before midnight because they missed their slot for the Eurotunnel, the Thame Twinning group agreed that this visit, made during what is the 16th year of the Twinning charter, had been one of the best and are now looking forward to the Quiz on November 2nd, being held to raise funds jointly between themselves and the British Stroke Association. LINK HERE

MORE pictures from the Montesson visit HERE

A draft plan for a Public Art Strategy for Thame is on the agenda for a meeting of Thame Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Committee, which includes several ideas for public arts projects around the town.

Overseen by a steering group, the local community will be included in the creation of Public Art, through voting on designs, taking part in community events to help celebrate and unveil the works of art, participating in activities with the selected artist/s or by just meeting and inspiring the artist with stories and local knowledge.

Eight projects have so far been identified, which, if they go ahead, will be funded mostly by Section 106 agreements with Developers of new building developments around town. These are, in order of priority:

1. Town-wide wayfinding project that both improves communication routes through the town as well as raising awareness of Thames Heritage. Included in this
connecting all new estates into Thame, but also covering wayfinding throughout the rest of town (covering Lea Park).
Involve the whole community possibly through resident associations. Look at involving other community groups in locations that are relevant to them.

2. Co-op Alleyway to Dorchester Place Car Park: Boost the profile of this space by making it more inviting to walk through, not just a gap between buildings. Making the
alleyway more of a threshold that helps people to anticipate what is beyond the Alleyway – especially as a gateway to the Phoenix Trail.

3. Marking the gateways into the town centre using the roundabouts located at Chinnor Road, Kingsey Road, Aylesbury Road, Oxford Road, to celebrate Thame’s
identity as a Market Town.

4. Greyhound Lane: Create something that is beautiful in its own right, but also serves as a frame from which community groups and artists could hang a temporary art
display. Create a sense of busy vibrant community. Allows for more arts in the street.

5. Montesson Square: Meeting point of all directional signage boards in Thame: a place where these all come together and meet, in a central ‘meeting point’. Connect
different elements of Thame together in one place to raise awareness of Thames Heritage and Thame today.

6. Bridge on old Long Crendon Road: Make more of this area. Celebrate the connection of Tolkien’s short story to this location. Possibly improve access to the field for
dog walkers.

7. Information Boards: purpose built information boards on each new estate. Designed to link to Wayfinding project.

8. The Elms: focus on artwork to educate about the Burgage plots in Thame. Potential to look at further piece of Art work in some of the gardens. To be followed up
once progress has been made on the Sale of the land.

The meeting is on Tuesday, September 25, in the council chamber, at 7.30pm and is open to the public.

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for the public’s help in tracing a boy who went missing from Princes Risborough yesterday afternoon, Wednesday.

Brandon Malaure, aged 17, was last seen yesterday (19/9) at around 3.45pm at Aylesbury Railway Station.

He is white, 5ft 10ins tall of slim build and has short dark brown hair. He was last seen wearing dark tracksuit trousers and a dark t-shirt.

Investigating officer Inspector Tracey Benham based at Aylesbury police station, said: “I would like to hear from anyone who may have seen Brandon, or anyone who knows where he may be.

“We just want to make sure that he is safe and well.

“Brandon, if you see this, please get in touch and let us know you are safe.”

If anyone has information about Brandon’s whereabouts, please contact Police on 101, quoting 43180287199 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

You can also make a report online by clicking here.

AS the deadline for applications for 2019, Year Seven at Lord Williams’s School in Thame, draws nearer – it’s October, 31, 2018 – the school’s Open Evening will be on October 3, 2018.

MORE details from the school:

“Our Open Evening for prospective students and their parents/carers is taking place on Wednesday 3rd October 2018. This is an opportunity to hear from the Headteacher and current students, see the facilities of the school and talk with staff and students.

“You are welcome to tour the school at your own pace, visiting any of the areas highlighted on the map (provided on the evening) between 5.30pm and 6.55pm. There will be a talk by the Headteacher, with contributions from current students, starting at 7.00pm in the Sports Hall. The evening will finish at approximately 7.30pm.

“PLEASE NOTE: Parking is limited so we advise you to walk or car share where possible and ask that you please do not block neighbours’ driveways or park on the verges. Parking Marshals will be in operation, please ensure you follow their instructions for your safety and the safety of pedestrians on site.
Additional parking will be available at Chinnor Rugby Club (Rectory Pavilion, Kingsey Road, Thame, OX9 3JL) which is approximately a 5-10 minute walk from the school.

Lord Williams’s Lower School, Towersey Road, Thame OX9 3NW – www.lordwilliams.oxon.sch.uk

ON Sunday, September 30, a group of normal people from Thame will gather at Haddenham and take a train. They won’t be going to their day jobs.

Instead, cross party and no party Peoples Vote supporters will be heading to Birmingham on the 0900 to call on John Howell MP to join the campaign for a Peoples Vote at the Conservative Party Conference.

Robin Storey, Founder member of the Open Britain Thame group, and campaigner for a Peoples’ Vote on the Government’s final Brexit deal, explained: “A botched no-deal or bad deal Brexit will leave the Constituency in a mess. We’re asking John Howell MP to take a lead and help find a way out from party infighting, along with other like-minded moderate Conservative MPs. It’s no longer good enough to say things are fine with Brexit, as we know so much more about the adverse effects on real people.”

Nobody voted to be poorer

“These national issues are also local issues – nobody in Oxfordshire voted to be poorer and all voters feel increasingly deceived, with livelihoods threatened by a Brexit that isn’t going well,” he added.

“We’re conducting a survey of local business to add local data and views to the national picture. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/EU_Business_Survey

“Every Saturday, Peoples Vote stalls are being held in Thame at 2pm to sign up supporters, and a national march will take place in London on October 20, calling for a Peoples Vote on the terms of the final Brexit deal. Over 100,000 attended the last march, including many from Thame.

“We’d like to talk again with John Howell MP at one of these constituency events or in Birmingham. Specifically, we’d like to talk about jobs and weakening investment. BMW Mini in Cowley have warned publicly of the threat to their supply chain. Jaguar LandRover have also warned that many thousands of jobs are at risk by a no deal Brexit.

“High tech business around Oxford wonder why they are losing qualified EU staff, who no longer feel welcome. Commuters who live in Thame are worried. JP Morgan and many other firms have recently announced jobs moving out of the City, taking with them key parts of our tax base and capability.

In the Retail sector,John Lewis have blamed Brexit as one reason for poor recent results.”

NHS and public services

Robin continued: “We’d like to talk about how this affects the NHS and funding for all our public services if the economy and tax base does less well, outside of the EU single market and customs union, with much less comprehensive and efficient trade arrangements than we currently have.

“Staff shortages at the John Radcliffe are a problem already, as EU staff return home, leading to ward closures.

“In future, the Treasury’s own figures show 7% less cumulative economic growth through to 2030 with no deal. How will these services be funded?

“These are the sorts of issues we’re asking our MP to engage with at a time like this. That’s why we’ve been calling on John Howell MP to support the Peoples Vote on the terms of the final Brexit deal and why we’ll be in Birmingham.

“See you on the 0900 from Haddenham on Sunday, September 30!” Robin concluded.