Author: Sonja Francis

AFTER making their way through a raft of applications Thame Food Festival have announced that their first bursary has been awarded to Tess’ Brilliant Bakes.

Set up by Lisa Hartwright in the middle of 2017, the concept was initially built as a delicious sideline business selling to friends and family, but more recently Lisa has been venturing out into the realms of artisan food markets. Priding herself on using local quality ingredients where possible, Lisa has gradually extended her range to include various cookies, tray bakes, loaf cakes, cupcakes and larger cakes.

The bursary includes £1,000 (which Lisa is going to spend on a catering oven), a free pitch at this year’s Thame Food Festival event, a free page in the festival programme, plus PR and social media support for one year. On top of that, she is going to be supported by high profile Food Festival Mentors who will be willing to help and encourage her over the year, using their many years of experience within the food and hospitality industry. These are:
Adam Johnson, Head Development Chef for Raymond Blanc OBE, at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Oxfordshire
Chris Wheeler, Executive Chef for Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire
Nick Downie, Head of Marketing for Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire

When told of the news Lisa said: “I can’t quite believe it. It’s wonderful to have such a group of people believe in me and what I make. It’s also with huge thanks to my partner Paul. Without his unwavering support I wouldn’t be able to do this” she continues, “I am already thinking about new recipes that I would like to share with the mentors to see what they think. There is even talk of us developing a special Thame Food Festival Bake specifically for the event in September. I can’t wait!”

Lotte Duncan Patron and Organiser of Thame Food Festival added: “We were absolutely delighted with the response to our very first bursary and my goodness the competition was tough. There were some great products from some amazing artisan producers, but we just had to make a decision. However, there was just something about Lisa and even more importantly about her fabulous products that completely won all the judges over. It will be a real delight to support her over the next year and see her at the event in our especially dedicated Bursary Area, which will include some of the other applicants and finalists.”

ON what was a perfect summer’s day, the community of Thame came together on Saturday, June 9, for one of the highlights of summer fun and fund-raising, the annual Carnival.

From Elms Park, to the Southern Road Recreation Ground, the Carnival parade of local groups, clubs, schools and organisations paraded through the town to celebrate, in the most diverse interpretations of this year’s Carnival theme, Countryside!

Fire engines, Medics, motorcycles, classic cars, stilt-walkers, children and adults dressed as ants, flowers, a giant caterpillar, characters from ‘The Achers’, Bees and bee-keepers, flowers and French onion-sellers, farmers, and Tour de France cyclists, all contributed to one of the most colourful Carnival parades of recent years.

The fete that followed was buzzing with happy families and visitors from as far a way as South Africa, enjoying those activities that make a typical English fete; biscuit decorating, tombolas, egg throwing, a rowing challenge, cake stalls, Pimm’s tent, bar, a Firefighters’ fitness race, dancing demonstrations and even a champagne hunt. On the stage, young members of Thame Music Academy were able to experience playing live in front of a live audience, many of the very young, for the first time.

The whole afternoon was very ably overseen by MC Dan Blaze, DJ, Entertainer and currently the host of the Breakfast programme on Red Kite Radio. A host of volunteers, from road marshals to marketing, setting up and clearing up at the end, were co-ordinated by Sue Martin-Downhill, based at Racequets Fitness Centre, and currently the Chair of 21st Century Thame – the organisation behind the Carnival (with Thame Town Council), Thame Tidy Day, the founding of Thame Food Festival – much praised in the Mayor, Anne Midwinter’s opening speech, for the work it does. She then presented the Carnival entry winner, St Joseph’s School, with the much coveted Carnival Cup.

To see pictures from the day, visit the Thame.Net Flickr link HERE (Enjoy the pictures and please, respect the Thame.net copyright. If you would like copies of any of the images, contact: editor@thame.net   – MORE PICTURES – Thame Carnival facebook page LINK HERE

A young chef from Thame has been named a rising star and one to watch in his industry by winning a coveted Acorn Award. James Durrant, 27, head chef of The Bear & Ragged Staff in Cumnor, one of Oxfordshire’s Peach pubs, was presented with the award at a special ceremony on Monday, June 4, at the Grade II-listed Lygon Arms hotel in Broadway, Worcestershire.

James was singled out for praise for his remarkable achievements as a chef over the last 11 years, a period which has seen him rise from waiting on tables to running his own kitchen, with every step he has taken so far in his career being made right here in Oxfordshire.

At 17, he started out as a waiter at The Angel, Long Crendon, quickly convincing the chef / patron to take him on in the kitchen and send him to catering college. After gaining his chef’s whites at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, he worked at The Mole Inn, Toot Baldon, a 2 Rosette, Bib Gourmande restaurant, where he impressed chef proprietor Gary Witchalls with the high standard of his cooking and his focussed and professional approach.

Keen to take on a more senior role, James moved to The Thatch in Thame as junior sous chef in the spring of 2014. Here, he took control of the entire kitchen team within three years, helping the pub to win a slew of awards as well as boosting its food sales and profits.

He became head chef of The Fishes in North Hinksey, Oxford, Peach’s biggest pub which serves up to 3,000 meals a week at its busiest time, creating a new outdoor kitchen to cook a new garden menu. When Peach took on The Bear & Ragged Staff in Cumnor this February, James became its new head chef, helping to put this classic country inn firmly back on the culinary map.

“It’s a really big deal to win a national award like an Acorn and I haven’t quite taken it in yet – in fact, I’m quite overwhelmed,” said James. “It’s certainly an acknowledgement of the commitment I’ve made over a decade to become a good chef, and recognition of all the effort I’ve put in, and I feel very honoured to have been nominated. I also know that I am fortunate to have had so many good people around me, who have helped and taught me, and it’s been thanks to their support that I have been able to push myself and work hard to get where I am today.

“I’m really excited to be bringing the award back to the pub and hope that it will encourage other young chefs to follow me into the industry and to work hard to achieve their dreams. I also hope it will inspire people from around the area to come to visit us to try the food we cook and have a great time at our pub.”

Awarded annually, the Acorn Awards seek to highlight and celebrate the achievements of 30 of the hospitality industry’s brightest prospects, with each winner nominated by their peers for their outstanding ability in their field. Just 30 Acorns under the age of 30 are announced each year and most go on to excel, including past winners such as Gary Rhodes, Marcus Wareing and Jason Atherton. An Acorn is also a life-long privilege held only by an elite group of industry professionals.

This year’s 30 young achievers have just spent a celebratory weekend at The Lygon Arms including a welcome dinner plus a team-building exercise to test their ‘Apprentice-style’ scavenging and football-related teamwork skills. They then took part in the awards ceremony hosted by organisers The Caterer, where Josh Eggleton, chef and co-owner of Bristol restaurants the Pony & Trap, Salt & Malt, Root and the Kensington Arms, was guest speaker.

OPEN Britain Thame was one of over 60 groups from across the country that met in Parliament on Tuesday, June 5, who are calling for a Peoples Vote on the final Brexit Deal.

Robin Storey, Spokesperson for Open Britain Thame, said: “It was an inspiring evening meeting, both local activists from around the UK and cross-party MPs pressing for a Peoples Vote, such as Chuka Umunna, Tom Brake and Caroline Lucas.

“The fact that so many People’s Vote groups have sprung up around Oxfordshire in recent months tells its own story.”

“We’re meeting John Howell MP before next week’s House of Commons vote and requesting that he votes for the Customs Union and Single Market amendments.”

Robin Continued: “The Treasury’s own figures indicate all the alternative trade options are worse than what we already have, but these amendments would make it much less economically damaging. It cannot be right that following Government policy consciously involves damaging the economy, when this is clearly not an express requirement of the Referendum and counter to good government. In any event the constituency voted remain.”

“On June 23,  there’s a huge march in London calling for a Peoples Vote and Thame will be there! A Peoples Vote is the best solution to this mess, as so much more is understood now about the complex reality of these issues.”

Over 60 organisations attended the People’s Vote event on Tuesday, to discuss the campaign and put questions to Thomas Brake MP, Caroline Lucas MP and Chuka Umunna MP.  LINK HERE for more information and to register for the march.

THE Oxfordshire Charity & Volunteer Awards co-ordinated by OCVA (Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action) were held last night, June 5, and were a great success with 42 individual volunteers awards, including one for a Thame volunteer, and 11 awards for community groups.

Jean Mander won the Long Service Award, sponsored by Active Learning at the awards night, held at Oxford Town Hall. She was so overwhelmed when she heard she’d won, as last week she had attended the Queen’s Garden Party in recognition of all her volunteering.

Jean is the Chair of the Thame Society for the Visually Impaired, and has been an active volunteer for 40 years come July. A celebration lunch with all the members of the group that meet every other Wednesday at Lord Williams’s Lower School, and the Deputy Mayor of Thame, Linda Emery, is to be held soon.

Full details of all the winners can be found on the OCVA website HERE