Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Elderly residents targeted by fraudsters & other news from the Thame Community Policing team

    WITNESS APPEAL – On Thursday, the April 26, two males offered to complete some roof works at an address in Cotmore Gardens, Thame. The males deliberately caused damage to the roof of an elderly resident’s home and then demanded £250 to fix it. The males made several attempts to get the elderly resident out of her home. One of the males managed to access the house through an insecure window but was quickly told to leave. It is believed the males left in a white Ford Transit type vehicle with ladders on the roof. If these males knocked on your door offering to complete works on the day or you witnessed anything suspicious or saw the vehicle please call 101 with details quoting reference number 683 of the 26th of April 2018.

    VIGILANT BANK STAFF – On April 20, police officers from Thame were called to a bank in Thame from where staff had called raising concerns about an elderly customer who they suspected may be being defrauded of over £12,000 during a 48 hour period. The officers and bank staff worked together to mitigate the fraud, with bank staff managing to reverse over £8,000 of the funds.

    “Another good example of the excellent team work taking place in our local Community,” said a TVP spokesperson in the latest Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter If you are concerned that you are being targeted for fraud or you believe you know someone who is, contact TVP immediately.

    DRUNK DRIVER BANNED AND FINED – On April 10, a female driver was witnessed struggling to park a vehicle in Chinnor Road in Thame. The woman had consumed alcohol and subsequently failed a roadside breath test. She was banned from driving for 18 months and fined over £550.

    EMERGENCY SERVICES FUN DAY – The Thame neighbourhood team are currently organising an emergency services fun day which will be taking place on the Southern Road recreation ground on Sunday, the July 29. This event took place last year and was a big success with many residents coming along and having fun with Thames Valley Police, South Central Ambulance Service, South Oxon Fire and rescue service and the RAF. This is a fun family day out where you can engage with different teams from various different strands of the emergency services. Further details of the event will be advertised on social media very soon.

    On Tuesday, May 15, PCSO Diane Jackson will be holding a ‘Have your say’ meeting in the Co-Op in Thame High Street, between 2pm and 3pm.

    You can read the complete monthly, Thame Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter HERE

  • Planned road works – Chinnor Road, Thame

    PLANNED Maintenance work by Thames Water with potential traffic disruption – Chinnor Road, Thame. Reference number: 31067497 – Essential repairs in this area to fix a leak found on the water supply. Start Date May 9, 2018 – End Date May 11, 2018

    Thames Water says: “We’ll minimise any disruption and keep everyone updated as we complete our repairs. Sometimes, we need more time, for example, to get the right permit or permission from the Local Council, however we’ll be sure to finish our works as soon as possible.

    “If we need to provide a temporary supply of water until our we’ve finished our repair work, we’ll find the best options available and let you know what we’re doing.”

    Details and contact – https://inyourarea.thameswater.co.uk/issue?id=D525

  • Amended: ‘Safe Places’ in Thame are revealed

    A Safe Places scheme, aimed at offering places of refuge for vulnerable or threatened people while out and about in Thame and Wheatley, will be launched on May 15, at 10-30 am in the Market Place in Thame.

     

     

    South Oxfordshire District Council’s Community Safety team is working with Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service, Oxfordshire Family Support Network and local communities to launch the nationally recognised ‘Safe Places’ scheme across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

    What is a Safe Place?

    The Safe Places Scheme aims to help vulnerable people feel confident and safe whilst out and about. If someone is feeling lost, anxious, confused, bullied, abused or harassed they can go to a Safe Place. Safe Places offer support to elderly people, people with dementia, those who may have a physical or learning disability, people with mental health needs or someone who feels unwell.

    How does it work?

    Safe Places are identified by a nationally recognised logo that will be visible on a sticker in the window of participating shops, community centres and cafes. Cards can be carried by the individual with contact numbers on for family members, adult social care and the police. A ‘Safe Place’ card can be picked up from a Safe Place location or by emailing: communitysafety@southandvale.gov.uk.

    What help can be provided?

    If you have a Safe Places card, a member of staff can phone your nominated person, whether it be a carer or family member. But, whether you have a Safe Places card or not, you can go into a participating location and ask for assistance and a trained member of staff will be able to help you.

    Safe Places in South Oxfordshire

    Current local locations signed up in Thame are;  Waitrose, Boots, Thame Town Hall, Esso Garage, BP Garage, AutoParts, Sainsburys, Co-op, Costa, Library. In Wheatley the Safe Places are; Asda, Post Office Wheatley and Moorland Rd Surgery Wheatley.

    To find out where the other Safe Places are in South Oxfordshire please see the interactive map on the national Safe Places website HERE

    If you are interested in becoming a Safe Place, please email communitysafety@southandvale.gov.uk. Premises will receive a resource pack and free training on how to help vulnerable people.

  • A hilarious spoof that’s guaranteed to delight!

    MURDERED to Death by Peter Gordon is a hilarious spoof in the best Agatha Christie tradition and Thame Players will be giving their special treatment at the Players Theatre, Thame, from May 8 to 12.

    Murdered to Death is a ludicrously funny ‘whodunnit’ story, featuring a cast of stereotypical characters doing stereotypical things. There’s a blustering English colonel with a suitably stiff upper lip, a well-meaning local sleuth who seems to attract murder wherever she goes, the village policeman – a bumbling and appropriately named Inspector Pratt, a shady French art dealer, and a femme fatale. Oh, yes, and of course what whodunnit would be complete without the faithful family butler in a country house setting in the 1930s?

    They’re all there, getting caught up in the side-splitting antics which follow the mysterious death of the owner of the house. It soon becomes clear that the murderer isn’t finished yet, but will the murderer be unmasked before anyone else has met their doom, or will audiences die laughing first?

    Murdered to Death was written by Peter Gordon, one of the UK’s most popular playwrights. To date, he has written thirteen comedies, a psychological thriller and a one-act comedy. It is part of the ‘Inspector Pratt’ trilogy, which also includes Secondary Cause of Death and Death by Fatal Murder, described variously as ‘deliciously wicked’, ‘hilarious’ and ‘very clever’. These plays have had over 1,000 professional and amateur tours and productions in the UK and overseas, including USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

    It has been said of Peter Gordon that his writing is ‘Sometimes bizarre and funny, sometimes sad, but is always entertaining’.

    Adam Hurst, director of this production for Thame Players, said: “Murdered to Death provides the perfect recipe for a great comedy. If you enjoy watching the play half as much as the cast enjoy performing it, then you are in for a wonderful evening’s entertainment.”

    Murdered to Death is being performed at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame OX9 2DP from Tuesday, May 8, until Saturday, May 12, inclusive at 7.45pm. Tickets: £9, concessions £8, are available from Spear Travels, Greyhound Walk, Thame, telephone 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk

  • Thame agricultural supply stores has new owner

    HAVING recently gone into Administration, the owners of H & C Pearce & Sons Ltd, in Aylesbury Road, Thame, one of the largest agricultural farm supply businesses in central and southern England. has been acquired by the agricultural supplies group, Wynnstay.

     

    H & C Pearce was a family run company which could trace its history back nearly two hundred years when it began as a wool grading business. Wool stapling (or trading) having been part of Thame’s heritage since medieval times.

     

    Powys-based Wynnstay has agreed with the administrators to pay £800,000 in cash for the Countrywide Farmers plc (“Countrywide”) stores, including Thame. At completion, the total number of Wynnstay Country Stores will increase from 52 to 60 outlets.

    Ken Greetham, Chief Executive Officer of Wynnstay, commented: “We are very pleased to have acquired eight country stores previously operated by Countrywide Famers. Their addition increases our footprint in both our existing trading heartland, and in the South West of England, in particular giving us an increased profile in Cornwall and Devon.

    “Farmers and the rural community are at the heart of Wynnstay’s offering and we look forward to welcoming new customers to the Group, as we introduce our products and services across these new stores.”

     

  • Five year housing land supply will deter speculative builders, says council

    SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL has published its latest figures showing that it can demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, which it claims should deter speculative planning applications from developers.

     

     

    If a local planning authority cannot show that it has a five-year housing land supply, its policies with regards to residential development will be regarded as out-of-date. Where this happens, the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) sets out a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’.

    Cllr Felix Bloomfield, South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “It is good news for South Oxfordshire that we can currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply. This will help us to fight speculative development on sites which are not the most suitable or preferred, whilst continuing to deliver on housing growth.”

    Under government planning rules set out in the (NPPF), all local planning authorities should have an up-to-date deliverable five-year housing land supply. The council’s Housing Land Supply Statement for 2017-18, published today, shows that it has a 5.4-year supply.

    To determine this figure, the council monitors planning permissions, carries out site surveys to check progress on house-building and works with housebuilders to understand how many houses have been built and how many are likely to be built in the next five years.

    Its latest housing completion survey shows that in South Oxfordshire 967 homes were built and finished in 2017/18, a third more than the previous year’s figure of 722, when the council was unable to demonstrate a five-year supply.

    Cllr Felix Bloomfield continued: “While this is not a significant over-supply and there are outside forces that can affect supply, we are working hard to ensure that this can be sustained moving forward. We are in the final stages of preparing our Local Plan for independent examination and this sets out how South Oxfordshire will grow over the coming decades in a planned, phased way.”

    The Housing Land Supply Statement can be viewed HERE

  • Thame Para-swimming event ‘a roaring success’

    THE first Thame Para-Swimming Event took place at Thame Leisure Centre recently, and, to say it was ‘a roaring success’ would be an understatement! (more…)

  • No change to ’10 balls’ cricket any time soon in Thame

    FOLLOWING the news of proposed changes by the ECB (English Cricket Board) to make cricket ‘more attractive’, members of Thame Town Cricket Club have been responding to the news, and generally, are not too happy!

    Cricket at Church Meadow, photo coutesy of Mark Lord

     

     

    The ECB has announced a new eight-team domestic competition for First Class Counties and MCC, based on the simple format of ‘100 balls’ for each team, starting in 2020.

    Spokesperson for TTCC, Andy Jinman, told ThameNews.Net: “I have taken soundings with a few players and supporters about the ‘100 ball” proposal – by no means a scientific study, but the general consensus seems to be that T20 is short enough; why try to shorten it even further? Is thisjust a marketing gimmick, trying to go even further (but probably too far) down the route of “shorter is better”?

    “Competitions like the IPL, the Big Bash etc are hugely successful in their respective countries, so the feeling is that the ECB should concentrate on making the new UK T20 competitions work well, rather than being distracted by ‘100 balls’.

    “As for the final over of 10 balls, I haven’t found a single bowler that fancies being hit to all parts of the ground for 10 balls, rather than just for 6!”

    Andy concluded: “Finally, TTCC hopes to have midweek T20 matches next season for adults, once the new clubhouse is ready, but no plans for this 100-ball format!”

    Announcing the changes on April 19, 2018, ECB’s Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said: “This is a fresh and exciting idea which will appeal to a younger audience and attract new fans to the game. Throughout its development, we have shown leadership, provided challenge and followed a process. We will continue to do that as the concept evolves.

    “Our game has a history of innovation and we have a duty to look for future growth for the health and sustainability of the whole game. There are 18 First Class Counties, playing red and white ball cricket, at our core and these Counties and competitions will be supported, promoted and benefit from the game’s growth.”

    ECB Chief Commercial Officer, Sanjay Patel, MD for the new competition, said: “The development team has had strong support and encouragement in its conversations to date and it’s time to take the concept wider as we build the detail. This is 100-ball cricket, a simple approach to reach a new generation. Based on fifteen traditional 6-ball overs, the other ten balls will add a fresh tactical dimension. Crucially, this will also help differentiate this competition from Vitality Blast and other T20 competitions worldwide, maintaining our game’s history of successful innovation.

    “The players and our valuable broadcast partners under the new TV partnerships from 2020-24 are vital to the success of this competition and they will see the energy, excitement and simplicity of this approach.”

    Clare Connor CBE, Director of Women’s Cricket at ECB, said: “Our World Cup win at Lord’s last July showed what’s possible in terms of our sport reaching a new, younger and more diverse audience. Kia Super League has had a huge impact on participation, player development and the profile of our game. It was a big investment and a bold decision by the Board and paved the way for this next stage of growth.

    “To build the women’s and men’s competitions and identities together, side by side, is a prospect that few sports ever have and will give us greater reach, scale and prominence. It will attract more women and girls to the game, ensure that cricket reaches and entertains more families and give our players an exciting stage upon which to display their talent.”

  • Record numbers for school fun-run

    THE rain held off for runners of all ages and abilities, 250 in total, who took to Lord Williams’s Upper School, Oxford Road, on Saturday afternoon, for a 5k fun run, which saw participants clambering over hay bales, under cargo nets, then negotiating tyres and coloured paint – along with keeping an eye out for an ‘on the run’ panda, monkey and spotted deer!

     

    After a 10-minute warm-up to get runners ready to take on their 2.5k or 5k challenge led by Ali Galbraith of Peak Fitness Bootcamp, the event saw pupils from across all the year groups taking part, along with entrants from Thame Runners, Stuart Barr Furniture and Thame Cricket Club.

    The first runner to cross the line, Ed Hayes, did so in an impressive twenty-one minutes, thirty-five seconds, and competition was fierce as headteacher David Wybron took on his daughter, in a nail-biting finish!

    David Wybron ‘heading’ for the finish line !

    “We hoped last year we’d have a bigger and better fun run, and we’ve just had one,” commented David. “We’ve had a brilliant event, with colour and obstacles and more people than 2017 entering. Everyone’s had a great time. People have raised a lot of money for the school, so we’re all delighted.”

    He added: “Thank you to all those who have helped out today, our volunteers, marshals, local businesses including Lucy Electric who sponsored our runner numbers; to the Lord Williams’s School Parent Association (LWPA) and the school premises team. It’s just been a really fun day.”

    The fun run is predicted to raise over £4,000 for the school with sponsorship still to come in.

    For more information about Lord Williams’s School, visit http://www.lordwilliams.oxon.sch.uk/

  • Chinnor RFC to play the biggest game in their history!

    IT has now been confirmed that Chinnor RFC will be playing at home in Thame, next Saturday, May 5, against Sedgley Park Tigers in the play off to decide which team will get promoted to National 1 next season. This is a one game winner takes all.

    Matt Williams The Director of Rugby of Chinnor commented “We came close last season but very narrowly lost out. This is a tremendous achievement to have only lost three games out of 30. Should we succeed in this final test we will be by far the youngest club to have reached level three and it is testament to the current squad and my team management.

    “We are also lucky to have tremendous sponsors, members and supporters who have supported us in our quest. I would urge all to come along on May 5, for what will be a thrilling encounter. We are aiming to give the Town’s people and surrounding area something to be proud of. “

    Kick Off 3pm Saturday, May 5, at  Kingsey Rd, Thame OX9 3JL