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  • Youngsters Warned After Fire In Toilets

    THAME Fire Service was called to the public toilets in the Market Place, Thame last night, when a group of youngsters set fire to rubbish in the building.
    Fire Officers were able to re-ventilate the facilities with special equipment, after burning plastic bottles and cans filled it with toxic, acrid smoke.
    A police spokesperson told ThameNews.Net that nobody was arrested following the attack but that a group of young people were “spoken to,” and that the incident was more one of “high jinks” rather than of any malintent.

    NB The toilets are part of the historic old Market House in the Upper High Street, which is currently a focus of discussion between its owners, South Oxfordshire District Council, and Thame Town Council over future ownership.

    Thame’s Fire Station Officer, Andy Ford, today issued a warning following three recent field fires.
    “At this time of the year when very little rain has fallen, it is important to be aware that sparks from a bonfire or a carelessly discarded cigarette through a car window, for instance, can so quickly catch hold in grass, stubble of field crops and spread fire quicker than any one could do anything about it.”

  • MEMEC Redundancy Fears

    A RUMOUR that one of Thame’s biggest employers has today made around fifty employees redundant, has been denied by the company.
    Memec Europe, who are based in Thame Park Road,and who distribute semi-conductors internationally, told ThameNews today that they have put: “..45 employees ‘at risk’ of redundancy, and we will be in consultation with them for the next 30 days, by which time we shall know whether or not the redundancies will take place.”
    Memec Holdings Ltd were aquired by AVNET INC, of Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday. (See http://www.memec.com/?cmd=detail&articleid=2608, for background information on the take over.
    ThameNews.Net have sent the following email to Memec/AVNET, and await their reply:-

    ” I would be most grateful if you could forward the following questions to the appropriate person, following our information from a local councillor that MEMEC or AVNET, are to make 54 employees redundant.
    I understand from you that in fact 45 employees have been put “at risk” of redundancy and that yourselves will be “in consultation” with those employees for 30 days.
    Could you explain exactly what that means?
    Would you mind also telling me how many employees your company has (in Thame), and the current circumstances that force you into this position i.e. market conditions, efficiency etc.
    Also, what is the long term future of the Memec in Thame?
    As you will appreciate, a lot of people from the Thame area work for your company so this is important news for the town, which fears the loss of so many jobs.” Ed.

  • County Hosts Global Threats Conference

    OVER a hundred delegates from organisations across the UK are expected at a national conference being held in Oxfordshire this week to identify and assess global risks and disasters.

    The Institution of Fire Engineers (Oxfordshire Group) has organised the Future Shock – Next Dimension Conference which will take place at Milton Hill House near Steventon tomorrow, Thursday 7 July.

    Oxfordshire County Council?s Fire and Rescue Service is co-ordinating the event and John Parry, Chief Fire Officer and Director for Community Safety will be opening the conference.

    Delegates will be from many national organisations and include emergency planners, fire and rescue services, representatives from the naval dockyard at Davenport, the police, local government and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

    Among the topics being discussed on Thursday by experts from around the country will be flooding, global warming and climate change, terrorist threat, major health threats and disaster management.

    County Councillor Ray Jelf, Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: ?This promises to be an extremely interesting conference since the subjects under discussion are very pertinent to life in the 21st century, therefore I?m sure the delegates will be keen to hear from the wide range of experts about how these modern day challenges can be dealt with and hopefully overcome.?

  • Renewable Energy Company Rewarded

    LOCAL Thames Valley sustainable energy company, TV Bioenergy, has been recognised for its path finding and innovative actions in renewable (wood fuel) energy supply and heat generation.
    TV Bioenergy received an award of

  • Bocelli Concert Warning

    OXFORDSHIRE County Council Trading Standards Service is warning ticket holders for the Bocelli concert at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford this weekend that the event has been cancelled.

    The concert, scheduled for the evening of Sunday, July 10 and organised by a company calling themselves VIPCO, was actually cancelled in June. However, calls to Trading Standards Consumer Advice line this week have indicated that many ticket holders may still think that the event is going ahead and could be planning to travel to the venue.
    Ticket holders should contact their local Trading Standards service for advice on how to seek a refund.

  • New Youth Cafe For Thame

    A NEW Youth Cafe, where young people of Secondary school age can go after school, is to open in Thame.
    This new facility, which is being spear-headed by the non-profit-making organisation, Fusion YAC, will be provided at the newly-refurbished Christ Church, in the Upper High Street.
    It will be open Mondays and Wednesdays, from next Monday, July 11, between 3.30 and 6.00pm and will provide Broadband Internet, games consoles, snacks and sweets, thumping music and video editing facilities.
    A similar cafe opened from today at the Granary Church in Wheatley, which will open on Tuesdays and Fridays.
    Fusion relies on donations for its activities and upon volunteers to man the snack bars, etc and spokesperson, Danielle Evenhuis, told ThameNews.Net that the organisation has so far had an amazing response from volunteers but will be looking for further donations from organisations like Thame Town Council to keep the project on-going.

  • New Scheme To Support Childrens’ Hospice (Contributed)

    EVER read about the work of Helen & Douglas House and wanted to help out? Well, from this month you can.

    An exciting new Friends of Helen & Douglas House scheme is currently being set up to support and motivate willing volunteers who wish to work alongside the fundraising team of the Oxford hospice ? and anyone can join in. Local people in Oxford and beyond are invited to set up their very own Helen & Douglas House Friends Group to represent the hospice in their area and join in their fundraising activities. Initial approaches have already been made to some current enthusiastic supporters and the response has been very positive.

    The Friends scheme is a response to numerous enquiries over the years from local people who wish to develop an ongoing active relationship with the fundraising work of Helen & Douglas House. By organising and nurturing the immensely practical and much-appreciated good will of the people of Oxfordshire and beyond, the fundraising team of Helen & Douglas House hopes that people?s enthusiasm will be maintained and that their relationship with their much-valued supporters is enhanced and strengthened.

    Each Friends Group will be made up of a number of local people in a village, town or district. They will receive training, guidance and much practical and moral support from the fundraising team at the hospice. As well as helping to support our own events and campaigns, they would also be invited to devise and organise their own fundraising events and initiatives.

    At a time when many people are aware of tremendous need in other countries, this new scheme provides an opportunity to offer help to the crucial work a charity much nearer to home. The Friends scheme is run by Joanna Mitchell, Community Fundraising Manager for Helen & Douglas House, and she commented:

    “This exciting new scheme will enable groups of people in the community to support Helen & Douglas House in a more regular and positive way. They will be the ‘face’ of the charity in their area and, with lots of encouragement and support from us here in the fundraising team, will be able to plan appropriate events that not only raise money, but are fun for the people attending and organising them too. That?s what fundraising is all about!”

    If you are interested in setting up or joining your own Friends of Helen & Douglas House please contact Joanna Mitchell on 01865 794749 OR email: jmitchell@helenanddouglas.org.uk or visit the website: www.helenanddouglas.org.uk

  • Thame’s Victory Day Celebrations

    PLANS for Thame’s Victory Day Celebrations on Sunday, July 10, are well in hand and include a Sherman Tank and other military vehicles, a fair, war time band music and much, much more.
    The full programme, which will begin after the service at 11.30am at the War Memorial, is as follows:
    ? 11.30 ? 12.00 Bicester band music
    ? 12.00 – 12.15 Marching display, Air
    Training Corp.
    ? 12.00 ? 12.55 Local pop groups on stage
    ? 12.55 ? 13.10 Country and Maypole dancing,
    John Hampden school
    ? 13.10 ? 14.00 Soundforce Band (Nostalgic
    songs)
    ? 14.00 ? 14.30 Local pop groups on stage
    ? 14.30 ? 15.00 Oxfordshire Gymnastic club
    Display
    ? 15.00 ? 16.00 Soundforce Band plays Glen
    Miller

    BRING A PICNIC !!

    All junior and infants school pupils in Thame have been give a certificate to mark the occassion and on
    the day, packages of goodies, which have been donated by Waitrose and the Royal British Letion, Thame, will be destributed to them. The Lottery Fund has assisted with the cost for the day’s events.

  • Town Hall Surrounded (Contributed)

    OVER 100 people gathered in the centre of Thame on Saturday, July 2, to add their voices to those in Edinburgh who wanted to Make Poverty History.
    Wearing white Tee shirts, they encircled the Town Hall with a white band of cloth and chanted “Drop the Debt, Fair Trade, Make Poverty History!”
    Passers by joined in the circle until there were people all the way round the Town Hall, holding up the cloth and chanting loudly.
    “It was a rare sight in Thame!” said Margie Barber, one of the Marshalls and organisors.
    “We were delighted that so many people wanted to take part” said Karen Dauncey, another of the organisers. “People kept coming up and saying how great it was to have the opportunity to do something in their own town. We wanted to offer Thame the chance to Think Global but Act local and they showed they were happy to do so”.

    After the encircling black and white helium balloons were released with their messages of hope. Many people stayed to try the fun activities, including taste testings of delicious Fair Trade chocolate, bananas and biscuits, all donated by Waitrose. The most daunting activity, to try and carry a bucket of water on your head for ten paces, was only manged by a few people; many nearly got drenched when the water went flying. Tony Harrison seemed to have the knack best, walking around confidently and even turning round with the bucket still in place.

    Marjorie Wyatt commented that, as a long term campaigner for Africa, she was impressed to see so many young people taking part. “Many of us were white headed” she smiled, “as you’d expect, but it was good to see the young peple there – showing their concern for the future.”

  • Back Up For Business

    BUSINESSES in Oxfordshire are being offered a back up system to help them overcome a disaster.

    They are being encouraged to sign up for a special text messaging service designed to help people overcome an emergency or disaster.
    The City Alert Text System (CATS) is introducing the new service for businesses in Oxfordshire from July 11.

    The system is already in operation for residents to give warnings, advice and updates if an emergency happens.
    The aim is to help businesses recover as quickly as possible from a disaster. The new Civil Contingencies Act requires councils to promote so-called Business Continuity Management (BCM) within the business community.

    John Kelly, Oxfordshire County Council?s Emergency Planning Officer, said: “So far we have held a meeting with OX1 in Oxford and plan to hold other meetings through Chambers of Commerce in other parts of the county during this year. This new channel on the CATS system will give business direct access to emergency information during a major incident and I hope a number take it up.”

    Ray Jelf, the County Council?s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “This is a useful addition to the existing CATS messaging system for individuals. I trust that businesses will take advantage of the opportunity to join the system first introduced in Oxfordshire in 2003 as the first area covered in the UK.”