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  • Car park charges dropped during Covid 19 pandemic

    FOLLOWING  the Prime Minister’s announcement on March 23, regarding travel restrictions, South Oxfordshire District Council has suspended all parking charges with immediate effect – this applies to all district council car parks including that behind the Co-op in Thame and the Cattle Market car park. 

    South and Vale have taken this action to support key workers and those who need to shop for essential food or medical supplies during the Coronavirus pandemic.

    All charges are suspended until June 1, and during this time you do not have to display a ticket.  Any outstanding car park permits, recently expired or due to expire, will also be honoured until that date – permit holders therefore do not need to take any action before then.

    Cllr David Rouane, Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This measure is designed to support those who are playing a vital role as we tackle the Coronavirus crisis and assist those who need to run essential errands.  If you are not a key worker or are not in need of essential supplies, then you must follow the government guidance and stay at home.”

  • Emergency volunteer ‘response map’ launched

    THOUSANDS of people and many organisations across the district have already volunteered, or would like to support their local communities in this time of crisis, and now there is an ‘all response map’  where all these efforts and these sites can help coordinate those efforts.

    Whether it’s delivering essentials, putting all the bins out for someone, or being on the other end of a phone, there are hundreds of opportunities available across Oxfordshire for you to get involved and these organisations will be a central point of information for you.

    To ensure that residents know where to turn, all community groups, community organisations and local businesses are being asked to include details of their initiatives on the Oxfordshire All In Response Map. If you have linked with your District or the City Council already – please don’t worry, the link would have already been made for you. The map is the best way to  maximise eeryone’s ability to spend the time helping our communities.

    If you live in Vale of White Horse, South Oxfordshire, West Oxfordshire or Cherwell then please visit Oxfordshire All In for  details of all the opportunities across Oxfordshire.

  • Chinnor RFC raise money for Oxford University Hospitals

    MORE than £1,200 was raised as the second Lauren Cyster Megabowl game proved an entertaining affair in Thame, recently on March 11. 

    Chinnor triumphed 52-15 over the RAF on a blustery evening which saw ten tries scored at Kingsey Road. While the hosts lifted the Lauren Cyster Megabowl Trophy, the important number at the end of the night was the money raised for Oxford University Hospitals. 

    An initial count puts the total at £1,290 for the Oncology Ward at the Churchill Hospital, which provided such excellent care Chinnor RFC’s much-loved head physio, Lauren Cyster, during 2018. Lauren’s mother, Brenda, said: “It’s just so amazing on a cold, windy Wednesday night that we got as many here as we do on a Saturday for a first-team game! I’m also immensely proud of the guys who put the team together and ‘thank you’ too the RAF.

    “Events like this are really humbling to just how much Lauren was loved by the club. I just can’t thank Chinnor enough; they have been so supportive and amazing. We just feel the love every time we walk into the club.”

  • Covid-19: Community Resilience Fund launched

    THE Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) has announced a new fund and package of support available to help community and voluntary organisations meet the new needs and challenges created by the Coronavirus emergency. 

    OCF’s new Community Resilience Fund has been kick-started with a donation from the Indigo Trust and has already reached more than £500,000. At a time when they have never been more needed, many charities and voluntary organisations are at risk, with little or no working capital, thus anticipating significant cash flow problems.

     “We want our new fund to unlock the power of our community,” explained OCF CEO Jayne Woodley. “This is a time when their services have such potential to provide the essential lifeline so needed by those who are most vulnerable and at risk in our communities.”

    How the funding will be distributed is currently being formulated as Kate Walker, OCF’s Marketing Projects Manager, explained to Thame.Net: “We are working hard to pull the details of grants that will be available as soon as we can.  As I am sure you can understand we want to do this right and also ensure that there is a long-term solution as well.

    “We are currently working on the details of how the fund will be managed. Information will be released on our website as soon as these are completed. People will be informed by email when the fund is open for applications and anyone who does not normally receive OCF communications, can opt in to receive these emails here.”

    The objectives of the fund are to:

    •  Help organisations to respond better: grants will help organisations meet new needs appearing as a result of the Coronavirus and help organisations for whom restrictions mean they have to find new ways of meeting existing needs.
    • Help organisations to recover stronger: grants will help to ensure organisations can survive if their operations or income are interrupted by the Coronavirus.

    The design for operating the fund will be guided by the following:

    •  The need to respond quickly and to adjust to a changing situation. Therefore, the fund to include a “light touch” element.
    •  The recognition that there will need to be flexibility with regard to milestones and reviews.
    •  An assessment of the wider context of needs and resources available. This will include a needs analysis in relation to urgency and importance, plus the evaluation of applications based on their relative levels of impact.
    •  The need to be professional and thorough in assessing applications and the use of funds.

    Help to scale up efforts to distribute food

    The fund will help organisations like SOFEA (South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance), who can scale up their efforts to distribute food to vulnerable people across Oxfordshire. It is already working together with existing volunteer hubs, such as Oxford Together and Citizens Advice Banbury.

    This means renting additional vans, buying more fuel, cleaning materials and redeploying staff. SOFEA have committed to this even as their cash flow is reaching a critical point. Restrictions on educational activities are reducing SOFEA’s income. The speed with which the fund has been set up means that SOFEA has already received an emergency cash injection of £10,000. CEO Richard Kennell said, “Support from this new fund is vital for us. It enables us to focus on meeting the urgent needs of the crisis and gives us confidence that SOFEA will still be here when the crisis is over.” 

    The OCF funds will be pooled with other money being made available, including that from the National Emergencies Trust (NET).

  • Thame Library – latest victim of the Covid_19 emergency

    ALL libraries in Oxfordshire, including Thame’s, have been closed to the public, since Saturday, March 21, to keep the community and staff safe.

    In a statement, the Library Service said: “The Library Service is working hard to help customers during these uncertain times and our staff will be working behind the scenes exploring ways we can further develop and increase our online services.”

    The statement continued: “The Library Service is working hard to help customers during these uncertain times and our staff will be working behind the scenes exploring ways we can further develop and increase our online services.

    Renewals, returns and reservations

    “Please don’t worry, as until further notice, we have rolled forward the return due dates on all library books and audio visual items for all borrowers. This means you don’t need to renew items which you have on loan now, it’s been done for you. You won’t be asked to pay fines or hire charges for items that were due on these items.

    “If you are concerned about returning items on loan, please don’t worry, especially if you are self-isolating. You won’t be asked to pay fines or hire charges. Nor will customers receive pre/overdue emails during this period.”

    Online services

    Oxfordshire Libraries has a wide choice of online services that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home, especially if you are self-isolating. There is a wide choice of eBooks & eAudio, eNews, eMagazines and e-reference databases as subscribers already know from our eNewsletters.

    You will also begin to see more of the library service’s lively social media – Facebook and Twitter – as they develop more online services and help to keep you in touch.

    “When the time is right, we will be back with our face-to-face services,” concluded the statement.

  • Cricket Masterclass for Thame lady cricketers

    THAME Ladies kicked off their winter training session recently, although at the time, little did they know that their season was probably not going to happen because of the Covid-19 pandemic.



    A Complete Cricket Master class was lead by Marie Kelly (five years experience as Warwickshire Women’s 1st XI Captain, represented England Women’s U19’s for four years and has represented Loughborough Lightning and Southern Vipers in the KIA Super League), and Lauren Rowles [6 years experience as Worcestershire Women’s 1st XI Captain, is now representing Derbyshire Women’s 1st XI. Most recently was Loughborough University Women’s MCCU Assistant Coach as well as Loughborough Lightning Senior Community Coordinator].

    There was a fantastic turnout, existing and new members, with many keen to get back in the swing of things with the outdoor season starting on May 3rd.

    The session kicked off with a fun and very effective warm up which set the mood for the rest of the training session. We moved on to batting techniques and practice whilst receiving specific individual feedback to all players from both a technical and outcome based perspective. This helped us to achieve immediate results and ultimately will improve our performance in the field.

    The bowling segment consisted of initial analysis of each bowler that then led to target practice and techniques to ensure the arm position is correct yet power is maintained. Wicket keeping techniques were on show in the adjacent nets and how best to react in a very short space of time all the while knowing where your stumps are!

    The final area was group feedback on collective areas to improve on as a team as well as us demonstrating drills/exercises for covering most fielding techniques whilst working as a team and to keep communicating at all times.

    Thanks to Complete Cricket, Marie & Lauren, for working with us. We look forward to an outdoor session with them in the near future.

    If anyone is interested in starting to play or are looking for a women’s club team to transfer to then please contact Mel White on women@thamecricket.org.uk
    Twitter: @ThameLadies
    www.thamecricket.org
    Facebook.com/thamecricketclub
    Twitter: @thamecricket
    Twitter: @COMPLETECRICKET
    www.completecricket.co.uk

  • Support pledged for the most vulnerable as SODC closes its offices

    SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council is increasing resources to help groups in the community providing support to those most in need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

     

    Due to the ongoing public health risk from the virus, the council has closed its office building and reception in Milton Park as of 4.30pm yesterday,  Friday, March 20.

    Residents can continue to access information about council’s services, and make payments, or make an application or a report via the council’s’website southoxon.gov.uk

    Follow the LINK to read the whole bulletin.

  • A good sing to lift the spirits

    SATURDAY evening, March 14, saw an audience of more than 140 people enjoy a programme of amazing choral works performed by Lord Williams’s Festival Chorus, ranging from the poignant and ethereal beauty of Faure’s Requiem to the rousing anthems of Hubert Parry.



    The choir, led by Jeff Stewart, was accompanied by brilliant organist Sam Laughton, a former Cambridge music scholar, who also played one of Parry’s organ Preludes. Soloists Jacquelyne Hill and Leonardo Au-Yeung completed the ensemble.

    The audience played its part too, joining with the choir for an enthusiastic rendition of Jerusalem.

    “It was a tremendous concert, giving some light in very dark times. The choir sang with the feeling appropriate to knowing that they may not sing together for a long time to come. It was all very moving,” said Jeff.
    Due to the continued spread of Covid-19, and following the latest Government advice, the choir’s summer term rehearsals and concert have been cancelled.

    Our next concert is scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2020. Please see our website for details and updates www.lordwilliamsfestivalchorus.org.uk
    SOURCE: Contributed

  • Lord Bills’ Comedy and Fun Run postponed

    DUE to the current pandemic and Government directives,  the Lord Williams’s Parents’ Association (LWPA) has taken the decision to postpone its two forthcoming fundraising events as follows:

    • Rob Deering and Friends Comedy Night will now take place on Thursday,  October 15, 2020.

    The LWPA will email all those who have already booked tickets over the weekend to confirm whether they wish to carry their tickets forward to the new date or would prefer a refund.

    • Annual 5k Fun Run will now take place on Saturday, September 26, 2020.

    The event organisers have said that they are very thankful for the continued support shown – appreciating it even more than before – and look forward to sharing fun times again with everyone soon.

  • Beware Covid-19 virus scams

    FOLLOWING reports of Covid-19 related scams, Thames Valley Police is urging the public to remain vigilant against criminals using the publicity around the coronavirus as a chance to target their victims with fraudulent emails, phone calls, text messages or door to door services.

    In a statement today, the police said: “We are encouraging residents to look out for their friends, family and neighbours. There are examples of communities working together to help local residents and we don’t want to discourage this so we ask that people consider the following advice to avoid falling victim to fraudsters, and protect yourself.

    Door scams

    “We are aware of people knocking on the doors of elderly and vulnerable people offering to shop or other services for them and then taking money without providing what they have offered.

    • If you can only accept help from people you are familiar with or who can prove who they are.
    • Do not hand over a bank card or large sums of cash to anyone on your doorstep.
    • Please look out for your neighbours and family members who may not have access to social media and therefore will not be receiving this information.

    Watch out for scam messages

    “A number of online scams offering fake services are being reported nationally. Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details.

    Shopping online

    “If you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first, and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase. If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.”

    For more information on how to shop online safely, visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/shoponlinesafely

    Coronavirus Testing Kits

    The police are aware that some may be trying to sell fake coronavirus tests, and warn: ” At this time the public are not being offered COVID-19 tests to purchase, and no companies have been deployed to carry out checks in homes or businesses; this will be a scam.”

    If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber-crime, report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040