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THAMES Valley Police is appealing for help to trace a wanted man from Oxfordshire, who is know to have connections in Thame.

Lee Doyle, aged 33, of no fixed abode, is wanted on suspicion of committing three burglaries in west Oxfordshire in April this year. Items including money and jewellery were stolen from properties in Long Harborough, near Witney, West Oxfordshire.

Doyle is known to have connections in Thame and southern Oxfordshire. He is described as a white man, 6ft tall and of slim build, with short dark brown hair and blue eyes.

Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Paul Powell, of Abingdon police station, said: “We are appealing for help in locating Lee Doyle as he is suspected of committing burglaries. We would ask for anyone who believes they have seen him to not approach him and to contact police.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote reference 43180127280, 43180127426 or 43180127704.

Reports can be made online at LINK HERE –  or you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

YET again, Thame Town Council has been defending the Thame Neighbour Plan against developers seemingly trying to persuade the council to support new developments in the town that are contrary to the plan’s policies.

Angle Property’s Executive Director, James Good, is the latest developer representative to be told that his company’s proposals, for 129 houses (none ‘affordable’), a 68-bed care home and 1511 sqm of offices, to be build on the ex DAF site at Kingsmead Business Park, cannot be supported by Thame Town Council.

Despite suggesgting that the proposals would bring over 170 jobs to the town and provide ‘a viable future’ for the site, which he said, had shown no market demand, councillors pointed out that this site is protected as employment land in the Neighbourhood Plan and that Thame has already met its obligation to the Local Plan, in housing numbers. Also, it is pointed out in a report by the council’s Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer, Grahame Markland that the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group have again objected to a care home on this site as the new facility would put pressure on an already stretched primary care service.

Cllr Mike Dyer said that any increase in the housing number requirment that may come up in the future, will have to be consider at that time. Cllr Bob Austin added: “The primacy and integrity of the Thame Neighbourhood Plan must be maintained.”

You can read Grahame Markland’s full report and recommendation to the council on Thame Town Council’s website HERE (scroll down to just below item 5 on the agenda)

NB A previous planning application for this site by Tesco for a foodstore, petrol filling station and offices was refused permission in July 2016. SEE LINK

THE Rotary Club of Thame and District was formed in 1968 when it received its formal charter on October 7, that year. On October 6, a celebration lunch, present members, representatives from other clubs, family and friends shared a celebration lunch. The guests of honour included Gillian Pearce, the District Governor for Thames Valley Rotary District, and Geoff Goodall, one of the founder members of the club, who recounted tales of ‘the early days’.

The entertainment included a magician who circulated amongst the guests as they settled. After lunch, the Thame Children’s Choir sang a selection of songs including the number one in the charts on October 7, 1968, Those were the days, sang by Mary Hopkin. A donation was made to them by way of thanks for their contribution.

Thame Rotary’s current President, Graham Colverson, said: “I felt it was only right that this milestone in our history should be recognised and I am delighted that everyone enjoyed themselves on the day. Whilst the club has experienced the ups and downs typical of many organisations, the principle of “Service above Self” has always been at the centre of what we do.

“Our focus has been to assist the local community and to provide selective and targeted help overseas. Children are often given priority when deciding how support should be distributed. Fundraising has been an integral part of our activities, although we do also provide hands-on assistance or make available facilities for the collection of items no longer wanted by their owners.

“We are supported by the local Inner Wheel Club and last year we inaugurated our first Interact Club at Wheatley Park School. Without their support, we would not be able to do many of the things we do, and I thank them for all for their involvement with the club.

“Our biggest challenge today is common amongst many clubs – how to secure new members to ensure future growth, service and friendship. This is something we are reviewing and will be working on over the coming months and years; but today, I would like to thank all members, past and present, who have enabled this club to continue serving the community of Thame, surrounding districts and around the world.”

To find out more about the Rotary Club of Thame & District or for more information about becoming a member, visit www.thame.rotary1090.org or follow the club on facebook at www.facebook.com/thamerotary

THE Thame Remembers project was praised by Prime Minister Theresa May during Prime Ministers Questions in Westminster today, October 7, in response to a question put by our Member of Parliament, John Howell.

The Prime Minister told John Howell: “I am very happy to join my hon. Friend in commending all those who have undertaken those journeys to ensure that that remembrance continues. It is important that we are able to recognise the contributions that people have made in conflict.”

If you missed it, PMQ’s will be shown again on BBC Parliament at 23.30 today, or is available on iPlayer now.   https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bnlb7y/prime-ministers-questions-17102018 John Howell’s question comes at 27-42 seconds into the broadcast.

Special BBC Radio Oxford programme to feature Thame Remembers

BBC Radio Oxford will be broadcasting live from Thame next Tuesday, October 23, from 1pm to 4pm as part of the station’s Armistice Day commemorations. Presenter, Lilley Mitchell, has chosen Thame as the subject of her Armistice Day show and will be recalling the four-year mission of the Thame Remembers project, through which over 300 people from our town have banded together to commemorate the 212 men from Thame who gave their lives in conflict – collectively travelling over 150,000 miles, visiting 102 cemeteries and 31 battlefield memorials, in 23 countries on four continents, to leave a special Thame cross as a token of remembrance.

FOLLOWING the fatal crash on the M40 yesterday,  in which three people died following a caravan being seen travelling in the wrong direction, Thames  Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a separate serious injury road traffic collision on the M40 today.

At around 2.50pm on Tuesday (16/10) a silver Lexus was in collision with a refuse lorry between junction 8 and 8A northbound.

A female passenger in the Lexus suffered serious and life-threatening head and facial injuries and has been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Another passenger in the Lexus and the driver of the car suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital.

The driver of the lorry was not injured.

Inspector Scott Long, of the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing, said: “I am appealing for any witnesses to this collision to contact 101, quoting URN 745 (16/10).

“I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have dash-cam footage of the collision.

“Alternatively, you can visit https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/ and provide all the details there.”

UPDATE on Monday’s crash

IN Monday’s crash, a car towing a caravan was spotted travelling in the wrong direction on the northbound carriageway. Shortly afterwards, it was involved in a collition with two other cars.

The driver and the passenger of the vehicle towing the caravan, a couple in their 80s, died, as did a second driver involved, a man in his 30s.

The Police are asking that photos and videos of the incident and the lead up to it, are taken off social media.

The M40 carriageway was closed for several hours as congestion built up, while the emergency services attended and resurfacing work took place. It re-opened this morning (Tuesday).

LAUNCHING this year’s TAL Festival at Thame Museum on Friday, Festival Manager, Steve Bannister, spoke of how the festival has developed from its inception in 2010, with just 15 events, to this year’s festival, with over 40 taking place thoughout the town.

Festival supporters and sponsors were shown a video of the highlights of the past eight festival, from, what Steve called – ‘its halting beginnings’ to last year – eight festivals, 328 events and 21,000 visitors!

A festival ‘beyond the size of the town’

Steve recalled that first TAL Festival which included a then unknown Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces. This year, tickets for Lucy’s talk Lady Mary – about the world’s most famous devorce between Henry Vlll and Catherine of Aragon, told through the eyes of their daughter, Princess Mary, sold out in 23 hours after a queue formed around Thame townhall.  Steve spoke of how the festival had ‘….grown into something quite beyond the size of our town’, where people like BBC, publishers and the media now approach them, and how the team work all year to bring a diverse selection of interesting people to talk at the festival.

Festival additions – Art Crawl and Visitor Hub

As the festival expands, it has been adding things and changing. Last year, an Art Crawl was introduced for the first time and this year it will be even bigger with 23 different artists ‘doing their thing’ in venues across the town. LINK HERE for details. For the first time, this year, on the Saturday, October 20, there will be a ‘Visitor Hub’ sponsored by Patrician Press, in The James Figg’s Stables building, where visitors can take the weight of their feet, enjoy tea, coffee, beer, wine and food all day, and listen to poetry, join in discussions etc.

TAL remains ‘ anchored in the town’

Steve concluded that the continued success of the TAL Festival, he believed, was because: “We remain anchored in Thame; with the community of Thame; with the organisations of Thame. The fact that people come from far and wide is incidental, but the festival primarily is for the people of Thame and its wider surrounds.”

“But,” he continued: “Our success is due in no small part, to you, the people in the room; our supporters and sponsors, who have all stuck with us. And this year we have sold more tickets than ever – 80% in the first 10 days of them going on sale – 3,000 up to today, and 4,500 if we sell them all.”

Next year?

Next year promises to be a very special one for Thame’s TAL Festival, about which Steve gave little away, except to say: “Boy, do we have some ideas for festival 10 next year!”

See you there!

THAMES Valley Police is appealing to anyone with footage of a road traffic collision on the M40 to come forward. At just before 4pm today (15/10), the Force received reports of a car towing a caravan travelling in the wrong direction on the northbound carriageway of the M40.

A few minutes later, the car towing the caravan was in collision with two other vehicles near junction 6.

We would urge anyone with footage of the collision, or of the car towing the caravan to contact police as soon as possible.

Please call us on 101 or visit https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/ quoting reference 832 (15/10).

We would ask that people refrain from sharing footage or photos of either the collision or the vehicles involved on social media.

Currently, 18:49 hrs, there are periodic holds of traffic on the southbound carriageway to allow trapped traffic within the closure of the northbound #M40 (J6-J8A) to turn through a crossing gate which has been opened in the central reservation. Severe delays remain southbound.

UPDATE: 19.03 hrs – The release of trapped traffic on #M40 northbound J6-J8A has been temporarily halted. Police will however shortly be allowing traffic past the scene via the hard shoulder.Police message:  “We appreciate your continued patience if you’re caught within the closure,”

AFTER seeing a post on a Thame community facebook page for a project to help vulnerable women at Christmas, a Thame based virtual assistant was inspired to set something similar up in Thame.

known as LOVE IN A BAG, the project aims to help women who are homeless, escaping domestic abuse or similarly vulnerable this Christmas. Sarah Schofield explained: “The idea of the project is to choose a handbag you no longer use, fill it with items that would make a woman feel special this Christmas, pop in a thoughtful note or Christmas card and show her someone cares.

“The idea is based on an Australian scheme called ‘It’s in the Bag’, run by the charity Share the Dignity. In late September 2018, a lady in Bedford, Mel, became aware of  ‘It’s in the Bag’ and wanted to do something similar, so set up a Facebook page called Love in a Bag Bedford.

“I thought it was such a great idea that on October 3, I shared the post with the community facebook group, Love Thame, to see if it could be done locally – hence the creation of the Love in a Bag Thame Facebook page. The response has been extremely positive; less than a week after issuing the first post, four charities in Oxford, Aylesbury and High Wycombe have agreed to distribute bags to their clients; drop-off points have been set up in Thame and Chinnor; some of the large Thame companies are promoting the project among their staff and are collecting bags in-house and Bucks College Group are sharing the project with all of their staff and students, and are collecting bags at each of their three campuses.”

Sarah explained that handbags can be packed full of useful things and little luxuries. All items included in your bag MUST BE NEW and in sealed packaging for health and hygiene reasons. Essentials include: shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, shower gel, sanitary towels, tampons, toiletries.

Extras could be face wipes, tissues, perfume, dry shampoo, hair bands, hairbrush, comb, book, socks, underwear, stationary, towel, scarf, moisturiser, vouchers or may be hand cream.

There are currently three drop-off points for bags in the Thame are:

Racquets Fitness Centre, North Street, Thame, OX9 3TH
Sanderum Centre, 30A Upper High Street, Thame
Sanderum Centre, Oakley Road, Chinnor

As the project is so new, and being run by one person – Sarah – she could do with some help in a few areas:

* Collection point for bags in Thame, Haddenham, Chinnor, Long Crendon, Stokenchurch and anywhere else in the area

* Storage for the bags before they are checked and distributed

* Contacts within businesses in the local area, including the large ones like CPM and Travelodge, and the many smaller companies in the towns and business
parks, eg Long Crendon and Haddenham, who would be happy to lead the initiative within their company

* Transport to take bags from collection points to the storage facility; and to distribute them to charities

For more information and details of what to avoid putting in bags, deadlines etc, Sarah Schofield can be contacted via Facebook – loveinabagthame or by email: sarah@schofieldva.co.uk