Clubs appeal for your votes to help improve sports facilities in Thame

Thame Town Cricket Club, and Thame Tennis and Bowls Club, are asking for your vote in the AVIVA community fund, which could give them the chance to win up to £25,000. If they receive enough votes they will be entered into the national finals and judged by a panel for a chance to receive the funding.

For the cricket club, a grant would go towards the cost of fitting out the first floor of their new clubhouse which will be used by community groups, charities and local people.

Matt Swain, chairman, said: “In common with many parts of the country, recent years have seen continued cuts to services like day care and childcare. Both the Thame and District Day Centre and Thame Red Kite centre are having their funding from Oxfordshire County Council reduced significantly. They currently provide a valuable service to our community for some of the most vulnerable groups in society. Our new clubhouse facility will provide an opportunity for these types of local community groups and charities to continue to deliver high quality provision to the Thame community in a suitable and sustainable environment.”

The Thame and District Day Centre provide day care, support and friendship to older people living in Thame and surrounding villages. They provide a day out with plenty of refreshments, a two-course meal and a variety of entertainment, for people from Thame and some nearby villages, who are elderly, frail, or isolated. They first opened nearly 30 years ago and currently have over 60 members and a waiting list.

The cricket club would like to thank club sponsor J Bennett and Son Insurance Broker who have supported their application made to the AVIVA community fund.

For the tennis and bowls clubs - also known as Thame Sports Club - a grant would go towards fitting out the main community room, plus a new ‘snug bar’, in their rebuilt clubhouse which they hope to complete over the winter.

The existing clubhouse is used by community groups such as an art class, U3A, a whist club, parent and baby groups and others for meetings, in addition to the use by both club’s members, including indoor bowls in the winter months.

Peter Bozier, chairman, said: “Our existing clubhouse was first built in the 1920’s of a wooden construction and although full of character is now in poor condition and needs to be rebuilt.

“A new clubhouse will provide enhanced facilities for our expanding community groups and the snug bar will also provide a small space for meetings. The building will also be a bit longer than the existing one, which will enable the bowls club to use full size indoor mats to join the local leagues during the winter months.”

Register online with AVIVA at https://www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/MyInitiative/GuestRegistration/CreateAccount search for Thame and cast your votes by Tuesday, November 21.