Council ‘concerned’ about Show ground gathering

THAME Town council has today issued the following statement regarding the Christian caravan gathering on Thame Show Ground:

“The Town Council shares the concerns of many in the community with regard to a current event at Thame Showground. As always it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. Opinions expressed range from outright support to outright indignation. We have been assured by the Police that they are doing all they can to monitor and control the current situation, based on the factual knowledge they have.

View from the air of the showground – Image courtesy of National Police Air Service

“They are the right organisation to deal with anything that is reported. The Town Council’s position is that that we will provide support if requested by Category 1 responders (which includes the Police), in line with our emergency response plan. Our advice to residents (and agreed with the Police) is to always call 999 in an emergency i.e. if you see a crime is being committed, there’s a risk of injury, or there’s a risk of serious damage to property.That gives the best chance of the perpetrators being apprehended. If it is after the event then it is also critical to report, so that the true picture can be established by the police, and they can allocate available resources accordingly.

“After the event, if you’ve witnessed the aftermath, then you should use the police non-emergency system – 101 or on-line at https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/contact-us/report-crime-or-incident/

“Let’s all hope that not many reports need to be made. Thank you for your support, which will help reduce both the reality and the perception, and make us all feel a little safer.”

New statement from Thame Agricultural Association

The Thame Agricultural Association have issued a second statement, rowing back on some of the accusations included in the first statement. The revised statement reads: “”Further to lots of posts in social media we would like to put the record straight on a few points.

“As previously stated yes, the showground was booked and fully paid for by the “Darlington Christian Fellowship Group”.

“There were background checks done on the group and all checked out and passed, they paid in full plus a deposit, they hired and paid for two large roll on roll off rubbish skips, they hired and paid for Biffa bins and also toilets.

“This booking was taken in ‘good faith’ by the TAA, there is no one person to blame it was as far as TAA believed a normal showground hiring and nothing more.”

“Cutting down of trees did not occur.”

The statement concluded: “We would ask the people of Thame to just try to let this religious group have their get together and hopefully there will be nothing major reported, and unless individuals have seen things with their own eyes then please don’t start with rumours or Chinese whispers, that’s how things get blown up out of proportion.”