Thame Mayor launches ‘A place to reflect and remember’

A garden of reflection, dedicated to the young people of Thame who have tragically lost their lives, has been officially revealed by the Mayor of Thame, and recognised by launching hundreds of balloons into the sky.

Hundreds of relatives, friends and acquaintances, as well as town council representatives, gathered to celebrate the lives of those young people gone too soon, in an event that mixed entertainment, pathos and emotion, bringing the town together to see the fruition of a joint project between local business, volunteers and supporters of the Thame Youth Memorial.

In his dedication speech to the triangular garden in a corner of the Memorial garden in the Upper High Street,  the Mayor of Thame, Peter Lambert, told the crowd: “Within weeks of moving to Thame I couldn’t help but notice what a wonderful sense of community spirit this town has, and if anything, this Youth Memorial epitomises that spirit.”

After praising the hard work and dedication of those who ‘faced and overcame many obstacles’ to produce what he called, ‘a stunning design’, the Mayor concluded: “We are now the guardians of this special place and I ask that all of you, whatever your age, please come together as a community and take ownership of this Memorial and help keep it as a place of pride and memory of those we have lost and will lose in the years to come.”

The programme included a song called ‘Bring Him Home’ sung by Ric Ashley Smith, and a speech of appreciation by Michael Oatway, a local Member of the Youth Parliament.

A further £6000 is still needed to cover a loan for final construction costs of the memorial. If you would like to make a donation you can do so via the Thame Youth Memorial Trust’s website at www.thameyouthmemorial.org.