Alresford Twinning Association
As part of our aim to keep the membership fully informed about the activities of the Association, we will be issuing Newsletters at least quarterly in the future. We also want to make the newsletter as interesting and varied as possible, as well as visually attractive. If you can help in anyway by providing information on any personal activities that may be of interest to the membership or stories of interest, we would like to hear from you. Any budding artists out there, who would like to produce photographs or drawings to illustrate the newsletter, are especially welcome to contribute. If we can develop a good looking Newsletter, we can then use it as well to communicate more broadly with the local community and hopefully attract more members.
Following their recent AGM on February 11th the French committee have elected Chantal Greard to take over as the new President in May.
Many of you may already know Chantal, as she has participated in exchange trips in the past. She is by profession a language tutor and therefore speaks fluent English. Her contacts with both the schools and local community in Bricquebec will help reactivate the links. She has already commented on the renewed enthusiasm from Alresford and hopes to achieve the same in Bricquebec.You should all have received by now the initial letter about our proposed visit to Bricquebec on the weekend of 2nd-4th June. Please let us know as soon as possible if you can join us. Also if you have friends and neighbours who might be interested – spread the word!
The Mayor of Winchester will be opening five projects on behalf of the New Alresford Town Council. In particular they will be inaugurating the new town signs, which as you know clearly demonstrate our twinning with Bricquebec. Unfortunately the Mayor of Bricquebec will be unable to attend, but Chantal Greard will try to make it. Peter Wrigley is invited to attend, not only as past President, but also in view of his considerable efforts in helping design the final versions. I will be unable to attend but Philip Ferris has agreed to represent the ATA at this event. The other projects being launched are the Arle Valley Trail, Local IT Pilot Scheme, Allotments and New Play area.
It has been encouraging to receive such positive feedback from the questionnaire that was circulated at the President’s Evening and last newsletter.
The responses from nearly 50% of the membership clearly supported the priority initiatives that we are now taking to a) reinvigorate links with the schools and young people and b) develop future relationships through sports and social clubs.
Other common themes raised were:
NB: Has anyone seen the A.T.A. Photo Album — we’re having difficulties tracking it?
If you are reading this you will know that our website is now live at www.alresford-twinning.org.uk. We will be using this in future to both communicate with existing members and attract new blood. Newsletters, photographs and any usefulinformation will be posted on the web site as appropriate, so please let's use it. If you attended the President's Evening, you may havebeen captured on film. Visit the 'Gallery where we have posted a few photos. Again my thanks must go to Roy Gentry, who has not only helped us complete this task but has graciously offerred his assistance in the future to keep the site "alive"!
If you are interested in joining us on Sunday 23rd April to walk to The Titchborne Arms for lunch and back to Alresford please phone John Rabjohns for details. Tel: 734530.
I am pleased to welcome Mark and Emma Emmerson as new members to the Twinning Association. They have recently moved to Alresford from
Yorkshire, where I understand that they had been involved with Twinning Associations in the past. They are also members of the Badminton
Club and hope to accompany us in June to Bricquebec. Also, welcome to Bob and Susan Mitchell, Steve and Ally Love and Dave and Diane
Adam — both Steve and Dave know Bricquebec quite well from the ‘Vets Football’ exchanges.
The band visits have been a great success and Martin Read is taking another group of young musicians to Bricquebec, 35-40 in total!! This will be the third trip and it takes place over the weekend from 31st March - 2nd April. This is an excellent programme and Martin is to be thanked for his enthusiasm in having cemented the relationships between the young French and English musicians
……have you paid your subscription? Please contact John Rabjohns.
……help us make the ATA the club to belong to in the Alresford area; spread the word to neighbours, friends and newcomers to the area!
Our next social event in the U.K. is on Saturday 8th April. We have circulated to you the details and I hope you can support us that day. We will be placing posters around the town, but would very much appreciate you bringing some friends, spreading the gospel!
We are also hoping to have ….. would you believe it!!! …… an “internet café” area where we can demonstrate the website live!!
So that we can spread the workload better across the committee, Cathy Swann has agreed to take responsibility for liaisons with the
schools and colleges in the area. The first step in rebuilding our association with Perins has been accomplished by putting up a Twinning
display in the Language Department. A competition is being run simultaneously to attract interest from young pupils. Many thanks to both
Cathy and Helen Andrews for their time, energy and creativity in master-minding this project. After Easter the display will be renewed
with new content and we hope to run a “French Quiz” through the Summer Term.
Invitations are on hand for both the Badminton and Tennis Clubs to visit Bricquebec in June. We are hopeful that a separate visit schedule could be organized for the Tennis Club, as most of their younger players are on a coaching week in Spain in June.
The Football Club have also invited us to send a team to their annual six-a-side tournament at the end of June. This is a particularly interesting format as the first game normally starts at 9pm… supper at midnight and the final at 2am! I will be talking with the Football Club about this opportunity shortly. Definitely a social occasion with plenty of opportunity to improve your French!!
It is with sincere regret that we have to acknowledge here the sudden death of David Muspratt, his funeral was in Alresford on 17th March. David had always been a keen and supportive member of the Association since its beginning and he will be sorely missed.
