Newsletter - February 2009
Dear Members,
Welcome to the first Newsletter of 2009. I hope you have enjoyed past issues and especially the Anniversary issue that was published at the end of 2008. We are still keen to unearth stories and pictures from the last 25 years, so if you have anything of interest please let Marian know.
Just a gentle reminder as well about subscriptions. We still have a number of members who pay by cheque/cash who have not yet paid. We also have some members with standing orders at the old rate. The current fees are £5 single and £10 for a couple. As the Association year runs from November to October, it would be appreciated if you could update if necessary.
Despite a positively chilly start to the year on the weather front, our first social event, the
President’s Evening, was well attended and you will see that we have a full social Agenda to
come.
REPORT ON THE PRESIDENT’S EVENING
On Saturday evening 10th January, despite some very cold weather, 70 members
and guests attended the Alresford Twinning Association new year
"President's Soiree" at Fiddlers Green in Bishops Sutton.
President Terry Foreman, who hosted the evening, expressed his delight at how many people had turned up for the evening. He also reaffirmed the growing strength of the Association and announced the years calendar of events. The next event will be the Skittles Evening on 27th February at the Swan in Alresford, which is expected to be another sell out. Details of all the other events for the year can be found here.
During the evening members enjoyed an excellent buffet, provided by the Committee, as well as a few glasses of wine.
News from Bricquebec Twinning Association
Following their AGM held on 17th January 2009 Terry & Viv received the following: email
Chers Terry et Viv,
Nous avons fait notre assemblée générale samedi 17 Janvier, nos avons parlé de notre prochaine visite à Alresford du 15 au 17 Mai 2009, dans la newsletter c'est écrit que ce serait en Juin mais les dates ne sont pas un week-end donc je pense que les dates sont en Mai.
Je t'envoie quelques photos, la première photos sont toutes les personnes qui sont venues manger au restaurant, celui où nous sommes allés en Juin lors de votre visite, le repas était excellent et la compagnie très agréable, tu reconnaitras sur la photo des personnes qui sont venus à Alresford, ça pourrait être sympa de la mettre dans votre prochaine newsletter.
J'ai aussi parlé avec Maryse (qui était chez toi) au mois d'Octobre, pour le
badminton, ils avaient beaucoup apprécié leur visite d'il y a 2 ans (je crois)
crois-tu que le président du badminton souhaiterait venir à Bricquebec
cette année, avec ou sans le jumelage nous pourrions trouver de l'hébergement
pour les joueurs et joueuses (ils sont déjà venus une fois) et maintenant
c'est à leur tour de venir, peux-tu me donner son adresse e-mail pour
que je puisse le contacter, merci beaucoup Terry,
bisous à vous deux, Chantal xxx
EMAILS
Please can all members email their up-to-date email addresses to the new treasurer, Jean Hudson. These are useful not only for the newsletters but also to send out last minute messages.
Email: jeana_hudson@yahoo.co.ukFRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP
If you have not used French since school, feel tongue tied when speaking the language or just want a bit of practice, you may want to join a conversation group. Derrick Hudson has proposed setting up a self-help group for members of the Twinning Association. The group could meet once a month at members’ homes and cover general topics of conversation in a friendly social setting. This would not be a language course but would be for people who want to practice and develop their speaking and listening skills.
If you would be interested in such a group, please telephone Derrick on 733131.
FRENCH VISIT TO ALRESFORD 15—17th MAY
You will have already seen from the programme of events that we will be entertaining our friends from Bricquebec in May. I am sure you will have already noted this date in your diaries. One of the main problems we sometimes face is the question of accommodation, so to ensure we are well planned in advance, we would like to set up a register of potential hosts. Even if you can just provide a bed for the night, but do not have the ability to look after our guests during the day, we would still like to know. Perhaps instead of offering a bed for the night you could offer to lead a walk, invite other hosts and their French guests to come for coffee, shared lunch or a BBQ, arrange an outing/activity/picnic for several families to do together. To ease the task for host families we hope to put together a full programme of activities for the weekend.
We would like to complete the accommodation/activity register by mid March, so would appreciate an early response.
If you have any ideas for activities or can help in any way, please could you let Anabela Williams know asap.
Anabela's contact details are anabelac2002@yahoo.co.uk or 01962 736341
Coffee morning—Saturday 14th March
Planning for the Coffee Morning is underway now so we would like to ask if anyone is able to offer to help out for a time during the morning. There are several members of the Committee who will be there but we always love to get help from other members who are able to come along with willing hands. We need help to serve or wash and clear up but also members who will socialise, welcome visitors and help to publicise the Twinning Association. We will be setting up at 9 am and clearing up at 12.30, so if you are able to help for a half hour slot, please let me know by telephoning 01962 734920 (please leave a message if no-one is at home) or e-mail.
Skittles Evening & Supper
at the Swan Hotel, Alresford Friday, 27th February, 7.30pm
Menu choice
Home-made Chicken Korma served with Poppadoms and Rice — £6.95
Home-made Salmon &Watercress Fishcakes with a Chive Mayonnaise Salad
and New Potatoes — £7.95
Penne Pasta with Roasted Vegetables & Mediterranean Tomato Sauce
served with Garlic Bread — £7.50
Beef & Real Ale Pie topped with Suet Pastry accompanied by Chips—£8.95
Prawn Marie Rose Jacket Potato — £6.95
Phone Alison Love 01962 734039 for more information
Please note the skittles will be held in The Undercroft and supper in the restaurant
Please advise numbers and menu choices for supper and send cheque for cost of food together with £3.00 per head for the Skittle Alley. Cheques to be made payable to: Alresford Twinning Association.
Please return by Friday 20th February to: Alison Love 7 Coniston Grove, Alresford, Hampshire, SO24 9NR
Forthcoming events
Details of all our events can be found here.
PLEASE - If you can help by manning the Twinning Association stand for an hour at the French Market on Saturday 25th April, please let Terry Foreman know (Tel: 01962 733769)
Your Committee
Alison Love:
I, with my husband Steve, moved from Glasgow to Alresford in 1982. Our three daughters were born here and went to the local schools. Now that they have grown up and flown the nest (just about) I have more time to get involved in local activities. We joined the Twinning Association about three years ago and have enjoyed the twinning events particularly the exchange visits with people from Bricquebec.
Roy and Sandy Worth from Cheriton
It was good to see you at the President’s evening