Newsletter

Our friends from Laon arrived on Friday evening, followed by the choir on Saturday lunchtime just in time for a reception with the Mayor at Abbey House. The afternoon was spent by some rehearsing, some rambling and others relaxing in the glorious Winchester sunshine. Saturday evening saw a most marvellous concert by La Villanelle choir and The Reg Fletcher Singers, separately and together, followed by drinks and nibbles.

Sunday was another busy day - tours of Winchester for some and a beautiful day at
Beaulieu for others before a splendid end to the weekend with dinner for 118 people at The Royal Hotel in Winchester. It seemed only fitting that the Villanelle choir ended the soirée with more beautiful singing - a bit better than our usual rendition of Frère Jacques!

We were all sad to see our friends, old and new, leave on the Monday morning. It was lovely to hear from so many of you, that you had enjoyed the double visit, and were looking forward to meeting up with your guests in the near future.

Thank you to all the members of the Committee, the Twinning Association, the Alliance Française and others who hosted visitors and helped in any and every way towards the success of the weekend.

The visitors from Laon included a number of ramblers - members of the Laon branch of the French equivalent of the Ramblers Association. Philip Waterton had been asked to arrange some walks for the group.

On Saturday the party was treated to a 16km walk around Winchester starting and finishing in Abbotts Barton. The route took in Winnall Marshes, the city centre, St Cross, Badger Farm, Compton Down and Shawford, returning along the river Itchen. The group enjoyed a picnic lunch on Compton Down and a well-deserved drink in The Bridge at Shawford.

The weather was warm and sunny and if anything too hot for a brisk walk so a more leisurely pace was adopted in the afternoon. We saw butterflies, nesting swans and plenty of wild flowers. The French ramblers were joined by seven members of the Winchester Ramblers and really seemed to enjoy the views and the surroundings and took lots of photographs.

A second longer walk had been planned for Sunday but it seemed that we had tired our friends out. It was therefore decided to cancel the walk and most of the ramblers joined the trip to Beaulieu - the rest took the guided tour of Winchester and the cathedral along with the choir.

As they left the French ramblers thanked us for organising the walk, and invited members of Winchester Ramblers to Laon next year, when it is hoped they will be able to organise some walks for us. It is now hoped that we will be able to encourage members of Winchester Ramblers to join the Twinning Association.

Plans are well underway for the Friendship Football Tournament between Laon, Giessen and Winchester City to take place over the weekend of 20th-22nd July 2007. Tickets are available for the whole weekend and for individual matches.
We hope to see many members there and plan to spread the word about the Twinning Association to potential new members.
Please look at the Winchester FC web site for more information or look out for details in the local paper nearer the time.

The Association's 15th Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday 19th October 2007 starting at 7.30 pm. The venue as usual will be St Lawrence Parish Hall, Colebrook Street, Winchester.
Members who would like to add an item to the agenda or propose a member for election to the Committee should let the Secretary know at least two weeks before the meeting using the enclosed form.

1. Welcome and apologies
2. Minutes of the last meeting
3. Matters arising
4. Chairman's report
5. Treasurer's report
6. Election of auditors
7. Election of the committee
8. Any other business

For reasons beyond their control the Alliance Française de Winchester has had to change its name to Cercle Français de Winchester. Nothing else has changed and the Cercle will continue to organise a good selection of talks as in the past.

The Cercle Français de Winchester have pleasure in inviting members of the Twinning Association to join them in their annual 14th July celebration. This year it falls on a Saturday and will be held at the King Alfred Tavern, Saxon Road Winchester from 12 noon. The pub has a barbecue area and pétanque terrain in the garden which are available if there is sufficient interest. The Tavern serves food at reasonable prices and if the weather is poor we will eat indoors. For the barbecue the Cercle will provide charcoal and light the barbecue and you are invited to bring and cook your own food. All drinks will have to be bought at the bar. Please bring boules if you have them and if enough people wish to play we will arrange an informal competition. The barbeque/pétanque areas will only be booked if there is sufficient demand. A small charge may be made.

If you would like to participate please let Phil Waterton know as soon as possible saying if you would like to use the barbecue and/or play pétanque. Replies please by email to info@afwinchester.org.uk. More details of this and future events can be found on the Cercle Français web site www.afwinchester.org.uk.

A reminder to members that subscriptions are now due for 2007/08. They remain the same as last year £6.00 for single members, £8.00 for a family and £12.00 for corporate membership.

Please send your subscription to Gill Foster at: 12 West End Terrace, Winchester S022 SEN.

Gill would like your e-mail address, if you have one, to make communication more efficient.

FRANCES BROWN

We are sorry to report the death of one of our longest serving members. Frances suffered a severe stroke on May 22nd and died on Sunday May 27th.

A Requiem Mass was said for her in the cathedral on Monday 11th June.

The Secretary has sent a letter of condolence to Frances's cousin Mrs. Caplin on behalf of the Association.

The Committee are hoping to organise a "Bring and Share" picnic at Littleton on a Sunday afternoon in September. Date and details to follow. It would be lovely to see lots of members there.

During the dinner at the Royal Hotel Catherine Pfeiffer, who with her husband Axel were Bill Kirby's Twinning partners, read her poem in memory of Bill. Luckily Philippe Bourgeois's daughter was there to render an English version for the diners. We have pleasure in reprinting the poem but leave it to you to translate for yourselves!

Nous nous sommes connus par le biais du jumelage
Il était anglais et parlait couramment le français
Un homme extraordinaire et qui ne faisait pas son âge

Au départ on nous avait demandé si ça nous dérangeait
De l’accueillir chez nous, puisque aveugle il était
C’est avec un énorme plaisir que nous l'avons hébergé
On ne remarquait pas son handicap car la vie il aimait

Il appréciait surtout la cuisine française
A chaque plat il ne manquait pas de faire des éloges
Assis en bout de table il était très à l'aise
Très tard on allait se coucher ne pouvant voir l'horloge

C'est à cinquante ans qu'il a perdu la vue à tout jamais gentiment je lui demandais comment il le vivait
Lui me répondait que c'était la vie et qu'autrement il la découvrait
Ce qui ne l'empêchait pas à tue-tête avec nous de chanter

Puis après quelques mois à notre tour il nous a invité
Et là nous avons été reçu avec une telle jovialité
Nous entraînant dans les pubs en partageant une belle amitié
Nous nous sommes souvent téléphonés avec fidélité

Et puis ce soir le téléphone a sonné pour m'apprendre
Qu'il était parti rejoindre à tout jamais les anges
Je n'oublierai en aucun cas cet homme au cœur si tendre

Newsletter published by the Winchester-Laon Twinning Association. Chairman: Mr T De Nitto, 88 Wavell Way, Stanmore, Winchester SO22 4EG.

Send email to Phil Waterton (phil@waterton.org.uk) with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2011 Winchester-Laon Twinning Association Last modified : 9th August 2011

Send email to Phil Waterton (phil@waterton.org.uk) with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2011 Winchester-Laon Twinning Association
Last modified : 9th August 2011