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 "Currently Twinned with Oree d'Anjou in France and
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Champtoceaux and Orée-d'Anjou.

Firstly to avoid any confusion, the political landscape in France changed on the 15th December 2015 as M. Holland attempted to reduce the cost of local administration. 
Previously the 9 towns and villages of Champtoceaux and its Canton had 9 elected Mayors, one for each community. Under the re-organisation Champtoceaux and its canton of 9 communities have been merged for administrative purposes and it is now called "Orée-d'Anjou" . 
Orée-d'Anjou  includes the 9 merged communities of
Champtoceaux, Bouzillé, Drain, Landemont, Liré, Saint-Christophe-la-Couperie, Saint-Laurent-des-Autels, Saint-Sauveur-de-Landemont & La Varenne which formed the original canton.

 Interestingly this meant that "Orée-d'Anjou" has 10 mayors and another administration building. From a twinning point of View there is little change as Verwood is still twinned with Champtoceaux and Orée-d'Anjou.

 

The Verwood Twinning Association 
Welcomed our friends From "Champtoceaux & its Canton" 
Between Thursday the 5th May, and Sunday the 8th May 2016.

On Thursday the 5th of May 2016 the Verwood Twinning Association and the hosts waited at the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre to welcome our 70 friends from "Champtoceaux and Orée-d'Anjou". The visitors were served tea coffee and biscuits while our friends were introduced to their hosts, that is those who had not been before. In the party were a group of staff and students from the music school in Champtoceaux called Melody. They were welcomed by the mayor while some committee members took the coach to the parking area adjacent to the Fire Station and then raided the coach for the wine that had been brought by our friends for use at the Saturday Barbecue. The rest of the evening our friends spent with their respective hosts. In most cases an early night was called for as the group had left Champtoceaux at 2 a.m. in the morning.

On Friday the 6th of May hosts took our friends to the HUB car park where they were taken by the committee on a trip to Poole in order to visit the RNLI. Due to the numbers involved the group had to be split into 2 groups with the first visiting the RNLI then had lunch at the "Italian Gossip Restaurant" situated next to Poole Pottery on the Quay. After that some went shopping while some went to the old town and general sight seeing. The other group did the same thing in reverse finishing up at the RNLI before taking the coach back to Verwood. The visit to the RNLI seemed to go very well and most of the group seemed suprised that it was completely self funding without any government support. I believe that the simulator proved particularly popular as a certain member of the group managed to crash the Lifeboat and the simulator which had to be restarted. Probably not a suitable candidate for future training.

In the evening hosts arranged different things, some hosts met together with their guests and had a joint buffet. while others just went home for an evening meal.

On Saturday Morning some guests with walking problems were taken to Moors Valley car park by car but there had been an agreement with a group of the hosts to meet at Potterne Park and go for a stroll down to Moors Valley. On arrival at the station a number of visitors (particuarly children) went for a ride on the Moors Valley Railway which was celebrating its 30 year anniversary, this is the same length of time that the Moors Valley Country Park has been open. 

After leaving the staion the group walked down to the childrens' play area where again a number of children enjoyed themselves, One older visitor wanted to "Go Ape" but unfortunately there was not enough time. Having managed to gather up the children from the play area some went on to have a snack in the cafe while others went back home for something to eat. Some of the guests were required to return early as they were taking part in the evening Soiree and Barbecue and were required for rehearsals. One group left at 13:00 hrs to walk back to Potterne while another group were able to leave sometime later as they were not required before the Soiree started at 16:00 hrs.

The evening Soiree started in the Memorial Hall at 16:00 hrs with 3 of the staff of Melodie (an Ecole de musique d'Orée-d'Anjou)  taking us on a very enjoyable musical tour of the world. Around 17:00 hrs  the ensemble of "Verwood Concert Brass" entertained  everybody with their usual high standard.

 

At 18:00 hrs all visitors and guests enjoyed a barbecue provided by "Fired Up" the Barbecue Specialists with all the wine being supplied by our guests from Champtoceaux (This was an Anjou Rouge and a Malvoisie).

  

This was followed by a group of students from "Melodie" from the "Ecole de Music Orée-d'Anjou" leading some of the initial dancing. after this there were speeches and the giving of the gift of a photograph of "Durdle Door" in West Dorset. Some of the children decided that it was more fun to check out the newly installed MUGA equipment.

 
   

Later on in the evening at around 9 p.m. Guests and Visitors were entertained by and danced to the Band "Murphy's Lore" which is a Bournemouth/Dorset based Celtic band, performing mostly traditional Irish music. Calling was done in both French and English.

There was a request from one of the younger French group for "Dirty Old Town" which all sang enthusiastically. 

( https://www.facebook.com/Murphys-Lore-23070991675 )

On Sunday the 8th May Hosts and guests gathered slightly later than planned at 10:45 a.m.in the HUB car Park for the departure of our friends back to Champtoceaux et Orée-d'Anjou.

Thanks must go to our hosts,  and the Organisers in both Twinning Associations for all their hard work and support in organising the visit. 

 

pictures and text by Stuart Clifton.

 

 

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