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  The Verwood & 3
Legged Cross
Twinning Association.
2008
|
| Verwood &
3X - Dec 2008 / Jan 2009 |
In
this issue:
Chairman’s
musings
AGM Report
Ghent report
Christmas
Party
Membership
card - corrections
Invitation
from Ferndown
Subscriptions
reminder
Well,
another year draws to a close
but
the twinning year is just starting after the AGM and life is just as busy as
ever. At the time of writing we are looking forward to our Race Night at the
Legion on November 28th - more about this next issue.
Don’t
forget the Christmas
Party on the 10th December at St
Michael’s Parish Rooms, Manor Road. Be there at 6.30pm for 7.00 so as not to miss a minute of the programme
we have lined up for you (please note
these are the correct details - the date and time shown on some membership
cards is wrong). Anyone needing transport to and from St
Michael’s Parish Rooms should call Lin on 824297 and we will try to organise a
lift for them.
Then
after a chance to catch our breath over Christmas and the New Year our
Members’ meetings at the Band Hall start again on 14 January with Ian Lucking
showing us a video. The February meeting (11th) promises to be
especially entertaining with a talk on “The Human Side of Being a Traffic
Warden”. Do join us at these meetings -they are becoming more and more popular
and they’re a great way to keep in touch with your Twinning friends.
AGM
2008.There
were not many changes to the Committee at this year’s AGM. Although she
resigned as Minute Secretary at the AGM, in the absence of anyone new
volunteering to do the job, Barbara Bowey has offered to continue for the time
being. Thank you Barbara for coming to the rescue. Our vice-Chairlady, Carol
Aisthorpe-Buckley, stood down at the AGM. She remains on the committee as a
member without portfolio and John Blackwell has agreed be my new vice-Chairman.
We also welcome Cyril White onto the committee, I’m sure he’ll have fun with
us. Thanks to them for volunteering to do their bit.
I
was also pleased to welcome 6 new members at the AGM. Phillip and Sue Starmer
and John and Janet Wilson joined us after coming on the Ghent trip and seeing
how much fun we have. Denis and Linda Secretan are new to Verwood as well as the
Twinning. A very warm welcome to them all.
Our
long weekend to Ghent was another success.
41
of us boarded a brand new coach for a drive in bright, clear and crisp weather
to Dover and the 1pm ferry to Calais. Once across La Manche it was only 90
minutes drive to our hotel, slap bang in the middle of Ghent next to the
Cathedral (but not disturbed by the bells!). No time was wasted before initial
forays to explore local bars, restaurants and cultural sights were underway.
Saturday dawned overcast but dry and we enjoyed an informative 45-minute cruise
around the canals of Ghent. The rest of Saturday and Sunday morning were free to
explore the town and its castle. Then on Sunday afternoon we were back on the
coach for the run back to Calais, pausing at a chocolate factory and wine
warehouse en route. A smooth crossing saw us back in Dover by 6.30pm and home in
Verwood by 10.00
We
have received an invitation from our friends in Liederbach
to visit them next
year. Dates are 18th - 22nd June. Exact details of travel
arrangements and costs are still being worked out but put these dates in your
brand new 2009 diary and watch this space for further news.
There
are some misprints on your new membership card.
Firstly,
as already noted, that date of the Christmas Party is December 10th.
Secondly, the date of the October 2009 Members’ meeting should be 14th,
not the 7th as shown.
You
may also wish to note on the front cover that our new vice-Chairman is John
Blackwell, tel 868763.
Finally,
Peter Aisthorpe-Buckley’s telephone number is 824313, not as printed. You will
need to have this corrected in order to book in for June’s trip to Liederbach.
If
you would like to join Ferndown Twinning
Association
on their visit to Segré in July next year would you please let their chairman,
Douglas Lock, know. His number is 896984. Segré is only 40 miles from
Champtoceaux, so if your friends there are willing to collect you, this is an
ideal opportunity to visit them at a reasonable cost.
Subscriptions.
2008-9
subs are now overdue. If you haven’t yet paid your £5 and your newsletter
deliverer has been unable to collect it, please drop in a note of your name and
address together with a cheque (payable to Verwood & 3LX Twinning
Association) to Sandra at 14 Aggis Farm. In exchange, you will get a new 2008-9
events card, complete with misprints (see above) telling you exactly what is on
and when, which will enable you to get the most from your membership.
Language
learning. Catharina
Green is still offering the opportunity for French or German conversation
sessions. Call her on 813564 for details.
Also,
if there is sufficient demand, one of our friends from Champtoceaux (well, Oudon
actually) is offering to come to Verwood to run courses, either during daytimes
or evenings, to teach beginners or improvers sufficient to “get by” for
tourism, leisure and daily life in France. The cost would depend on numbers. If
you would be interested in this please let me know on 822959 as soon as possible
and by Christmas at the latest.
That’s
all there’s room for this time. All that remains is for me to wish you all a
very happy and peaceful Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.
Your
Officers are:
|
Chairman: |
Terry
Bright tel 822959
|
|
Vice-Chair: |
John
Blackwell - 868763
|
|
Secretary: |
Julie
Blackwell-West - 868763
|
|
Treasurer: |
Sandra
Groves - 826449
|
|
Minute
secretary: |
Barbara
Bowey - 822299
|
|
Membership: |
Bill
E
ggleston - 824066
|
|
Website: |
http://twinning.verwood.org
- (the one your looking at.)
|
|
Contact
email |
|
|
Verwood &
3X - Oct / Nov 2008
|
|
In
this issue:
How
time flies.
This is my sixth newsletter and marks the end of my first year as your Chairman.
What a busy year it has been, starting with the Flagfest celebrations, then
Racenight in the Legion and our trip to the Valkenburg Christmas Markets. Then
we had our own Christmas party night and of course throughout the winter our
Members’ evenings in the Band Hall were well attended.
In May we had a memorable visit to Champtoceaux, the Companion Dog Show
and the unveiling of our fingerpost on Ferrett Green. In June some of your
committee visited Liederbach to represent us at their Polish twinning
celebrations.
Throughout the summer we had great fun competing in the Dorset Petanque
league and we even fared a little better than in previous years. Our Thursday
evening practices have become something of a social event and I recommend that
you put a note in next year’s diary to come and give it a try.
Unfortunately the Summer Outing this year had to be cancelled due to the
weather conditions but Cafe Rene at the Rustic Fare went ahead as normal and we
were able to meet many friendly people while dispensing our wine and baguettes.
Next year promises to be just as busy with Springtime members’ meetings,
the Companion Dog Show and an invitation to Liederbach already in the diary.
If
anyone needs transport to and from this year’s AGM on
23rd October, or to the Christmas Party on 10th December
would they please call Lin on 824297 and we will try to organise a lift for
them.
It’s
subscription time again.
Unlike seemingly
everything else this year, we have held it unchanged at £5 per household.
Please be prepared to pay your newsletter distributor, or come to the AGM and
pay there.
Even better news, we have a special
offer for you.
If you introduce a
friend or neighbour who takes out a new subscription, you will get your 2008-9
membership absolutely free.
As
I mentioned earlier,
the
Summer Outing had to be cancelled this year at short notice. The boatman said he
would have been unble to get alongside Swanage Pier with the weather conditions
as they were. Thanks go to Brian for his work organising and selling this trip,
and his even harder work phoning round everyone to cancel it!
Notice
of Annual General Meeting
-
This
year’s AGM will be held at 8pm on Thursday 23rd October in SSt
Michael’s Church Centre, Manor Road. We will have vacancies on the Committee
for a minute secretary and a vice-chair. Please let me have your nominations for
anyone willing to join us in one of these roles or even as an “ordinary”
committee member.
The
weekend in Ghent
is fully booked (or was fully booked, depending on when you are reading this). A
report will appear in the next Newsletter. If you wanted to go but left it too
late to book, make a note now to contact Peter on 824313 after the AGM in order
to reserve your place on the visit to Liederbach.
Café
Réné proved a popular attraction again at this year’s
Rotary Club Rustic Fayre. Once again we served up our choice of Cheddar or Brie
filled baguettes, this time with an option of Branston pickle or Cranberry
Sauce. Wine or soft drinks were available to wash then down. In addition, we had
a very successful wine tombola and for the first time this year we tried a
French Treasure Hunt, with players trying to guess where on a map of France our
“treasure” was buried. Nobody guessed the exact location (which was Valence)
but one lucky winner with the nearest guess of Montelimar won £10.
I
try not to single people out for thanks in the newsletter in case it turns into
an open “thank you” letter, but I must take this opportunity to thank all
the committee members and their partners, and also those non-committee members
who turned up to lend a hand. You all worked so hard both on the day and in the
days leading up to the Rustic Fayre. Thank you.
We
will be holding another RACENIGHT at the Legion this
year, on Friday 28th November, starting at 7.30pm. Racenights are
great fun and enable you to have a bit of a “flutter” in the comfort of the
refurbished Legion club. As well as a full evening of races the bar will of
course be open for drinks at very reasonable Legion prices. Come and join in the
fun - tickets cost just £3 each and are available from Brian Bowey on 822299,
or just ask any committee member to reserve some for you.
I have had an invitation from Ferndown Twinning Association
for our members to join them on their coach when they visit their French twin,
Segré, at the beginning of July next year. Segré is only 40 miles from
Champtoceaux, so if your friends there are willing to collect you, this is an
opportunity to visit them at a reasonable cost. Exact details of dates, times
and cost are still to be decided but if you are interested in joining them
please let me know as soon as possible.
The world’s
easiest picture quiz: where am I?
Your
Officers are:
|
Chairman: |
Terry
Bright tel 822959
|
|
Vice-Chair: |
Carole
Aisthorpe-Buckley - 824313
|
|
Secretary: |
Julie
Blackwell-West - 868763
|
|
Treasurer: |
Sandra
Groves - 826449
|
|
Minute
secretary: |
Barbara
Bowey - 822299
|
|
Membership: |
Bill
E
ggleston - 824066
|
|
Website: |
http://twinning.verwood.org
- (the one your looking at.)
|
|
Contact
email |
|
|
Verwood &
3X - Aug / Sept 2008
|
In
this issue:
I have
to
start this newsletter with an apology. I have
been on holiday for a month, touring France, so the newsletter may be a little
later than usual getting to you. The holiday included a visit to our friends in
Champtoceaux to take them some samples of local “typical” foodstuffs. They
needed these for an event in September when they will be handing out samples to
unsuspecting passers-by. I’m sure the Hall & Woodhouse beer, English
biscuits and sweeties will go down well but I wonder what they’ll make of the
Dandelion and Burdock!
Also on our holiday we started collecting material for a second “French
oddities” talk, which I hope to start work on this autumn, so a possible treat
in store for one of next winter’s members’ meetings.
While I was away a number of your committee visited Liederbach to help
celebrate their new Polish twinning and were able to establish a date for us to
visit next year. For details of this and other Twinning news read on.
So
far only one person
has contacted Bill to let him know they are willing and
able to host our visitors when they visit us from France or Germany. Please can
all members let
Bill Eggleston know whether or not you are willing and able to host. His contact
details are at the end of this newsletter.
v
Date
for your 2009 diary.
We have been invited to visit Liederbach from 19th
to 22nd June next year. This is likely to be their International
Street Market weekend so there should be plenty to interest everyone. Full
details will follow, but pencil the dates in now to avoid disappointment.
There
are still places available for the autumn trip to Ghent.
The
trip is from 17th to 19th October, staying in a central
hotel. A boat trip on the canals on Saturday morning is included in the price.
Ghent is less than two hours drive from Calais
so coach travel will be kept to a minimum. The return journey will include the
customary visit to a chocolate factory outlet and a Calais wine warehouse. Cost
is £150 per person, with supplements for a single room or insurance if
required. Contact Terry (details overleaf) for further information and a booking
form.
Some
of you will have seen the press coverage
of the unveiling of our Twinning fingerpost in May. Others will have spotted it
on Ferrett Green and wondered what it was. Well, the power of advertising cannot
be underestimated and I have already had an email from the Milestone Society
enquiring about the finial, which shows on one side that it belongs to Bakers
Corner, north-west of Dorchester. The story behind this is that Dorset Works
Department has had trouble casting our special Twinning finial and they
“mocked-up” this one with a temporary face plate on one side so that our
unveiling ceremony would not be delayed. A permanent finial will be fitted once
it has been successfully cast.
The fingerpost is a permanent reminder of our active friendships with the
people of our twin towns and is the result of a lot of hard work by our
Treasurer, Sandra, in raising the money in the run-up to last year’s Flagfest
weekend.
Boules
The season continues and we are meeting with mixed
fortunes in our results. But we are having some good days out! Don’t forget
you will be welcome to come and give it a try any dry Thursday evening from 6pm.
We practice at the Boules pitch on the Recreation Ground from 6pm.
Do
you subscribe to France magazine?
If
so, you may have noticed that we got a mention in the August edition. It’s not
quite the “feature” I was given to understand we’d get, rather just a
reprint of my initial email to them - but interesting to get a mention in
a national magazine nonetheless. If
anyone would like to see a copy (there are lots of other interesting articles
too) we do have some copies supplied by the publishers available to borrow.
Just give me a ring and I’ll drop a copy round to you when one becomes
available.
Dorset
Partnership for Older People Project (POPP)
and the Neighbourhood Watch are launching a Good Neighbours scheme, offering the
possibility of safe transport within 5 miles of the town centre. They have a
core of volunteer drivers already but they need at least 4 more. They also need
volunteers for behind the scenes. Drivers’ fuel costs will be refunded at 40p
per mile. If you or anyone you know would be interested in offering your help,
contact Val Stillwell on 824615 for full details.
Your
Officers are:
|
Chairman: |
Terry
Bright tel 822959 |
|
Vice-Chair: |
Carole
Aisthorpe-Buckley - 824313 |
|
Secretary: |
Julie
Blackwell-West - 868763 |
|
Treasurer: |
Sandra
Groves - 826449 |
|
Minute
secretary: |
Barbara
Bowey - 822299 |
|
Membership: |
Bill
E
ggleston - 824066 |
|
Champtoceaux
Liaison: |
Ian
Lucking - 821280 |
|
Website: |
http://twinning.verwood.org
- (the one your looking at.)
|
|
Contact
email |
|
In
this issue:
Well,
what a fantastic long weekend our
friends in Champtoceaux laid on for us. Then there was barely time to recover
before the Companion Dog Show so brilliantly organised once again by Audrey and
Dave. This event really does do credit to both the Twinning and to Verwood. Well
done and thank you to Audrey and Dave and all their willing helpers. With summer
upon us our thoughts are turning to holidays and the boules season. Brian needs
to field a team most weeks throughout the holiday season so if you are able to
help out please let anyone on the committee know - better still, come along to
the Recreation Ground any fine Thursday evening and join us for a practice.
Then, just when you might think summer is drawing to a close we have our long
weekend trip to Ghent to look forward to.
You
can read all about these events below.
A
reminder that we need to
update our records
of who is willing and able to host our visitors when they
visit us from France or Germany. This is of course a reciprocal arrangement and
when we visit Champtoceaux or Liederbach you will receive superb hospitality in
return. Many firm friendships have been made over the years so
please
let Bill Eggleston know whether or not you are willing and able to host.
Places
on the weekend break to Ghent
are going fast, so to avoid disappointment, don’t delay your booking. The trip
is from 17th to 19th October, staying in a central hotel.
A canal trip on Saturday morning is included in the price.
Ghent is less than two hours drive from Calais
so coach travel will be kept to a minimum. The return journey will include the
customary visit to a chocolate factory outlet and a Calais wine warehouse. Cost
is £150 per person, with supplements for a single room or insurance if
required. Contact Terry (details overleaf) for further information and a booking
form.
At the end of April I had the privilege of
attending the Town Council meeting and accepting a cheque for £250 in grant aid
on behalf of the Association. This grant was to cover our cost of the
presentation to Champtoceaux. We are grateful to the Council for this help,
which enables us to be a little more imaginitive in our choice of gifts.
A
total of 42 of us
took
advantage of the invitation to visit Champtoceaux. Our friends laid on a very
full programme for us, with visits to the park and chateau at St. Sauveur de
Landemont, a trip down an old slate mine, the audio-visual spectacle at the
Tower of Oudon and a trip on the Loire aboard
La Luce. Of course there was also the soiree and generally too much
to eat and drink!
Our
gift jointly with the Town Council was a mosaic representing friendship.
So,
with friendships made or renewed, we look forward to returning the complement in
a couple of years’ time.
The
weekend following our return saw the
companion Dog Show
at
the Memorial Hall. Registrations started at 10.30am and we had over 100 entries
in the 18 classes.
We
dispensed refreshments throughout the day and by 5.30pm everyone went home tired
but happy. Thanks go to the committee members and their partners and to other
Twinners who helped us out, but especially to Audrey, Dave, Sue and Lyn for all
their hard work before and during the show.
This
year’s summer outing
has
been been moved to
16
August.
It
will be a boat trip from Bournemouth Pier to Swanage, with 3 hours in Swanage
and a view of the fireworks display from the pier or boat. The coach will leave
Morrisons Car Park at 5pm to catch the boat from Bournemouth at 6.15. The return
boat will leave Swanage at 10.45pm.
No
food will be provided on the trip but a full bar service will be available on
the boat, so no carry-on bottles, please.
The
cost will be £20 per person; bookings to Brian on 822299 please.
Boules
The season has started and our campaign in the league got
off to a challenging start with a 3-1loss against Poole.
New blood is always welcome in the team; the standard is not high but we
enjoy the game and meeting other twinners from around the county. As you will
see from your membership card, we have moved practice to
Thursday
evenings for this season, so if you fancy
trying your hand (beginners are always welcome) come along to the Boules pitch
on the Recreation Ground from 6pm any Thursda
y weather permitting.
That’s
about it for this time.
No room to
include photos of the unveiling of our new fingerpost on Ferret Green or our
boules results to date, so I’m holding those over until next time. Until then,
look after yourselves.
Your
Officers are:
|
Chairman: |
Terry
Bright tel 822959 |
|
Vice-Chair: |
Carole
Aisthorpe-Buckley - 824313 |
|
Secretary: |
Julie
Blackwell-West - 868763 |
|
Treasurer: |
Sandra
Groves - 826449 |
|
Minute
secretary: |
Barbara
Bowey - 822299 |
|
Membership: |
Bill
Eggleston - 824066 |
|
Champtoceaux
Liaison: |
Ian
Lucking - 821280 |
|
Website: |
http://twinning.verwood.org
- (the one your looking at.)
|
|
Contact
email |
|
|
Verwood &
3X
- April 2008
|
In
this issue:
Hello
again. I don’t know about you, but it seems that the newsletter
comes around quicker every time. Probably more so when you have to write them!
Not that it’s a chore - there’s so much going on they almost write
themselves.
If
you haven’t been to one of our evening meetings yet, you are missing a treat.
Attendance seems to vary but generally 2 - 3 dozen of us gather in the Band Hall
for coffee, chats, an update on what’s going on in your Twinning Association
and a talk on something of local or twinning interest. A report on the last 2
meetings appears in this issue. We don’t meet during the summer months so
meetings will restart on the second Wednesday of October - that’s the 8th
this year. Why not make a note in your diary to come and give it a try? In the
meantime, we are looking forward to visiting our friends in Champtoceaux and as
soon as we get back boules practice will be starting. Whatever the season
there’s no shortage of new things to try.
At
the February Members’ meeting
we were
treated to a superb presentation by Anne King describing the history of the
Piddle Valley and some anecdotes and beautiful photos along the way. Her
“Paddle Along the Piddle” held everyone spellbound.
In
March the Rev Stewart Timbrell kept us rolling in the aisles with the first in
his “Discovering Dorset” series of talks. As well as a facinating talk we
were treated to a stand-up comedy act into the bargain. Stewart will definitely
be back next season for part 2.
We
need to update our records
of who is willing and able to host our visitors when they
visit us from France or Germany. For the benefit of new members, can I explain
that this is of course a reciprocal arrangement and when we visit Champtoceaux
or Liederbach you will receive superb hospitality in return. Many firm
friendships have been made over the years so
please
let Bill Eggleston know whether or not you are able to host.
Plans
are in hand for an autumn weekend break from 17th to 19th
October, visiting the beautiful and historic Flanders town of Ghent (pictured
above). We will be staying in a central hotel and a canal trip on Saturday
morning is included in the price.
Ghent is less than two hours drive from Calais so coach travel will
be kept to a minimum. The return trip will include the customary visit to a
chocolate factory outlet and a Calais wine warehouse. Cost will be £150 per
person, with supplements for a single room or insurance if required. Contact
Terry (details overleaf) for further information and a booking form.
The
coach for the visit to Champtoceaux
is
selling very quickly. We shall be leaving Verwood early evening on Friday 2nd
May and taking the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo. A 2-berth cabin
for the outward crossing is included in the price of
£90. Return to Verwood will be on Tuesday 6th May. This is
the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, so those of you still working will only have
to take 1 day’s holiday. If you haven’t yet booked, give Ian and Carole
Lucking a call or email them - you may be lucky. Their details are at the end of
this newsletter.
We
have decided that our gift, jointly with the Town Council, will be a mosaic
plaque denoting twinning and friendship specially commissioned from Julie
Blackwell-West’s cousin. A photograph of the plaque will appear in a future
newsletter.
Boules.
The
new season is almost upon us and regular practice evenings will be starting as
soon as we get home from Champtoceaux. We understand that some new teams have
entered this year’s competition so we need some extra players to share the
increased fixture list.
As
you will see from your membership card, we have moved practice to
Thursday
evenings
for this season, so if you fancy
trying your hand (beginners are always welcome) come along to the Boules pitch
on the Recreation Ground from 6pm any Thursday weather permitting.
Don’t
forget the companion Dog Show
on
10th May, that’s the weekend after we get home from Champtoceaux.
As usual Audrey and Dave have put a lot of hard work into organising the event,
so let’s get as many supporters as we can to the Memorial Hall.
We
have been asked
by
one of our friends in Liederbach if there is a
15 year-old schoolgirl in Verwood who would like to be an exchange
student with his daughter. I have raised the idea with the local schools but if
anyone knows of a suitable student please let me know.
Did
you hear me
on
Forest FM on 27th February? If so, was there anything I forgot to say
that might encourage new twinners? No doubt they’ll ask me on again sometime,
so I’m happy to take any suggestions on board.
That’s
about it for this time. The next
newsletter will be out in early June when we should have a report on the visit
to Champtoceaux and an update on the Ghent weekend. Perhaps some early Boules
results too. Until then, look after yourselves.
Your
Officers are:
|
Chairman: |
Terry
Bright tel 822959 |
|
Vice-Chair: |
Carole
Aisthorpe-Buckley - 824313 |
|
Secretary: |
Julie
Blackwell-West - 868763 |
|
Treasurer: |
Sandra
Groves - 826449 |
|
Minute
secretary: |
Barbara
Bowey - 822299 |
|
Membership: |
Bill
E
ggleston - 824066 |
|
Champtoceaux
Liaison: |
Ian
Lucking - 821280 |
|
Website: |
http://twinning.verwood.org
- (the one your looking at.) |
|
Contact
email |
|
|
Verwood &
3X
- February 2008
|
In this issue:
|
