OTTERY ST. MARY TWINNING ASSOCIATION

www.otterytwinners.org.uk

Newsletter No. 51  January 2013

Bonne Année - Gutes Neues Jahr – Happy New Year to you all!

This year seems to have begun as last year ended – beneath never-ending rain!  We can but hope that we eventually have a somewhat drier year than last – a little more of the glorious sun and warmth we enjoyed in Ilsfeld last June wouldn’t come amiss!

As usual, after a highly successful season last year, your committee has been working on a programme of events to entertain and amuse you throughout 2013:

= The first scheduled event is our

AGM & SOCIAL EVENING  WEDNESDAY, 13th FEBRUARY at 7.30pm at West Hill Village Hall.

As in the past, we shall begin the evening with the AGM (see agenda posted on our website), followed by a social gathering and supper. We look forward to hearing from any of you who would like to join the committee and have a greater say in the running of the association.  Please, contact chairman Mark Rix on 01404.813123, markrix@talktalk.net if you are interested – you will be made very welcome.

• At this meeting we shall be taking bookings for our May visit to Pont l’Évêque

Following the ‘business’, there will be a finger buffet, plus a glass (or two!) of wine. There will be no charge for the evening – just come along and enjoy an evening with like-minded folk.  As usual, all donations to the buffet (sandwiches, savoury nibbles .. etc.) and/or good quality prizes for the raffle gratefully received.

VISIT TO Pont l’Évêque 24th – 27th MAY

We shall, as usual, travel by coach and ferry – our coach, which will stay with us throughout the weekend, will leave West Hill Village Hall car park fairly early on the morning of Friday, 24th May (our apologies, but ferry times have been changed). We shall cross from Poole to Cherbourg and spend some time sight-seeing en route before arriving in Pont l’Évêque early evening. Our hosts have already a varied programme planned for us, so we shall spend the weekend in their company before leaving on the 27th after the Monday morning market. The return journey will take us via a hypermarket (for that all-important shop) before boarding the ferry at Cherbourg for our journey home. We expect to be back at West Hill around midnight.

We shall be taking names for this visit at the AGM - A deposit of £35 per person will secure your place on what is always a highly enjoyable few days. Families with children particularly welcome.

If you wish to join us and cannot be at the AGM, then please contact me (tel: 01404.813560,  email: sylv.g@cholcott.freeserve.co.uk ) The list will close on 15th April.  Total cost for the visit, including transport is £135, with children under 16, £67.50.  The charge for independent travellers will be £30.

Travel Insurance can also be arranged if required.  Please contact treasurer Hugh Sutherland on 01395.514618, email: hugh@hughs.plus.com

CRÊPES AT WEST HILL FÊTE, SATURDAY 29th JUNE – We shall again be running our stall making and serving French-style crêpes. Please come and support us – this is an important fund-raiser for the association … and fun, too!  We don’t just need customers, but (wo)manpower, too, so if you fancy offering your assistance, you would be most welcome!

The CAR TREASURE HUNT is scheduled for JUNE/JULY this year (date yet to be agreed) – Last year’s was great fun, with 6 cars participating and ending with a superb supper at the “5 Bells” in Clyst Hydon. We look forward to the challenge posed by last year’s winners, “The Odds and Sods”, who will set the clues for this year’s hunt

Our VISIT FROM ILSFELD this year is of particular significance, as it marks 10 YEARS since the original charter was signed, here in Ottery.

VISIT FROM ILSFELD 5th – 9th September:

We plan a weekend of celebration to mark this important date in our association’s calendar.  We hope that all members, old and new, particularly those who were at that ceremony in September 2003 and were instrumental in setting up the link with our German friends, will join us.  So, please, note these dates in your diaries.

If you can offer hospitality over the weekend, please contact accommodation secretary Irene Gardner  on 01404.811098, e-mail avandigardner@btinternet.com

= Finally, the AUTUMN SOCIAL: several ideas are in the pipeline – if you have any suggestions you would like us to consider, then we should be happy to hear from you.

Until then,

Best wishes / Cordialement / Grüße,

Sylvia Gehring

pp. Ottery St. Mary Twinning Association

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