Chairman's Report 2011


I am pleased to report on the activities and achievements of the Buckingham Twinning Association in 2010-11 in furtherance of our objects which are:

This year has seen an important development in our twinning relationship. We twinned with Mouvaux in 2002 and we now have a formal declaration of friendship with their German twin town, Neukirchen Vluyn, near Duisberg. We were invited there in July to participate in the 20th anniversary celebrations of their link with Mouvaux. It was clear that the Germans were keen to put some sort of framework around links that were already happening – between the junior footballers and between the secondary schools. The idea of a town friendship was mentioned. This was reported to our Town Council who unanimously agreed and passed a formal resolution. We have received quite a few expressions of interest from Buckingham residents and more would be welcome! Many thanks are due to Sue Watkins who is leading this initiative and who I know would welcome members’ ideas. May I also thank our opposite numbers in France and Germany: Sandrine Ducret of the Mouvaux town council and Annie Millecamps of their twinning committee; and in Germany: Franjo Terhart, Gunther Fischer and Christian Berges.

All this activity has led to a different emphasis in our activities. There have still been the usual popular home grown events but 2011 saw more bilateral events (French/English, English/German and even French/English/German/ Dutch or which more later!).

We are keen to support the youngsters of Buckingham. We again presented a prize each at the Buckingham School and The Royal Latin School, to the student who showed most improvement in a modern foreign language. Following a previous meeting with Mouvaux’s youth council, Buckingham Town Council set up a youth council and allocated a £1,000 grant; during the year officers and members were elected by the youth of the town. Representatives of the two councils met during the civic visit this year. We are delighted that Hayley Bennett has joined us from the Buckingham School and we were pleased to respond to her request for prizes for students French mini research projects. We also worked with the Language Society of the University of Buckingham who sought French links.

As ever, we had a stall selling English Christmas ‘fayre’ at the Mouvaux Christmas Market in December, this time with a new team. We thank Margaret White for taking over the leadership and her team of ‘elves’: Sandra Truscott, Janet May, Howard Mordue, John White and me. We braved deep snow but the warmth of the welcome and some brisk sales made it all worth while. It was agreed to pay travel costs for the first time but the venture still returned a respectable profit of £66.

To raise our profile in town, we held another Coffee and croissants morning at the Old Gaol in February where a number of new members joined up and we made £100. This works well and we will be back there in February 2012.

We continued the bi monthly French film programme for members, with films expertly chosen and reviewed by Ron Gleeson, and shown to members in the Sunley Lecture Theatre, courtesy of the University of Buckingham. We are open for suggestions for films for 2012 and, indeed, for other French or German cultural events.

In April the two towns’ walking groups got together, in England this year for a marvellous walk around. We thank David and Sheila Everson for leading on this superbly yet again. On 31 March/1 April 2012 the walk will be in France.

In May, Buckingham’s square dancing group went to Mouvaux to perform as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of La Jeanne d’Arc Sports and Cultural Association,

Buckingham artists again sent paintings to Mouvaux’s 22nd Salon des Artistes in May, with thanks to Peter Baker of BAFA for organising this. We hope to attend again in 2012 and Mouvaux artists will also come to Buckingham in 2012.

In June the International youth football tournament was organised, this time by Neukirchen-Vluyn. Thanks are due to Mark Chapman of Moretonville Junior Football Club, and to Sue Watkins. In the end the youngsters played in 3 countries, taking in Holland and Mouvaux as well as Germany.

In June the Association was invited, for the first time, to provide the catering for a town council event, the new Summer Solstice evening. With folk music and Morris dancing this was a very pleasant evening and made £88 for twinning funds. >BR>
The civic visit from Mouvaux to Buckingham,, took place in July on the first weekend of the Buckingham Summer Festival. After bilateral meetings of councillors, youth councillors, dance groups, traders’ associations and (almost) fencers, in the morning and a visit to Blenheim or Oxford in the afternoon, in the evening, guests were treated to a performance of HMS Pinafore by the Buckingham Choral Society. It was a first visit for the new Mayor of Mouvaux, Eric Durand and both he and his charming wife, were delighted with their welcome. I offer a big thank you to everyone who helped and especially to Valerie Shaw who worked with me on hosting.

The Boules competition was held as usual on Bastille Day, 14th July, under the trees in the old cattle pens, with the sand kindly provided by AVDC. Thank you to Valerie Shaw and everyone who helped including Ron Gleeson, our MoC, and Martin Try who provided the PA system, as well as John Murray on the BBQ. It was a lovely evening although the numbers were slightly down this year. We made £85.

In August, at the Wine and Cheese evening, Ron Gleeson took us on another great journey across the wines and cheeses of France. The event was enjoyed by all, regulars and some new faces alike, and made £106.

In September, there was the second, very successful small group visit to Mouvaux, again led by John Murray and with Annie Millecamps as guide. In 2012 we are planning a similar small group visit to Buckingham for which Annie already has a waiting list.

We express thanks to the Buckingham Town Council who started the twinning and for their continued welcome support. We greatly value the support we have received past and present from Cllrs Paul Hirons, Gerry Loftus, Terry Bloomfield and Ruth Newell, as well from Cllr Howard Mordue as our Treasurer, Cllr Mike Smith as Mayor and Cllr Robin Stuchbury as Chair of the Council’s Events’ committee. Thank you also to the Town Clerk and Deputy Town Clerk.

We keep in touch with our members through the newsletter and thanks are due to Ron Gleeson for his super professional work in editing and producing and writing this! Thank you to Margaret White who has kept the town informed with regular articles in the Advertiser’s ‘Club News’ and ‘What’s On’ as well as organising all the other events mentioned above. The website is masterfully managed for us by Geoff Shaw – please do look at it as it keeps you up to date on all our activities.

Our finances have been managed for us by Howard Mordue as Treasurer and I would also like to thank Valerie Shaw who is our superbly efficient Secretary as well as an organiser of events. Terry Bloomfield took over half way through the year from Christine Strain-Clark as our Membership secretary. He has asked me to remind you that your subs, for the period right through to the end of 2012 (as we have moved to the calendar year) are now due! I would like to thank Christine for her tremendous contribution both as founder of the twinning with Mouvaux and for keeping going as membership secretary for so long, despite the debilitating impact of her illness.

You will have heard several names mentioned repeatedly above. We do need new members both of the committee but also anyone who would like to get involved. We offer individual, family and even ‘corporate’ membership and forms are at the back of the room!

We meet every month on the first Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. at the Villiers Hotel. The meetings are open and all are welcome, so if you have an idea for twinning, do come along! We have a core committee but we work with a wider group of people who come to occasional meetings and very kindly work on various projects. We are looking for more volunteers..!

May I end by repeating that everything we do for twinning is to help make Buckingham and the communities around it a better place for us all to live by enriching our lives and the lives of the future generations. It has been an honour and a privilege to work with such a strong team and on such a fascinating project. Thank you.

Jane Mordue
Chairman
23.11.11