It’s all systems go both here and in Lambersart to mark the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the twinning charter between our two towns. Events take place in Lambersart on the 22nd and 23rd September and in Southborough on the 20th and 21st October so please put these dates in the diary.

The Lambersart programme incorporates a reception in the Mairie for the English and German delegates on Saturday followed by lunch, a guided tour of Lille and aperitifs and a dinner dance in the evening. There will also be a mini concert given by the Lambersart Harmonic Orchestra and local choirs at which our “Mellow Cellos’ quartet will also perform. On Sunday morning, the formal friendship ceremonies will take place including a wreath laying at the War Memorial, a few speeches, the renewal of the Charter, an exchange of gifts and the inauguration of an exhibition celebrating the 20 years of our twinning. After lunch in the afternoon, there will be a boat trip on the pretty River Deûle which flows through Lambersart and a tired delegation will leave for home at around 5.00pm.

In Southborough, the French delegation will arrive at Honnington Farm on Saturday for a welcome reception, including some prize winning English sparkling wine, and a typical ploughman’s lunch prepared by the Rusbridge Family Bakery in the newly refurbished barn. After lunch, we will all be taken on a guided tour of the gardens where there will be some Morris dancers too. In the evening, there will be cocktails and a dinner dance at the Salomons Centre. We are hoping to organise a musical interlude during the cocktails - hopefully ‘Women in Harmony’, the group Pat Heyward-Young was so fond of. The dinner will be followed by the cutting of the cake, the usual speeches, an exchange of presents and our turn to renew the Charter. Live music afterwards will be provided by one of our local bands ‘The Winchesters’ until midnight. On Sunday, we will be going on a guided tour of Southborough Common led by local historian Fiona Woodfield. She has identified eight different spots where there are significant points of interest to talk about. Afterwards, we will have lunch at Meadows School with the catering provided by Café Bliss and a chance to explore the grounds. At the school there will be an exhibition of Southborough photos past and present and if it is raining, Fiona will be able to present her entire talk and lead a ‘virtual’ tour of the Common from the School hall.

We have been offered 20 places at the Lambersart weekend to be split between Councillors and other members. Accommodation will be ‘en famille’. Requests to be included on the visit will have to be on a first come first served basis but Lambersart will be happy to welcome more visitors if they are prepared to pay for two meals and accommodation – there should be more than enough room on the coach. All SHDOFA members are very welcome to attend each of the events we have planned for the October weekend and indeed are encouraged to do so – the more the merrier! We don’t have a complete idea of costs as yet but to give you an idea, there will be the two lunches and the Salomons dinner to pay for. As soon as this has been accurately costed we will let you know. There will also be the opportunity to host some of our French guests, of whom there will also be 20. It would be particularly helpful if members could complete the accompanying ‘Expression of Interest’ form as soon as possible to help with the overall planning and costing exercises.

15 May : SHDOFA stand at TS Brilliant Fun Day - Volunteers requested

21 and 22 May : St Calyxte Choir at St Thomas’s and St Peter’s – Volunteers requested for help on SHDOFA Stand

4 June : Fête on the River Dêule Lambersart – Independent Arrangements

18 June : Organised Visit to Lambersart – To be Confirmed

19 June : SHDOFA stand at Lions Fun Day - Volunteers requested

Late JuneMid Summer : Lunch TBC

21 August : Annual Barbecue

2-3 September : Organised Visit to Arras

11 September : Pétanque match against Tonbridge French Circle at the Copse – Players requested for the SHDOFA team please

22 October : Soirée DVD – venue to be confirmed.

Tags: Diary