Fordingbridge Twinning Association did not hold an AGM in 2020 and it was agreed that the committee would continue for the foreseeable future.

Now Fordingbridge Twinning will be holding a virtual AGM via Zoom on Thursday, 13 May at 7.30 pm when the current financial situation of the Twinning Association and its plans for a ‘relaunch’ will be presented to the membership

If members would like to join this meeting, please let the committee know – see below for contact details. If members cannot attend but would like to contribute any comments, then please contact the Committee before 13 May.

Bin Twinning’

Fordingbridge Twinning Association is proud to have donated to the project ‘Bin Twinning’ (www.bintwinning.org) and sponsored a bin in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The charity uses money donated to fund brand-new social enterprises that collect rubbish, dispose of it safely, and recycle as much as possible.

Many of these projects upcycle waste into items for sale – from compost to paving blocks – and proceeds are ploughed back into community development.

All of these projects create dignified jobs for society’s most vulnerable people. There will be a poster on a bin in Fordingbridge in the Rec.

Plans for 2022

It is of course difficult to make any firm plans, but the Association hopes to hold its next “always a sell-out” annual Murder Mystery evening on Saturday, 12 March 2022.

This will be a fantastic evening to meet up again for the much loved annual event. Meanwhile, it is hoped that there will be an informal boules evening later this summer (2021)

2022 will see the 40th anniversary of Fordingbridge being twinned with Vimoutiers, and the celebrations will take place in France over the first weekend in July.

The draft programme is fantastic: it will be a terrific weekend! So do put 30th June to 3rd July in your diaries.

News from Vimoutiers

While much of France is still locked down, vaccination rollout is happening now quite quickly and in Vimoutiers, the third phase is going ahead, with people in their 40s being vaccinated.

France is catching up the UK fast, whatever the news says.

However, rules and timetables of the reopening of bars, restaurants and non-essential shops are not yet clear, and Loetitia and Gerard are not expecting to be able to open their bar-restaurant Le Penalty before early June.

Do stay in touch and let us know of any news you have from your contacts in France.

Fordingbridge Twinning Committee:

President: Dennis Bailey mardengreenlea@aol.com
Chairman: Alison Ayling hippotrain@btinternet.com
Treasurer and Membership: Keith Bennett keithbennett56@netscape.net
PR: Derek Ayling hippotrain@btinternet.com

Committee Members:

Mary Adams, Maureen Ellis, Gaynor Hammond, Diane Paton (Town Council), Helen Tague