Short Presentation on the possibility of "Twinning" Ardingly with Beuzeville.
To the Parish Council on Tuesday-03-June-2008.
To the Parish Council on Tuesday-03-June-2008.
Jennifer May : 02-June-2008
Introduction
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- To promote cultural and social links between two similar-sized communities within Europe.
- To make new friends, understand different cultures, visit new places, improve language skills and even for Ardingly residents to meet together, work together and travel together with one joint social purpose.
As our nearest neighbour, France is easy to reach and most people are able to speak at least a few words of French. I speak French and am therefore happy to take on this project on behalf of the Parish Council.
Although the South of France definitely has its attractions, I decided that a village or small town in Normandy or Northern France would be better for Ardingly – easy to reach for short trips and therefore cheaper for those residents with limited budgets. I have spent several months looking for a possible village and have made numerous fruitless approaches. At the end of April, I discovered on a “twinning website” that the small town of Beuzeville in Normandy was looking to twin with a similar-sized village or town within easy reach of Newhaven and have since been in contact via e-mail with the person responsible, M. Jean-Yves Carpentier.
Beuzeville is a small town in the département of Eure in Normandy. It is only just over an hour from Dieppe and therefore easily accessible via our nearest channel crossing, Newhaven – Dieppe.
Beuzeville prides itself on being ideally situated between the sea and the country. Although it is not on the coast, it is 10 minutes away from the idyllic fishing harbour of Honfleur and the exclusive seaside resorts of Deauville and Trouville. It is also within striking distance of the bustling and beautiful city of Rouen.
It has approximately 3,000 inhabitants, a nursery school, a primary school and a secondary school and many different businesses, including 2 supermarkets, 2 hairdressers, a bakery, a butchers, 3 delicatessens, 2 banks, several estate agents and a number of garages. There is also a weekly market.
It has numerous and varied clubs and associations – sporting, cultural and social – a number of which have already expressed an interest in participating in links / exchanges with us. The following activities are just a few available in the vicinity:
Tennis, football, pétanque, horse-riding (there are 2 or 3 equestrian centres in the area), rambling (Beuzeville is situated on the “route des lavoirs” – formerly the open-air washing areas, situated near towns / villages), painting and an active choir.
Further information is available on the following websites: http://www.beuzeville.fr/ and http://www.beuzeville-tourisme.com/
Projects and Activities
--------------------------------------
I would envisage a group of about 30 villagers of all ages travelling at the same time for long weekends to Beuzeville, staying with families – ideally arranged so that the guests and the hosts are of similar ages or have similar interests - taking part in social events and visiting local places of interest. On alternate years, our friends from Beuzeville would visit Ardingly and enjoy similar arrangements.
Having briefly discussed the project with staff at St. Peter’s Primary School, I would imagine that the schoolchildren from both communities could perhaps communicate with each other via e-mail or take part in other educational exchanges.
It is also possible that, once other links are established between clubs and associations, such as the choirs of the two villages for example, small-scale exchanges could take place, which would not involve the whole of the twinning society, e.g. Beuzeville’s choir might come over to perform alongside Ardingly’s Choral Society or vice versa.
Financial Support
--------------------------------------
Membership of the Twinning Society would be open to everyone in the village and surrounding areas. Membership entitles villagers to take part in the exchange programme, benefit from discounts to the Society’s events and perhaps receive discounted French lessons.
Proposed cost of annual membership: £5 per individual and £10 per family
I believe that the cost of travelling to and from Beuzeville should be met by those taking part in the exchange, but I understand that it is expected of the host village / town to entertain their guests at no extra charge to them and that this would normally also include the cost of, say, a day trip to London or a visit to a place of historical interest. Needless to say, the twinning society would have to organise fund-raising events throughout the year to cover the cost of such trips.
I have heard that it may be possible to apply for EU grants to support twinning programmes. I will be looking into this shortly.
Although we are not looking for financial support from the Parish Council, we are hoping for your approval to proceed and your full backing of this twinning project.
Introduction
--------------------------------------
- To promote cultural and social links between two similar-sized communities within Europe.
- To make new friends, understand different cultures, visit new places, improve language skills and even for Ardingly residents to meet together, work together and travel together with one joint social purpose.
As our nearest neighbour, France is easy to reach and most people are able to speak at least a few words of French. I speak French and am therefore happy to take on this project on behalf of the Parish Council.
Although the South of France definitely has its attractions, I decided that a village or small town in Normandy or Northern France would be better for Ardingly – easy to reach for short trips and therefore cheaper for those residents with limited budgets. I have spent several months looking for a possible village and have made numerous fruitless approaches. At the end of April, I discovered on a “twinning website” that the small town of Beuzeville in Normandy was looking to twin with a similar-sized village or town within easy reach of Newhaven and have since been in contact via e-mail with the person responsible, M. Jean-Yves Carpentier.
Beuzeville is a small town in the département of Eure in Normandy. It is only just over an hour from Dieppe and therefore easily accessible via our nearest channel crossing, Newhaven – Dieppe.
Beuzeville prides itself on being ideally situated between the sea and the country. Although it is not on the coast, it is 10 minutes away from the idyllic fishing harbour of Honfleur and the exclusive seaside resorts of Deauville and Trouville. It is also within striking distance of the bustling and beautiful city of Rouen.
It has approximately 3,000 inhabitants, a nursery school, a primary school and a secondary school and many different businesses, including 2 supermarkets, 2 hairdressers, a bakery, a butchers, 3 delicatessens, 2 banks, several estate agents and a number of garages. There is also a weekly market.
It has numerous and varied clubs and associations – sporting, cultural and social – a number of which have already expressed an interest in participating in links / exchanges with us. The following activities are just a few available in the vicinity:
Tennis, football, pétanque, horse-riding (there are 2 or 3 equestrian centres in the area), rambling (Beuzeville is situated on the “route des lavoirs” – formerly the open-air washing areas, situated near towns / villages), painting and an active choir.
Further information is available on the following websites: http://www.beuzeville.fr/ and http://www.beuzeville-tourisme.com/
Projects and Activities
--------------------------------------
I would envisage a group of about 30 villagers of all ages travelling at the same time for long weekends to Beuzeville, staying with families – ideally arranged so that the guests and the hosts are of similar ages or have similar interests - taking part in social events and visiting local places of interest. On alternate years, our friends from Beuzeville would visit Ardingly and enjoy similar arrangements.
Having briefly discussed the project with staff at St. Peter’s Primary School, I would imagine that the schoolchildren from both communities could perhaps communicate with each other via e-mail or take part in other educational exchanges.
It is also possible that, once other links are established between clubs and associations, such as the choirs of the two villages for example, small-scale exchanges could take place, which would not involve the whole of the twinning society, e.g. Beuzeville’s choir might come over to perform alongside Ardingly’s Choral Society or vice versa.
Financial Support
--------------------------------------
Membership of the Twinning Society would be open to everyone in the village and surrounding areas. Membership entitles villagers to take part in the exchange programme, benefit from discounts to the Society’s events and perhaps receive discounted French lessons.
Proposed cost of annual membership: £5 per individual and £10 per family
I believe that the cost of travelling to and from Beuzeville should be met by those taking part in the exchange, but I understand that it is expected of the host village / town to entertain their guests at no extra charge to them and that this would normally also include the cost of, say, a day trip to London or a visit to a place of historical interest. Needless to say, the twinning society would have to organise fund-raising events throughout the year to cover the cost of such trips.
I have heard that it may be possible to apply for EU grants to support twinning programmes. I will be looking into this shortly.
Although we are not looking for financial support from the Parish Council, we are hoping for your approval to proceed and your full backing of this twinning project.
Mike Curtis : 05-Jun-2008
There are two ways this could work :
1 - A single society / group that have an exchange once a year. Probably quite a large group - that may also require much accomodation.
2 - Separate groups that visit each other at different times. These groups could include :
- Choir or Choral Society
- Horticultural or Garden
- Sports - Football, Cricket, Tennis, ........
- School for Children - Primary or Secondary
- Arts, Drama, Musical
And they could also visit us at the same time as local events - such as Gardens Day, South of England Show, Vintage Vehicle Show, London to Brighton Bike Ride, Summer Fete, England vs France sporting occasions ......
It is most important to have a group or groups of Ardingly people wanting to visit Beuzeville and for Ardingly people to accomodate and entertain the French when they visit.
Fund raising may be important to assist the in the hospitality for our visitors.
Beuzeville is slightly larger than Ardingly - and much more spread out. It is very near to the Motorway and also to 'pretty' towns such as Deauville and Honfleur.
There are two ways this could work :
1 - A single society / group that have an exchange once a year. Probably quite a large group - that may also require much accomodation.
2 - Separate groups that visit each other at different times. These groups could include :
- Choir or Choral Society
- Horticultural or Garden
- Sports - Football, Cricket, Tennis, ........
- School for Children - Primary or Secondary
- Arts, Drama, Musical
And they could also visit us at the same time as local events - such as Gardens Day, South of England Show, Vintage Vehicle Show, London to Brighton Bike Ride, Summer Fete, England vs France sporting occasions ......
It is most important to have a group or groups of Ardingly people wanting to visit Beuzeville and for Ardingly people to accomodate and entertain the French when they visit.
Fund raising may be important to assist the in the hospitality for our visitors.
Beuzeville is slightly larger than Ardingly - and much more spread out. It is very near to the Motorway and also to 'pretty' towns such as Deauville and Honfleur.
