Editorial
At the Annual General Meeting held on 6 November 2006, the year's activities were reviewed. This important period had seen the successful conclusion of the final stages of the Twinning with Artannes-sur-Indre during our visit there in May 2006.

The Association's finances had been restored by the payment of the EU grant and we thus had financial stability as well as the means to develop the relationship between the two villages. The task would now be to decide how best to do this. It was a matter which the Committee already had under consideration.

It was clear from the reactions of those members attending the AGM that there was a strong feeling for renewed effort to be put into gaining the interest and support of young people in the village. Although this view was shared by the Committee, previous efforts to develop this contact had met with only limited results.

Ways would be sought to develop a new initiative in this direction. A first step towards this, as well as other activities designed to further our relationship with Artannes, are announced in this newsletter.

I mentioned at the AGM that I would be using the newly enlarged Bathford Bulletin to get news of twinning activities into every household in Bathford. No doubt you will have already noticed several such entries and I urge you to look out for them when the Bulletin falls through your letterbox.

However, it is not always possible to meet the copy deadlines and I shall continue to use the medium of the Newsletter to keep you, our loyal supporters, fully informed!

Finally, and by no means least, I realise that our Kingsdown members do not get the Bulletin and I am already emailing them with any Bulletin entries.

We very much hope to see you all at events during the year and hope you will find our plans interesting.

Best wishes,
Tony

Normandy House Party
This event, organised by Chris Eker, is already well underway and will take place near Quettehou (about 30 kilometres SE of Cherbourg) from 9 -16 March 2007. Chris and Annie will be hosting the party at a large timeshare farmhouse which Chris has there. People from both Artannes & Bathford will be taking part in a range of activities based on the house. There is room for 10 in the farmhouse (which is already full) but others can stay for as long or as short a period as they like using local B&B accommodation. Further information is available from Chris & Annie (743222).

Visit of Male Voice Singing Group
John Lees is taking his group of five male singers -
'GOODE COMPANYE'
- to visit Artannes for the weekend of 11/14 May 2007. They will entertain both in Artannes and at a Europe Festival encompassing several local towns and villages involved in twinning and which will be held at Monts that weekend. If anyone is interested in going along to support them, please contact John (859508) as soon as possible. They will be booking their trip via Eurostar very soon.

Needless to say there will be plenty of offers of accommodation in Artannes for anyone going.

July Visit
It is intended in future to have one major group visit each year - one year Bathford, the next Artannes. As we were there in May last year, it is the turn of the Artannais to come here this year. Our French friends have always had a preference for early July as it is the beginning of their school holidays and before the mass French exodus to the coast in August !

It has virtually been agreed that they will come here over the weekend 6 -10 July 2007.

So put these dates in your diary and we will give you further details as they become available. Needless to say we will be looking for accommodation offers in due course!

Garden Visits & Rambling
These topics were two of the special interest weekends or visits which we proposed to Artannes and which appear to have appealed to them. The possibility of combining the two together came from them and there was also the suggestion that they would like to do these sometime in July. Our own intention is that if the July Group Visit goes ahead, then these events should form part of the programme for it.

Colin Priston is aleady working on a programme for the Garden Tours and Julia Masdin is looking at Rambling possibilities.

If you are interested in these activities and want to be kept informed of progress, please speak to Colin (743499) or Julia (858042) as appropriate.

Youth Twinning
It was good to have Max Hornbach about the village for a couple of weeks recently. Kindly put up by Jeanette Kremer (Brave soul - she ran the Youth Hostel for the October 2005 visit!!), he was here to improve his English for his studies at the University of Tours.

Fortunately, his visit co-incided with the Social Evening for young people run by Helen & Richard Lees at the Rugby Club. Max was able to catch up with previous contacts in Bathford and to talk about ideas for a youth Visit to Artannes proposed for this year.

Although the actual attendance of young people was disappointing, it did serve to lead to other interested people and the position is now that 10 youngsters (aged 11 - 15), 4 mothers, as well as Helen & Richard leading, have put themselves down for a place.

The good news is that there is room for more and any interested young people and parents should get in touch with Helen right away (859508). Details are below.

Artannes Youth Visit
Dates:
Departure Wednesday 11 April & Return Wednesday 18 April

Travel:
By rail:- Bradford-on-Avon - Waterloo, Waterloo - Lille by Eurostar, Lille - Tours by TGV
Early start from BOA may be necessary.

Party will be met on arrival and escorted to Artannes.

Estimated Rail Cost:
Approx £100 return but Bathford Twinning Association will subsidise each young person's travel by £50.

Booking Early will ensure the best price.

Family Accommodation in Artannes:
No charge.

No doubt many meals will be provided but a small allowance will be necessary for some lunches etc.

There may also be some charges for trips or entry to exhibitions etc. A programme of visits and entertainment will be provided.

If our past experience is anything to go by, you and your family will make friends for life!

Don't miss it ! Contact Helen Lees now !

Cookery Weekend
Although still embryonic in concept, a long weekend devoted to cookery activities is planned to take place later this year - probably in Artannes. Maureen Breeze is setting up this event and we will pass on details when available.

Social Event
We are also intending to hold a social evening or similar activity to provide an opportunity for all those interested in twinning activites to get together & meet old friends. Once again, watch out for details.

Tea Towels & Cookery Books
These are still available & can be obtained from the village shop.