Accommodation Wanted
A party of 29 guests from Artannes will be here from 5 - 9 July (4 nights) - 7 couples and 15 single people, mostly women. Most of the visitors (age group 50/60s) will be new to Bathford and, with one exception, able to speak some English. We need offers of accommodation on a B&B basis plus dinner on the night of arrival. Other meals will be arranged within the programme. Please let us have details of any rooms you can offer (double, twin and single etc) and pass the information to:
Peter Rideal on 858322 or email peter@rideal.freeserve.co.uk

The visiting group are all interested in visiting English Gardens and a special programme has been arranged. They will travel by coach each day and hosts will only have to get them to & from the pick-up point. However, hosts wanting to take part in the garden visits are welcome to do so.

I hope we will greet them in the same spirit as they accorded to young people from Bathford recently - see below!

Youth Visit
A party of 13 young people, accompanied by 8 adults and led by Helen & Richard Lees, set off for Artannes on 11 April 2007. Received with the usual warm hospitality, they plunged into a busy and meticulously planned week of activities.

How did it go? Let some of the participants speak for themselves:

Anna Connolly (11) has written a full & vibrant diary of the whole event. Here are just a few quotes from it:

"Thursday: We had to get up at a normal school time because we were actually going to school, a French school.

Azay-le-Rideau: It was wonderful, the chateau and the garden; it was a beauty inside and out, and also it had a wonderful history to it. Later in the evening we went to the town hall to have a special bazaar in celebration of our coming from Bathford. Afterwards the children and the teenagers played 40/40.

Friday: In the afternoon we had a lovely picnic next to a lake with a gorgeous willow to end the beautiful scene. Then we went to a marvellous castle, Langeais.

Saturday: was the day that we spent with our family, meaning that we could explore places. This day we went to the local market. The thing with France is that it has beautiful markets. After a visit to Tours we quickly got changed for dinner in the restaurant in the village. It was a fantastic evening. Afterwards the adults played boules while the children did a football match.

Sunday: Our last morning & we had an art lesson with a local artist. The children that were good at art did a still life while the others did a collage of trees. Afterwards we went to see Clos Lucé, the house where Leonardo da Vinci lived near the end of his life. It was amazing what inventions he made and the drawings he did.

Monday: We didn't have to get up so early but everyone was just as tired and there were some tears. The group wanted to stay but also go home. When we got on the train and finally set out, all tried to cheer others up."

George Parsons (11) also writes -

"The trip to France was exhilarating and inspired young people to make some unlikely new friends. The journey to France took a long time on 4 trains, including Eurostar and the TGV.

I personally liked the visit to the zoo best as all the animals were in big open enclosures. The family I stayed with were extremely kind in every way and I want them to come back and stay with us. The French people were very friendly as we tried to speak each others languages.

I want to thank Helen & Richard Lees for organising the trip, including all of the tickets for trains & outings. They were also very kind and looked after everyone in the group."

The Association is delighted at the enthusiasm that this visit has generated. We echo George's sentiments in thanking Helen & Richard. We hope this splendid start will result in more young people in Bathford taking part in such ventures in the future.