Update From the Editor
I hope you have all enjoyed the summer holidays and are ready to join in the winter season of the association. Things have got off to a good start with a visit to Artannes from 24 - 28 September where the usual enthusiastic welcome was accorded to our group.

Unfortunately, I was not able to be with them but I understand that they had a slightly easier pace of programme but nevertheless had plenty to take in during the trip.

However, it was not all pleasure as Maureen and John took the opportunity to have a full and frank discussion about plans for formal twinning. As a result we can now proceed to finalise dates for the signing of Twinning Charters in both Bathford and Artannes in the period 2005/06/07. We will be pressing for a conclusion by Christmas of this year as we need a long run up to set up a programme of associated events and to apply in due time for EU funding towards the costs. Although success in obtaining funding is by no means a forgone conclusion, we have no intention that these costs should be borne by the members or the village. This is why we have pursued various fundraising activities over the past 12 months and I'm pleased to report that these have put us well on target to achieve our aim - thanks to the generosity and support of people like the recipients of this letter and many others in the village. We do not plan any further major fundraising until the spring, though there may well be other low-key activities in the autumn and winter.

Proposed Cookery Book
During the course of the Artannes visit, our friends there agreed to obtain from their membership, a selection of their favourite recipes so that we can collect them into a book and make it available to people in Bathford and Kingsdown. It seemed to us at a recent committee meeting that we should similarly gather favourite recipes from our own supporters and add them to the final collection to go into the book. Maureen Breeze has undertaken to put this together get it printed. She has further set herself the fairly ambitious task of having it out for sale before Christmas!

So, could I ask you to put together your favourite family recipe and let us have it as soon as possible and in any case by the end of October? If you have email, please send it as an Attachment to Maureen or myself:
m@ureenbreeze.co.uk
tonywoodcock@tiscali.co.uk

Otherwise send or give it to either of us. My address is at the end of this newsletter and Maureen's is:
Keepers Cottage,
6 Warleigh,
BATH BA1 8EE

Send anything you like - main courses, sweets, one-pot suppers, salads etc.! I will circulate everyone on our data base when the project is completed.

Annual General Meeting
As previously advised, the AGM will take place on Monday 8 November in the Bathford Rugby Club at 7.30pm. This meeting is open to all members and, indeed, to all residents of Bathford and Kingsdown. The meeting is likely to be relatively short and afterwards the bar will be open and a simple supper will be served to those who would like it for a cost of £2-3 per head. Those who wish can also play skittles after supper.

The formal business will consist of a report from our Chair, Maureen Breeze, covering our past year and our future intentions, the presentation of our audited accounts and then the election of all officers and committee.

The present committee have asked me to emphasise that we are always keen to have new people taking an interest in the Association and, indeed, to have new blood on the committee.

If you would like to play a greater part in the twinning venture or feel you have something to offer towards its running or administration, do please get in touch with me and we can arrange for you to be nominated for election. All of the officers and committee are elected annually, so the field is open for all. I can receive nominations in advance of the meeting or on the night of the meeting. Each nominee must have a proposer and seconder.

So do try to join us at the AGM and have your say on any issues that may concern you.

We would like to know in advance if you want supper as we don't want to waste food! To order it, please let me know by telephone or email - say by 5 November.

Youth Forum
I would like to put on record our thanks to Richard Lees for all the work he has done over the last year or more to get young people in Bathford interested in our activities. He has been responsible for initiating contact between the primary schools in Bathford & Artannes and their participation in a project involving the exchange of information between the schools about us and our locality. He has also paved the way for the creation of interest in France and the French via his ' Club Français'.

Richard is about to go up to university so we wish him all success for the future. He has already set up a new Forum group and a new young leader will be taking over his role shortly.