Minutes May 2021


Minutes of the committee meeting held via Zoom.

Wednesday 26e Mai 2021. La réunion a commencé à 7.30 pm.



  1. Welcome and apologies for absence:


ACTUELLE: David Atkins (chairman) DA, Tom Winn (vice chairman)TW, Marina Richards (treasurer) MR, Jacqui Chevalier (secrétaire) JK, Peter Fry PF, Barbara Fry BF, Francis Knight FK, Catherine Atkins CA, Kay Strain KS


EXCUSES: Claire Axten, Cages Butler, Sally Wood and Paul Badman


  1. Minutes of the meeting held on 28e Avril 2021: DA checked that everyone had read the minutes from the previous meeting and it was agreed that they are a true record. Signing of the minutes will take place at a later date.


  1. Matters Arising not on Agenda: None


  1. Chairman’s Report: Nothing to report


  1. Secretary’s Report: Sharon had sent a video to JK to share on the Twinning Website. Unfortunately we did not get permission to include 3 photos of Brookside school children and so the video will need to be edited and the music resynced. Patrice who created the video is not available to edit it. JK asked is anyone knew how to do this.

DA will ask his son who may be able to do this for us.


  1. Treasurer’s Report: MR stated that the financial report now reflects the membership payments being carried over. We have received the Parish Council grant of £1000. DA has acknowledged receipt with a reply to the Parish Council that Autumn will be the earliest we can use it to promote Twinning. When we are fully up and running again DA said the committee will be looking at the amount the association has in its reserves.


Please see the financial report at the end of the minutes.


Current account balance £7434.79

Deposit account balance £8058.92


  1. Membership & Member’s Welfare: FK informed the committee that whilst in Merriman Park he had seen a bench in memory of William Berry. It is in a lovely position near to the twinning tree.


  1. Visits:


Zoom with Gravenchon: Many members have said how much they enjoyed the evening. Sharon has given feedback from France that everyone thought it went really well, they enjoyed it and look forward to doing another one in the Autumn. JK has put photos of the event on Facebook.


Second Zoom with Isny: No reply from Veronica yet


FK reported that he had read information on GOV.UK about the proposed new rules for travelling to Europe. These include proof of accommodation, if you’re staying in a hotel then that’s easy but if it is at a private residence, such as when we twin, the host family need to apply for a statement from their local government stating their intention to host usthey then send a copy to us for us to show officials as we enter France. The proposed cost to them is 30 euros per family. The same will apply for going to Germany at a cost of 29 Euros per family.

Our passports will need to have at least 6 months of validity left for travel.

From mid to late 2022 we will also need to apply for an ETIAS. This is an EU wide initiative which is basically pre-checking individuals travelling to the EU for possible criminal records and terrorist activities! The cost to us will be 7 euros (under 18’s and over 70’s free) and an ETIAS will last 3 years or up to when your passport expires.

Up until Oct 2021 the French will be able to continue to use their identity cards to travel to England but after that they may need to get a passport.

Not all of this has been finalised yet but DA agreed that we will need to make sure that everyone travelling has the correct documentation and there will be extra administration for the mini committees when organising travel.


  1. Fundraising and Events:


Pitch at Street’s Thursday Market 29e July requested. TW checked that this is in the school holidays which DA confirmed that it is. BF said that she knew of a village bric a brac that had been advertised on social media. There were suggestions of holding a bric a brac in a larger space where other people could also have stalls and would enable more money to be raised. A couple villages have held similar events where the gardens doing a stall are plotted on a map. To be discussed again.


  1. Site & Facebook: JK stated that Germany have recently celebrated Mother and Fathers Days which she posted on Facebook. This had lots of likes from both sides of the water. Mother’s Day in France will be on 30e May and JK will do a post for this.

PF has posted the minutes onto the Website and has archived older minutes. He hasn’t looked into possibly increasing the storage limit yet.


  1. Publicity:


Update - Various plaques and items with Street Parish Council


DA suggested that it would be nice to have a get together in Merriman Park when the new plaque is set up by the tree.

The Parish Council have agreed for the twinning plaque outside of Grinters pet shop to be put onto the outside wall of the parish rooms. DA et PF will arrange this.

The Parish Council would like to put Reg Alfords Isny print in the Parish rooms. JK will contact Reg.

The twinning gifts are in a cabinet up the stairs in the newly furbished parish rooms.

The tapestry from the old library is hanging in one of the meeting rooms.


  1. Loterie: Congratulations to the winners of the May lottery draw. The numbers were drawn by Kay Winn and read out by TW during the zoom meeting.


1st Prize no.26 David Atkins

2e Prize no.48 Martin Butler

3RD Prize no.14 Claire Brunt


  1. AOB: None


  1. Chairman’s Closing Remarks: DA asked for the committees thoughts on having a face to face committee meeting in June. TW thought it was a little early and MR et PF agreed. DA will arrange the June committee zoom meeting with the hope to meet up in July but this will be reviewed again at the next meeting.

DA closed the meeting by thanking everyone for attending.


Meeting Closed at 8.06pm

Date de la prochaine réunion: Wednesday 23RD June at 7.30pm

To be held via Zoom.