Minutes July 2022

Minutes of the committee meeting held at Peter and Barbara Fry’s house.

Wednesday 27e Juillet 2022. The meeting started at 7.30pm.


  1. Welcome and apologies for absence:


ACTUELLE: David Atkins (chairman) DA, Barbara Fry (vice chairman) BF, Marina Richards (treasurer) MR, Jacqui Chevalier (secrétaire) JK, Peter Fry PF, Catherine Atkins CA, Sally Bois SW, Kay Strain KS, David Mozley DM, Sarah Gulliver and Nina by Zoom.


EXCUSES: Paul Badman and Francis Knight


  1. Minutes of the meeting held on 22e Juin 2022: Amendment to June’s minutes: It was stated in item 8 that the twinning had previously travelled through the channel tunnel. The twinning did have a previous long coach journey which many stated they did not enjoy as much but they caught the ferry from Dover and did not travel through the tunnel.


  1. Matters Arising not on Agenda: None


  1. Chairman’s Report: I e-mailed Sharon and Veronkia about the timings of visits given the cancellations over the last couple of years. It is clear from Sharon’s response that the French want to remain with the current pattern especially as next year they have a 50th anniversary with Isny in NDG and a visit to Rubeno, Italy to celebrate 20 years. Isny are very much geared up for August 2023.

So this means that we will have to manage two hostings and two visits each yearnot

ideal but we will need to keep trips well apart.

E-mail re death of Manfred Behrning, former mayor of Isny, and twinning supporter. I sent

a card of condolence to the Burgermeister and I believe that SPC have done the same.

Contacted by SPC Chair Laura Wolfers asking if we could arrange a meet with the Mayor of

NDG Virginie when Laura in France. Contacted Sharon who has arranged for her to meet

the deputy Mayor Helene Briffault, who is a former twinner.

Sharon will be in Street in August and Laura wants to meet her with maybe some councillors at the Crispin Hall Café on Saturday 20th August. We will be away but we must ensure that Sharon has some support and that the Association is represented. JK et FK plan to join Sharon when meeting Laura Wolfers.

I have spoken with Linda Ruff about a copy of the infamous plaque and she has suggested

the main wall in the Gravenchon Room in the Parish Rooms that would be perfect. I will

liaise with Sharon about size and format.


A discussion then followed about the painting from Isny which was presented to the Parish Council when they visited Street in 2018. It would be nice if this could be put up in the Parish rooms as it is yet to be put on display. JK stated she has a photo of it after the meeting she emailed it to DA. SW said it would be nice to have a list of items presented to the Parish Council/Twinning and DA will look into this.


  1. Secretary’s Report: Nothing to report


  1. Treasurer’s Report: Please see the financial report at the end of the minutes. MR stated that the direct debit payment that was stated in the June Minutes has now been clarified. It wasn’t Sum Up as originally thought, it was for a Land Rover magazine subscription. GDPR prevents a lot of information being passed back to MR as to who set up the direct debit but it has now been cancelled and all payments refunded.


Current account balance £8823.48

Deposit account balance £8061.59


  1. Membership & Member’s Welfare: JK and FK’s daughter Isobel recently had an appendectomy and spent a week in hospital due to an infection, she is now home and recovering well. DA passed on the twinning’s best wishes to her for a speedy recovery.


  1. Visits: CA has contacted the coach company and emailed Brittany Ferries. To travel by coach will be expensive and as the number of twinners travelling to Gravenchon now only stands at a possible 20 it was suggested that maybe we could hire two mini buses or people could car share and drive. We would need people to drive the mini buses or have enough cars to cater for members who don’t drive. Options were discussed such as driving to the port and leaving cars and boarding the ferry as foot passengers, then being collected in France by the French coach. Or taking our cars over to France and then using the French coach for trips. JK will send out an email to everyone who stated interest in travelling to Gravenchon to get their feedback. DA will email Sharon to ask about the possibility of using a French coach.

Sarah Gulliver, who joined the meeting and is also part of the Gravenchon Mini group, has been looking at the paper work needed for the trip. She also stated that everyone must make sure their passport is stamped when entering France as some workers at passport control are forgetting to do this and it causes problems when coming back through customs on the way to England. The mini group will meet again on Friday 12e July and they will make sure everyone is aware of what they must do before and during the trip.

The aprons have been located ready to take to Gravenchon but we will need a few more made. CA has the bunting to take. Anyone who enjoys sewing please get in touch.


Isny: A social Zoom meeting will take place on Thurs 4e Août. Not all the Isny twinners are able to make the meeting but it was felt it should still go ahead and then another Zoom meeting will be arranged for the Autumn when hopefully more people will be available.


  1. Fundraising and Events:


Summer Social on Saturday 6e Août: MR met Avril and arrangements have been made and the event will be from 2.30 – 4.30pm. Need to know numbers and so MR will create an invite to be sent out to everyone. DA offered the Lyons gazebo to use and MR has one if needed. This is to be a free event.


Merriman Park Fun Day Saturday 3RD Sept. FK will send out an email shortly asking for volunteers and bottles and will be arranging the rota. Will need 2 gazebos.


  1. Site & Facebook: Nothing to report


  1. Publicity: Brochure is in the process of being prepared.


  1. Loterie: Congratulations to the winners of the July lottery draw. The numbers were drawn at the meeting by members of the committee.


1st Prize no.47 Peter Fry

2e Prize no.33 Marcia Della Valle

3RD Prize no.25 Kay Winn


  1. AOB: DA said that the AGM needs to be discussed at the next meeting. Need to agree the changes to the constitution.


  1. Chairman’s Closing Remarks: DA thanked everyone for attending the meeting with special thanks to Sarah for coming along and to Nina for joining us by zoom. Thank you to Peter and Barbara for hosting. Please note change of date for the next meeting.


Meeting Closed at 8.58pm

Date de la prochaine réunion: Thurs 25e Août at 7.30pm

To be held at Barbara and Peters house.