Jeff Day becomes Thury's Citizen of the Year

There is a lot of news and photos to to be added to the site over the next few weeks stemming from our twinning trip to Thury-Harcourt. Expect the normal appeals for anecdotes, stories and photos, as well as several new links. Before this, however, there is a need to highlight an exceptional achievement. Jeff Day, our chairman, has received a remarkable double honour by becoming the citizen of the year in both Seaton and Thury-Harcourt in the same week. Thury's Mayor Paul Chandelier (seen with Jeff above) presented Jeff with the award last Saturday at a reception held for the Seaton twinners. He congratulated our Association on having an excellent website and explained that through it, his Council had discovered the award bestowed on Jeff by the town of Seaton and decided that they too wanted to recognize his great work for international friendship and understanding. Consequently they had made him Thury's Citizen of the year, and had had a special medal produced. A reporter from the newspaper, Ouest-France was at hand and the next edition duly carried the headline

Jeff Day, décoré, devient citoyen de l'année

which can be loosely translated as Jeff Day, honoured for his service becomes citizen of the year.
The link to the online article in Ouest-France is on the list of external links on the right together with a second article on the twinning visit

The sentiment expressed in the article by Thury's mayor very roughly translates (and this is not a accurate word for word translation by any means) as -

It is friendship, not politicians that makes a better world . In twinning we are building a Europe with our fellow English and Germans. It is what Jeff has been doing for twenty-seven years and this deserves a medal!

A photos of close-ups of both the French medal and the English lapel badge have been added to
the photo gallery of commemorative items

Part of the presentation is shown in the video below

The inscription says Jeff Day 27 years service of Twinning Seaton-Thury Harcourt 22 May 2010

Our Chairman Jeff Day is Seaton's Citizen of the Year

Two of our committee were honoured at the Seaton Town Council AGM on May 10th. Our chairman Jeff Day was elected as Seaton's Citizen of the Year 2010 in recognition of his sterling work on behalf of the twinning exchange with Thury-Harcourt for the past 27 years, of which 17 has been as chairman. The citation, after reviewing the benefits of the twinning arrangement went on to say - "None of this (the benefits of twinning) would have been possible without the dedication and sheer hard work Jeff has done. In Thury-Harcourt, as in many other European Countries, their twinning association gets financial and administrative help from the local council. In Britain, everything depends on individuals. In Devon, many twinning associations are in decline or are moribund. The reason that Seaton is not in this group is simply because of Jeff, and his very special qualities that include infinite patience, consummate diplomacy, total dedication, deprecating modesty and a wry sense of humour. Each time the Association has faltered, Jeff has come to the rescue. It is not too much of an exaggeration to say that today Seaton may be without its twinning dimension, if not for Jeff. Seaton values its relationship with Thury-Harcourt, and it is appropriate that Seaton acknowledges the service that Jeff has performed. Jeff hopes to stands down next year after 17 years of service as chairman and so next week when he and the twinners of Seaton visit Thury on his last trip as president, he goes with the citizen of the year award in recognition of the service Jeff has done, not only here but also for our French twin town. It is an award greatly deserved.

Congratulations also to our secretary Glyn Roberts who was praised at the meeting by County Councillor Jim Knight for his service as a Special Police Constable. Glyn and other Association members shown below were at the presentation to congratulate Jeff