MP supports place naming

Seaton's MP, Neil Parish, has endorsed our efforts to naming an open space in Seaton in honour of Thury-Harcourt. In an email to Graham Jones, he writes :-

Dear Mr Jones,

Thank you for your recent email regarding the open space commonly known as “The Public Realm”.

I would be very happy to support Seaton and District Twinning Association in their desire to name the area, either “Place Thury-Harcourt” after French usage, or the anglicised equivalent form of “Thury-Harcourt Place”.

I would be very happy for you to make public my support for the naming of “The Public Realm”. I am a big supporter of Seaton twinning with Thury-Harcourt in Normandy. I believe that the way to create greater understanding between ourselves and the continent is for exchanges to take place between individuals, rather than politicians pontificating on the matter!

I wish you a very Happy Christmas and hope that all goes well with the public consultation.

Yours sincerely,

Neil Parish

 

 

Place Thury Harcourt - A very important message

During the next week the people of Seaton are going to vote on a proposal to name on open space in honour of Thury-Harcourt. Notices should appear in next weeks "View From" and "Midweek Herald" with details. This is an Association initiative, and we want it to happen. To ensure it, it is vitally important that our supporters get out and vote. Please vote yourselves, and get all your friends to the same. A press release form our Chairman is copied below.

Press Release

THIRTY YEARS A TWIN AND STILL NO NAME!

The town of Seaton has been twinned with the town of Thury-Harcourt in the beautiful Suisse-Normande in France since 1982.
The town council and people of Thury-Harcourt have shown their affection and respect for Seaton and our country by naming streets after us: rue de Seaton; after the twinning: chemin des Jumelages; and other locations after British regiments, some local, involved in the Liberation.
In this the 30^th anniversary year of the twinning, Seaton Town Council and the Seaton and District Twinning Association want to reciprocate this kindly feeling and respect by naming the area known as the Public Realm ‘Thury-Harcourt Place’ or ‘Place Thury-Harcourt’.
WHY THE PUBLIC REALM
The Public Realm is the place many visitors see on their arrival in Seaton, perhaps increasingly foreign visitors to the area. This naming would express our welcome to all visitors to the town and our openness to the world beyond our borders.
Still thriving after 30 years, the twinning is a part of Seaton’s evolving story, as well as a civic commitment. It is a name that expresses something that is part of Seaton’s identity. This is important in an area where visitors arrive.
We get few opportunities to name new areas in Seaton. We have a debt of honour to our friends in Thury-Harcourt. This is the right time to carry out this naming. The public realm is we believe the right place.
We hope that the people of Seaton will support us. There will be voting slips at the Town Hall. If you do support us but can’t get to the Town Hall or the consultation on the Public Realm itself, please write to the Town Council.

Skittles - A Good Night

Some two dozen members turned out for a very pleasant evening of skittles with a buffet supper at PJ's on Saturday. There was a good atmosphere, and the buffet was excellent given the cost. Several people suggested that we use PJ's more often. Let the committee know what you think.

Skittle Social at PJ's 8th December

Advance Notice
There will be a social evening with snacks and skittles at PJ's in Seaton on Saturday 8th December. Details to follow. Try and keep the date free.

Successful Coffee Morning

The coffee morning of the 3^rd November at Seaton Town Hall was very successful with some 35 plus members and friends dropping in to chat, exchange ideas and experiences, meet friends and enjoy the superb coffee and cakes. The cakes were baked by members and the coffee was authentically French. Both received many complimentary comments. Added to that, three new members were signed up, and although not designed as a fund raising event, there was a modest profit for the Association's coffers. All in all, it was a very successful event.

Committee Changes

Changes

There has been some important changes to the Association's Committee following the resignation of Glyn as secretary. Wendy Greenland has taken over as Secretary, and Graham Jones has been asked to fill the vacant post of Publicity and Public Relations Officer. Both these posts are co-options to the committee and will last until the AGM at the end of February when elections take place for all the committee. This website has been moribund for some time, and Graham has been specifically tasked with up-dating it. Watch this space !

Future Events

Newsletter from Glyn

We will be holding a get together to discuss the trip and just generally next year's visit and possible fund raising ideas. This will be in the upstairs room at the Town Hall Wednesday 11th July at 7:30 p.m.
Please bring a plate of something savoury to nibble/share and anything sweet if that is what you enjoy.
There is limited car parking behind the Town Hall and I’m afraid it will be a case of first come, first served.
 There are also 2 fund raising events we are looking to take part in.
 Firstly, 4th August on the seafront, Devon Air Ambulance are holding a street fair and we will be running a raffle. Prizes and offers of help please.
 Secondly, 27th August is the Carnival Street fair. That will be a Tombola stall and again prizes and offers of help wanted please.

Visit to Thury 2012 - Photos

A report on our visit to Thury-Harcourt will follow. The object of this post is tell everyone that a new album of 45 photos of our visit has been uploaded. The link is on the right. These were taken by just two of our members and therefore fail to give a balanced view. We need more. If anyone has photos that they would like to see in the album, please talk to Clare Jones or any other member of the committee.

New Photo Album

T

Dates of the Exchange

By oversight, the last newsletter unfortunately omitted the date of the exchange for this year, although it was widely circulated in previous correspondence.
so to confirm..
Friday June 8th to Monday 11th June inclusive
There is still time to book, but the clock is ticking!

New Chairman

Clare Jones is the Association's new chairman following the resignation of Irene. Clare has been a long time member and has previously served on the committee as Secretary before Glyn took over. We wish her well in her new role.

Report of the AGM

Our Secretary, Glyn Roberts writes:-

Greetings Everyone This brief newsletter is to bring everyone up to speed with the events of Fridays AGM and developments since then. I had a change of circumstances and was able to stand as Secretary and was duly elected. Shiona Rudge was elected Treasurer and Ken Beer was elected to the Committee. Irene Harrison was re-elected as Chair but has since resigned. We thank her for service. We need a new Chair which must come from the Committee. So far I have one nomination for the Committee, Clare Jones. If anyone wishes to stand for the Committee please nominated and seconded names to me by next Monday, 5th March. We need one more name for marshalling the Grizzly please volunteers names to me please. Names also needed for our trip to Thury ASAP, plus any membership fees due please. At the United Reformed Church on Weds 1st March at the United Reformed Church, Cross St. Seaton there is a meeting re saving St Clare’s. Names are needed to sign the petition so as we use the building it would be good if members could get along and add their names. 7:30 p.m. start time.

Resignation of Chairman

French Film in Lyme Regis

One of our members David Johnson is manager of the cinema in Lyme regis and has suggested that twinners might be interested in this weeks silver screen showing. He writes:

Silver Screen operates in the Regent cinema in Lyme on Thursday mornings. The film on Thurs 16 Feb (doors at 10am, prog start 10.30) is a delightful French film called My Afternoons with Margueritte, with Gerard Depardieu, finishing about 12.15. The film society showed it in October and it had 109 5* ratings from members! It isn't yet on DVD as far as I know. Tickets are only £3.25 incl coffee and biscuit and twinners are assured of a warm welcome!

Newsletter re AGM & Visit Details - Very Important

Greetings Everyone,
Welcome to my final newsletter as Secretary, here’s hoping it will be as factually correct and entertaining as its predecessors!
As previously advised I will regretfully be resigning at the AGM on the 24th of February at Crossroads 7.30 p.m. start. However, even more regrettably, after 15 years as Treasurer Avis has decided to stand down as well. Please let me know as soon as possible please if you would like to offer yourself for either position or to serve on the Committee. To date and somewhat predictably there have been no offers! Irene has asked me to pass on to you the importance that these posts be filled otherwise the Association cannot operate. The Grizzly will be on the March. 11th.
The Association have volunteered to act as marshals once again. Gerry Dawson is kindly acting as co-ordinator but please advise me if you are available to marshal the event as soon as possible. Even if you have confirmed verbally I need these offers firmed up please. We get well paid for this event and I had hoped that we could run two points, but I suppose that everyone else has the same thought!
The date of the visit to Thury has been arranged for Friday June 8th, returning Monday June 11th. This will mean an early start around 4.00 a.m. as we have to sail from Portsmouth because as to date the Barfleur from Poole is not in service. If you are interested in going on the visit please let me know as soon as possible. Sweatshirts and polo shirts can be ordered and I will be looking into fleeces as well. I think the corporate look had a great effect on our visitors in June and I would like to think we could impress when we visit. Finally if you have anything you wish
to be placed on the agenda for the AGM please get back to me ASAP. There will be a bar and light
refreshments and an interval quiz amongst all the other joy. Thank you all for your patience and I
hope to see you at the AGM full of ideas.
Regards,
Glyn.

Request
Please can you contact Gail on 21833 with any prizes that you may have for the raffle for the AGM.
Suggestions: Bottle of wine, chocolates, unwanted presents, plant, fruit basket