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The Chesham party pictured in Friedrichsdorf during the International Weekend.
International Weekend 2008 - Friedrichsdorf
SEVENTEEN members travelled from Chesham to Friedrichsdorf for the 2008 International Weekend from May 9th - 12th. They were joined there by Stuart and Anita Mosey, still members even though they now live in France.
Also in Friedrichsdorf were friends from Houilles and from Bad Wimsbach, the Austrian town that was Friedrichsdorf's first twin.
The weekend programme included a trip around Frankfurt on the Frankfurter Apfelwein Express (pictured 
here) and a visit to the Palais Rothschild housing the Jewish Museum.
Sunday brought an official reception at the Friedrichsdorf Forum, during which Chesham's Town Mayor Merrin Molesworth addressed the audience, in company with the Mayors of all the twin towns.
The afternoon was spent taking part in various sports and competitions and the day finished with a gala dinner and dance, with cabaret, and this time it was the turn of the twinning leaders to speak, including Chesham's chairman Andrew Ketteringham. Following on were the presentations of trophies for the afternoon's events, including a runners-up place for Sylvia Ewington in the boules competition.
Dancing and cabaret continued until the early hours - "until everyone went home" - and all were recovered in time for the journey back to Chesham on Monday afternoon.
Footnote: All this travelling was accomplished via Terminal 5 - with virtually no hassle, commented secretary for Friedrichsdorf Annie Hinds.
Forging closer links with the town council
WRITING in the May issue of Twinlink, the twinning association's newsletter, Chairman Andrew Ketteringham spoke of recent talks with Chesham Town Council over closer links between the two organisations. He wrote: "I am delighted to say that the councillors agreed and they are going to help us too, by allowing the free use of The Elgiva for the official dinner at the International Weekend next year. This is a very generous offer."
Commenting on the recent International Weekend in Germany, he wrote: "My first visit to Friedrichsdorf must have been about 28 years ago but the welcome we received this year was just as warm . . . Also unchanged was the spirit of the event: making, maintaining and enjoying friendships with people from our twin towns in both Germany and France."
An important member of the delegation was the Town Mayor, Merrin Molesworth. He commented: "She spoke at the official reception on the Sunday morning. I was delighted that members of both the French and German groups went out of their way to tell me how much they appreciated what she had to say and it was pleasing to hear the spontaneous applause she received when commenting on the benefits of twinning . . . it is important that the town is represented by our first citizen."
The rain in Spain (no . . . in Chesham)
IT wasn't raining when 22 visitors from Archena arrived in Chesham on the evening of Thursday September 4th - and it wasn't raining when they left on the following Sunday morning, September 7th. But it didn't do much else between! Our miserable summer continued.
The visitors' busy weekend started with a visit to London on Friday - in the rain - with St Paul's Cathedral and the City of London being popular stops on a wet walking tour, led by chairman Andrew Ketteringham. When the party returned to Chesham they were met by Town Mayor, Councillor Alison Pirouet, at a civic reception in the Town Hall, before returning to their hosts for the evening.
Saturday started with a day-long visit to Cambridge, at the request of the Archeneros, followed by a dinner at Chartridge Park Golf Club. The visitors returned to Archena on Sunday.
Photo: Watched by chairman Andrew Ketteringham, Councillor Alison Pirouet welcomes the Archeneros to the Town Hall. With her is her son Tom, who translated her address into Spanish.
A full report of the visit appears in the October issue of Twinlink.