YEARBOOK
2012
Llandrindod Wells and Area Twinning Association
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Llandrindod Wells and Area Twinning Association Once more we have raced through another year and the season of goodwill is quickly upon us. Not really that quickly, it just seems so because of the amount of activity the Twinning Association has been involved in. From our regular monthly meetings to fundraising events and double exchange visits to and from Contrexéville and Bad Rappenau our 'Twinned Towns'. I am pleased to tell you that you can read about the visits in the following pages of this 2012 Yearbook. My position as chairman has been adventurous, instructive and, at times, exhausting. The committee have run the show most enthusiastically using forward thinking skills that would enhance the prospectus of the occupiers of a certain No.10 Downing Street. It is simply wonderful to be with a team who think along the lines of that famous adage :"it is not what Twinning can do for me" but more like "what can I do for Twinning." On that note we thank Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, Councillor Jeff Green who has, with enthusiasm, supported everything, everywhere, every time. It was only a few years ago that my job was quite simple. Turn up at the meeting, say a few words, listen to a few words, go out and do the opposite, then turn heads towards a task or two and get the visits synchronised. Not any more, this committee have pulled all the stops out, they are keeness itself and they are determined to keep 'Twinning' top of the agenda in Llandrindod Wells and the surrounding area. Read through the pages of this booklet and find out for yourselves just what I mean. The 20th anniversary of our Twinning with Contrexéville features twice. Firstly over in France in July and then back home to Llandrindod in October. The reports of these and the other visits and activities undertaken during the year will bring you closer to the Association and will surely tempt you to join up. In closing I sincerely thank all the 'hosts' who gave of their time to look after our visitors from Contrexéville for the 20th Anniversary. That list was put together by Barbara Shelton, our 'Hosting' secretary. Barbara will have been in touch with you all several times and that action was carried out using excellent skills. Of course there was a huge back up from the whole committee who have been very involved in 'Twinning' this year. My thanks to everyone. You/we are a great team and we must continue into 2013.
Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year to you all
Chairman
About Twinning Town twinning is an agreement of goodwill made between two or more towns of similar size and character in their different countries. They sign a charter to foster friendship and goodwill between their two communities. Reciprocal two-way visits foster personal friendships and mutual understanding. By visiting a twin town, staying with a family and discussing things of mutual interest, we discover what we have in common and learn to understand and enjoy our differences - such as French cooking!
Who are we twinned with? We signed a twinning charter with the small spa town of Contrexéville in 1992. It is in a region of low mountains called the Vosges, a rural area which shares many features with Radnorshire. Contrexéville was itself twinned with the German spa town of Bad Rappenau, near Heidelberg, and in 2001 a formal twinning charter was signed between Llandrindod Wells and Bad Rappau
The aims of the Association The Association wants to make twinning accessible to all sectors of our community and would like to hear from any local group wishing to make an exchange visit. These are some of the areas in which we would like to see exchange visits being arranged : • education, training and work experience • culture, music and the arts • sport and recreation • business and tourism development • social visits We particularly wish to support exchanges involving young people.
How is the Association run? The Twinning Association is an independent organisation and relies on the energy and enthusiasm of local residents to make the programme work. A small committee of volunteers runs the twinning programme and keeps in regular contact with our counterparts in Contrexéville and Bad Rappenau. The committee is supported by a number of working groups dealing with matters such as fundraising, publicity and hospitality.
How is twinning funded? The Association’s activities are funded almost exclusively from local voluntary contributions. The Association has received some grant support from Llandrindod Wells Town Council and also seeks grant aid from the European Commission for specific projects. However, we rely almost exclusively on the efforts of our fundraising working group in order to meet the cost of receiving visiting groups. We rely on local families to provide hospitality, but additional funds are needed for the receptions and social gatherings which we arrange whilst visitors are here. These events provide excellent opportunities for visitors and local people to meet. Groups and people travelling abroad are responsible for funding their own transport costs. The Association assists groups to find accommodation through our counterparts in ContrexÊville and Bad Rappenau.
How can I get involved? There are no limits to the extent to which the twinning programme can be developed for the benefit of our community. We look to local residents and groups to put forward ideas, so that the programme can reflect the needs and wishes of the community. If you can offer your help on a regular or seasonal basis, for example by helping with fundraising or by putting up visitors in your home, this will help to enlarge and expand our twinning links. This provides opportunities to get involved with your local community and with the French and German visitors. Opportunities will then arise for visiting ContrexĂŠville and Bad Rappenau at the cost of a bus or air ticket and some presents for your host family. If you are interested then please fill in the response form and post to the Twinning Association Secretary Peter Davies.
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The Mayor of Llandrindod, Trish Hill, and Twinning Association members and supporters at their Annual Dinner at the Lakeside Restaurant
Twinning Quizzes In order to help raise funds for the numerous activities planned by the Twinning Association in 2012, a quiz was held at Dolau Community Hall on 3rd February. Eight teams took part in the challenging but entertaining contest. The overall winners were a team comprising the Gilbert family and the Association's secretary, Peter Davies. The event raised over £108-00. Also launched at this event was a Diamond Jubilee Quiz Sheet with sixty questions, one for each year of her Majesty's reign. The sheets were sold for £1-00 each and a cash prize of £50-00 offered for the entry with the most correct answers. The result was announced in Jubilee week in June.
Annual Dinner A delicious three-course meal was enjoyed by twenty-three twinning supporters at the Lakeside Restaurant on the evening of 17th February. The group included Trish Hill, Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, who was the guest of honour. Jeff Thomas, Chairman of the Twinning Association, spoke about the successful visits organised in 2011 and looked forward to a busy year in 2012 when three different groups visit Llandrindod from the twin towns of Bad Rappenau, Germany and Contrexéville, France.
Table Top Sale Twinning funds were boosted by a further £145 at the end of March by the proceeds of a table top sale, held at Penybont Community Centre, of goods donated by twinning supporters, and by the sale of knitted socks and mobile phone covers skillfully made by hosting secretary Barbara Shelton.
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The Tesco Wells 8 store in Llandrindod 9 10
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Twinning Awareness Days
For two days in mid-April the Twinning Association manned an exhibition in the foyer of the Tesco store in Llandrindod Wells. The purpose of the exhibition was to raise local awareness of twinning and our twinned towns. Leaflets outlining the aims of twinning were distributed and badges of Hygeia, the symbol of the town were sold. The store donated a voucher to be spent on food for the forthcoming barbecue for visiting German school children and Llandrindod Wells Scouts.
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Annual General Meeting The Twinning Association's AGM was held at the Llandrindod Wells 8 9 10 11 VACANT Conservative Club on 97th May. In his report the Chairman, Jeff Thomas, outlined the year's activities and fund raising efforts. He thanked the outgoing treasurer, Ray Trend, for the splendid way in which he kept the books and presented the accounts, that showed a healthy positive balance, and welcomed the new treasurer Forbes Lopez. The following officers and committee members were elected: Officers: Chairman:Jeff Thomas (1), Vice Chairman:Rob Shelton (2),Treasurer: Forbes Lopez (3), Secretary: Peter Davies (4), Hosting Secretary: Barb Shelton (5), Fund Raising Secretary: Deryn Gambles (6), Publicity Officer: Wendy Thomas (7). Members: Elsbeth Vipond (8), Sheila Bufton (9), Joyce Hope (10), Audrey Houghton (11), and representing Llandrindod Town Council: Jeff Green (12), and Trish Hill (13) Ex-officio membership positions for the County Council and High School remained unfilled. Ed & Anna Coady (14) also joined the committee in September. The date of the 2013 AGM is 15th May. The time and location will be announced on notices that will be posted on Town Notice Boards and on Tesco's Community Notice Board. Everybody living in Llandrindod Wells and the surrounding area is invited to attend and get involved in twinning activities. New hosts and people wishing to organise visits and events with our twin towns of Bad Rappenau and ContrexĂŠville are always welcome. The committee would specially welcome younger residents to complement the existing experienced team. If you are interested in getting involved then please complete the response form on the third page of this Yearbook and forward to the secretary or hand to any member of the committee.
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B체rgermeister's Visit In the middle of May Heribert Bl채ttgen, the B체rgermeister (mayor) of Bad Rappenau, made a five-day visit to Llandrindod Wells accompanied by several members of his town council and twinning supporters who stayed with hosts in and around Llandrindod. The twenty-seven strong group arrived on Thursday 16th May at Birmingham airport where they were met and taken by coach to Stratford-Upon-Avon for an afternoon's sightseeing, after which they travelled to Llandrindod to meet their hosts for afternoon tea at the Lakeside Restaurant. The following day some of the visitors spent the day with their hosts, whilst the more energetic split into two groups for a ramble in the Elan Valley and a walk to Shaky Bridge. That evening everyone got together for an evening meal at Llandrindod Golf Club where our newly elected mayor, Jeff Green, met his German counterpart. Walkers at Shaky Bridge Guests and hosts enjoying their meals at the Severn Arms
Saturday was spent at the Spring Festival held at the Royal Welsh Show Ground. That evening guests and hosts were entertained by the Builth Male Voice Choir and the Drake Choir from the USA at a charity concert at the Pavilion. The following morning everyone met by the lake to bid farewell.
On Friday the group and some of their hosts enjoyed a day at the seaside at Aberystwyth followed by a stroll along the beach from Borth to Ynyslas. The bracing sea air gave them a hearty appetite for their meal that evening at the Severn Arms Hotel, Penybont. Before their meal several guests were introduced to the game of short mat bowls in the adjacent community centre.
Mayors Jeff Green & Heribert Bl채ttgen with guests & hosts at the Golf Club
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The beach walk from Borth to Ynyslas
Wilhelm-Hauf-Realschüle Visit A group of fifty-four pupils and their teachers from the Wilhelm-HauffRealschȕle, Bad Rappenau, visited Mid Wales for a five-day stay in the second week of July. This was the largest group of pupils from Bad Rappenau to have visited Llandrindod Wells and comprised two classes of pupils aged from 13 to 15 years. One class stayed at Elan Valley Lodge and the other at Highland Moors Guest House. The group arrived just before the start of Llandrindod Wells Carnival and was invited to follow the band as part of the procession through the town. Jeff Green, Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, welcomed the group after the procession expressing the hope that the youth of Llandrindod Wells would take up an invitation to visit Bad Rappenau in future years. Several events were organised by theTwinning Association starting with a day’s visit to Aberystwyth and Ynyslas for a beach walk. The following day the young visitors travelled to St Fagans National History Museum and Cardiff city centre where they were able to learn about the Welsh culture and also enjoy shopping. During the remaining days of the trip the group tried their hand at a number of activities in Llandrindod Wells including target golf and indoor bowling sessions under the expert guidance of members of Llandrindod Wells Golf Club and of the Radnorshire Indoor Bowls Centre. A day of outdoor activities was also enjoyed in the Claerwen Valley where the young German students developed their leadership skills by undertaking a raft building exercise . A highlight of the visit was a barbecue party organised by Llandrindod Wells Scouts that enabled the German visitors to meet and make friends with young people in the area. The Scout leaders organised a wide variety of competitive activities after which everyone enjoyed the barbecue. Jeff Green, Mayor of Llandrindod, attended the barbecue and made presentations to competition winners.
20th Anniversary Visit to Contrexéville Contrexéville marked the twentieth anniversary of twinning with Llandrindod Wells and thirty years twinning with Bad Rappenau at a weekend meeting of activities centred around the traditional 14th July celebrations. Contrexéville went to a lot of effort to make the twinning celebrations memorable with special banners and signs at the town approaches welcoming the visitors from Wales and Germany. Seven members of the Llandrindod Twinning Committee travelled under their own steam and were welcomed by Arnauld Salvini, the Mayor, on their arrival in Contrexéville with a lunch reception in the grand Casino. A large group from Bad Rappenau, including the Grombach Band and three renegades from Llandrindod Wells, arrived later by coach from Germany to begin a busy schedule of celebrations.
The Official Water Tasters
The Contrexéville band and Grombach Band performed in a concert at the magnificent Casino Theatre. The Mayors of Contrexéville and Bad Rappenau plus Jeff Thomas, representing the Mayor of Llandrindod, made impassioned speeches describing how twinning had enabled mutual co-operation and friendship between the three communities. A stained glassplaque made in New Radnor from recycled glass by Ten Green Bottles was presented to Arnaud Salvini as a memento of the occasion. Mayor Salvini with the plaque of Hygeia
The weekend’s activities also included a golf match, the honorary investiture of members of the Llandrindod and Bad Rappenau Twinning Committees as “Official Water Tasters” and a spectacular firework display set to Welsh, German and French music with colours and characteristics representing the three nations. The visit culminated with an official lunch hosted by the Mayor in the Casino where food was interspersed with music and dancing.
Town Councillor Deryn Gambles at the 14th July Ceremony
Mayor's Fun Day
On Saturday 4th August the Twinning Association participated, with other local voluntary organisations, in the “Mayor's Fun Day” held on the green inVACANT the centre of Llandrindod Wells. Information on our twin towns of Bad Rappenau and Contrexéville was exhibited and leaflets on twinning distributed. Funds were raised, to cover the leaflet printing costs, by challenging visitors to the stall to take part in a “name the country” competition and a target boules competition. During the heavy summer showers throughout the afternoon, the helpers on the stall were grateful for the loan of a gazebo by committee member Sheila Bufton.
Private Visit
Such is the popularity of mid-Wales as a destination for a short break by residents of our German twin town, that a group from Bad Rappenau made a private visit to Llandrindod in late September.
Setting up the stall for the “Mayor's Fun Day”
The group stayed at the Hotel Metropole and visited Elan Valley, Abbey Cwmhir Hall, Chester, Aberystwyth and Hay-on-Wye.
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Sale of Goods One of the main sources of income for the Twinning Association in recent years has been the proceeds from selling items donated by supporters in the sale room at Pritchard's Garage. Unfortunately this venue is no longer available, but due to the efforts of our fund raising secretary, Deryn Gambles who was responsible for all the hard work organising and running the sale, the Association was able to hire a shop in Middleton Street for the annual sale of goods. Thanks to the donation of items by twinning supporters the sale, held between 15-26 October, made a nett profit of more than £700-00.
20th Anniversary Celebrations The twinning agreement between Llandrindod Wells and Contrexéville was signed in 1992. To celebrate the twentieth anniversary a busy longweekend of activities was organised by the twinning associations of both towns at the end of October. Forty people including the Contrexéville Band travelled by coach to Wales on 26th October. They were joined the following day by the Mayor of Contrexéville, Arnauld Salvini. The delegation was welcomed by Jeff Green, Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, on their arrival in the town. The guests were hosted for the four-day stay by families in Llandrindod and the surrounding area.
Jeff Green, Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, presenting atree to commemorate 20 years of twinning to Arnauld Salvini, Mayor of Contrexéville
The 20th Anniversary cake cut at Dolau Hall
The band and guests spent an enjoyable Saturday visiting Elan Valley and Aberystwyth before returning to Llandrindod Wells for a buffet prepared by the ladies of the twinning committee before performing in a Band Extravaganza Concert at the Pavilion. The French band were joined by Llandrindod Wells Silver Band and Holy Trinity Orchestra. The audience was enthralled by the polished and entertaining performances from all the bands in a varied programme of music.
The following day the band played in the morning service at Holy Trinity Church where the French visitors were made to feel most welcome. After the service the Contrexéville delegation and sixty hosts and supporters enjoyed a 20th anniversary lunch at the Metropole Hotel. To commemorate the anniversary the Mayor of Llandrindod, Jeff Green, presented a tree to Arnauld Salvini, Mayor of Contrexéville which will be planted in France as a living symbol of the friendship between the towns. In the evening the celebrations continued at Dolau Community Hall where instrumentalists from the Contrexéville band joined local musicians to play at a ceilidh evening of music and dancing. On their final day the guests, accompanied by some of the hosts, travelled to Cardiff where they visited The National Museum of Wales at St Fagans. After the museum visit the band played on Glanfa Stage in the Millennium Centre and then enjoyed an afternoon sightseeing and shopping in Cardiff. The band members and supporters were overwhelmed at the hospitality given to them by the host families in Llandrindod. The visit helped to build friendship and understanding through the exchange of music and cultural experience. A number of the instrumentalists plan return visits to Llandrindod Wells to consolidate the musical friendships they formed during their stay. Jeff Thomas, the Twinning Association chairman, thanked everyone in Llandrindod Wells and area who had worked hard to make the 20th anniversary celebration visit such a success.
The Contrexéville Band Performing at the Pavilion
Bierkeller Nacht Members of Radnor Valley Band were the stars at the Bierkeller Night in Dolau Community Hall organised by the Twinning Association as a social fund raising event. The twenty-strong band were dressed in traditional German costumes and had a captivated audience participating in singing and dancing. Under the leadership of their musical director David Wilson, the band played a variety of German oompah music and Viennese waltzes, whilst the audience enjoyed a variety of beer and wines. Traditional German food, including sauerkraut, frankfurters and apple strudel, was prepared and served by committee members. At the end of the evening a suitably attired Jeff Thomas presented the raffle prizes and a prize to the best-dressed band member. The event raised over £300-00 towards the Twinning Association’s funds.
Prost!
Skittles and Chips Two weeks later, at the Royal British Legion Club in Llandrindod Wells, twinning supporters gathered for the annual skittles competition organised with the help of Vic Everill and Ann Harmon. An evening of keen but friendly competition saw Ed Coady and his playing partner, Audrey Houghton, run out as the clear winners with Larry Patient and Mo Foister bringing up the rear. A fish and chips supper was enjoyed, during an interval in play, by those competitors who had purchased an “all-inclusive” ticket.
The organisers and winners with their prizes
The event was the last of a series of fund raising events held throughout the year that in total raised over £1,500-00.
Advent Coffee Time Visit On Thursday 29th November a group of sixteen twinners, including the mayor Jeff Green and his family, flew to Stuttgart for a five-night stay in Bad Rappenau. The group was met at the airport and travelled by coach to our twin town for a reception at the town hall. Shortly after their arrival they were joined by a party of ten people from Contrexéville. The following morning an informative tour was made of the Salt Mine Museum. The wealth of Bad Rappenau was originally created by extracting salt from the extensive deposits below the town. Today Bad Rappenau is a thriving spa and health resort and the visitors were able to enjoy the modern spa facilities that are fed from salt springs. In the evening, following supper with their host families, everyone visited the enchanting Christmas market in the nearby Bad Wimpen Christmas Market mediaeval town of Bad Wimpen. The Welsh party included Keith and Sheila Bufton who are two long-standing members of the Twinning Association. The Bad Rapppenau Committee were Prost! aware that Keith and Sheila would be celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary whilst in Germany and had organised a special ecumenical service of thanksgiving in the evangelical church in Babstadt. After the service over eighty guests joined Keith and Sheila to continue the celebrations at a party in the local church hall. After spending a quiet Sunday morning with their hosts the group gathered in the Wasserschloss for “Advent Coffee”. This was followed by an evening meal of goulash soup and maultaschen, a Swabian specialty food, consisting of an outer layer of pasta dough with a filling of minced meat, smoked meat, spinach, bread crumbs and onions flavoured with various herbs and spices. On the final full day in Germany some visitors made a trip to the Heilbronn Christmas market whilst others visited the ancient city of Heidelberg. During the visit mayor Jeff Green had a constructive meeting with his German counterpart when they discussed a wide range of topics including how business and youth links between the towns could be developed and reinforced.
Pastor Oliver Schuele with Sheila & Keith Bufton
Hygeia Badges In Greek and Roman mythology Hygeia was the daughter of the god of medicine. She was the goddess of health, cleanliness, and sanitation. Her image was widely used until relatively recently on souvenir ware for the spa town of Llandrindod Wells. The Twinning Association has adopted a stylised version as our logo and have enamelled metal badges for sale at £1.00 each. The 20mmx 15mm badges have a butterfly pin and make ideal tie pins, lapel or hat badges.
Forthcoming Events in 2013 The twinning committee is busy planning events for 2013 including: Annual dinner in February. Quiz at Dolau Community Hall in February. ● AGM 15th May ● Cheese and Wine Party. ● Country and Western Evening. ● Visit by young people from Gemany and France. ● Choir Concert. ● Other fund raising events and visits throughout the year. ● ●
Keep an eye on our website (address on cover) for further news.
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