10th Anniversary of Hayling Twinning Visit

- Wed 21st May 2008

10th Anniversary Celebration of Hayling’s Twinning with Gorron

Almost 10 years to the day, 30 Gorronais, from the department of Mayenne in France, visited Hayling to celebrate the signing of the Twinning Charters between our two communities. The visitors included Gorron’s mayor, two councillors, the President of their twinning association, families and about 10 under 25 year olds. The Hayling Island Twinning Association went out of its way to make the celebrations worthy of the event and the weather was very kind!

Friday saw a visit to the D-Day map room at Southwick House providing a little history, a ploughman’s lunch at the Churchillian on top of Portsdown Hill, a trip round the Suthwyk Ale Brewhouse, providing a little refreshment and a Civic reception at the Council offices offering a little pageantry. The evening saw the British Legion come up trumps with skittles and fish and chips, followed by an energetic session on the dance floor (beer anglais claimed a few victims amongst the younger Gorronais!)

On Saturday we formally celebrated the ‘10 Years of Twinning’ with the unveiling of a plaque under the 10-year old Calvados apple tree in front of the Library, as well as the cutting and eating of a ‘Twinning Cake’. Many who had been present at the original charters signing a decade ago attended this event, including David Willetts, MP, Mayor Vic Pierce Jones, Mayor of Gorron Jean-Marc Allain, Councillor Frank Pearce and former, Mayor David Farrow, who signed the equivalent charters in Gorron two years later. In the evening it was the Golf Club’s turn to shine with a fabulous dinner of roast sirloin and Yorkshire Pudding, with the joints being carved at the tables.

Sunday morning was the occasion for the unveiling of the new ‘Welcome to Hayling Island’ sign at the bridge, which includes recognition of our twinning links with Gorron, a select number being transported in limos supplied by Co-op Funeral Services! The sign theme continued with the presentation to the Gorronnais at Seacourt of a ‘distance to Hayling’ sign, to be displayed outside their Mairie (Town Hall) in Gorron – if you are thinking of visiting, the distance is 300km. – give or take a few inches. Our visitors returned to France on the Sunday, having had a great and memorable weekend.

For some who were visiting for the first time, friendships were made with the families who hosted them and for others friendships were renewed.

We now looking forward to and preparing for visits to Gorron by some of the younger members of our community, including tap dancers and footballers.

If you have any interest in joining in with the twinning activities, please give Kathy Fischer a call on 9246-8067

Peter Loveridge
Chairman, Hayling Island-Gorron Twinning Association

By forum user, PaulFisher

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