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Dear Fellow Twinners,
First, let me wish everybody a happy, peaceful and healthy New Year. I trust you all spent a reasonable time over Christmas and did not succumb to too many of the unpleasant bugs that seem to be all around us at present.
There are a few things to note since the last Newsletter:
The Skittles Evening in September went well and was both a social and financial success.
Next we saw a flying visit from a coachload of Barentinois in October. Having spent the day visiting Petworth and Arundel, they drop- ped in for a couple of hours before taking the night ferry home. Though brief, it was a pleasing occasion and gave us a chance to catch up on each other’s news. We have no other news from Normandy since then.

Also in October, we had 3 teams enter the Lions Quiz … and one of them won!! Congratulations to the six concerned, the Brenchleys, Tylers and Budds!
Early in November the new road signs were erected at the various entrances to the town, indicating that we now have official links with two other towns. We hope that those of you who have occasion to drive into Petersfield have noticed them.

Early in December six of the committee paid a visit to Warendorf. This came about because the Secretary was asked if she and one or two other ladies would go to demonstrate some traditional British Christmas cooking to students at the Technical High School. (We three husbands went as chauffeurs and support party!) Two Christmas puddings, an iced Christmas cake and some shortbread were all cooked in advance and, once there, the ladies made mince pies and trifle for the students to eat as part of the dessert to their end of term lunch, the first course of which was (traditional German?) chilli con carne. Crackers were also provided to add a festive touch.
Having heard what was to happen at the Technical High School a teacher at the Secondary Modern School asked if the three cooks would go into her establishment the next day to teach the 12 year olds how to make gingerbread men. Again a successful occasion. You can see the results in the picture. All the pupils were very pleasant and showed their appreciation by handing over presents and Christmas cards.

While in Warendorf a splendid 5-course meal was put on for us by one of the Warendorf committee at her home. The Wests were unable to enjoy all this glorious food as they had been invited to take part in another event at the same time - “Bosseln”. Bridget has written an account of this which appears below. Bosseln is a particularlyNorth German winter activity and in the far north is often played on frozen canals.
            John and I were lucky enough to be invited to stay with Klaus and Mechthild Artmann. What fun we had! It was the anniversary of our hosts’ first meeting so we shared their special evening in a hotel, eating a Green Cabbage Supper. The main course was sausages, fillet of pork and well-cooked curly kale. The next day we were introduced to a traditional German sport/pastime known as Bosseln! It was bitterly cold but we wrapped up well and headed out to the flat, rural countryside. We were a total of 7 couples, divided into 2 teams. We were made very welcome. Each team had a wooden ball similar to the sort we use for skittles, together with a trolley and a fishing net!!
             To start this game of Bosseln, we first had some homemade schnapps - very important as it was so cold. We set off bowling underarm down the road. The team that bowled the furthest with the least throws would be the winners. First lesson: the roads are cambered and the ball rolls off on to the grass and into the ditch, hence the need for the nets and drying cloths.
               We bowled for about an hour and arrived at a farm, where we were expected. Tea and cakes were ready. The game resumed and we completed a circuit to arrive back at the farm for a lovely supper in a converted barn. Vast amounts of beer were consumed during this very convivial evening. I do not think I have laughed so much for a long time!
Now to the future:
The first event of 2008 is the Italian Evening on Saturday, 19^th January (7.00 for 7.30p.m.) at The Masonic Hall on the corner of Windsor Road and Station Road - easy parking in the main carpark. The cost is £10 per head. You are welcome to bring friends, as long as we know the numbers for catering. At present we have 20 people wishing to come, but we can take 10 or 15 more. Please complete and return the appropriate slip (even if you did so in September), together with your remittance, by Tuesday, 15^th January at the latest.   A bar is provided for this event and there will be a raffle.
On Saturday, 2^nd February we shall be holding a Bring and Buy Sale/ Coffee Morning in The Pop-In Club in the High Street. Please support this fundraising activity by providing items for sale (cakes, books, bric à brac etc.) and by coming along to buy. We need a rota of helpers, so if you can spare an hour or so, please let us know by sending back the appropriate slip. We shall start setting up at 9.00a.m.
Our A.G.M. is to be held on Thursday, 6^th March, probably at Churcher’s College at 7.00p.m. After the business part of the meeting there will be light refreshments and, we hope, a DVD of a (little publicised) royal visit to Warendorf in 2007. Further details of this evening will be sent later.
The two biggest events for this year are our visit to Barentin in
May and the Warendorfers’ visit here in July.
3 day visit to Barentin: Sat. 24^th - Tues. 27^th May:
Because of the withdrawal of the P&O routes to Le Havre, we shall have to travel by coach to Dover, cross to Calais and then continue on down to Barentin. This is obviously a longer journey, but we really have little choice: the Portsmouth-Caen ferry for that weekend was al- ready fully booked for coaches early last November, and the Newhaven-Dieppe crossing meant travelling in the middle of the night (which we did not think would be popular). The longer journey, increased fuel prices and the extra day for the visit this year inevitably mean higher costs than we have been used to paying. They will work out as follows:
If 35 people travel on the coach the cost will be £80 pp
If 40 people travel on the coach the cost will be £70 pp
So far we have had requests from 19 people to travel by coach and from 4 others who wish to travel independently. Therefore, we need at least another 16 to make this trip viable. Otherwise, everyone will have to make their own way, which will be very difficult for those who do not drive. Please let us know SOON and not later than the end of February whether you wish to take part in this weekend. If we have to cancel the coach (which would be regrettable) then those who need to make their own arrangements will not have a lot of time. The weekend in question is a Bank Holiday one in the UK and therefore many will be wanting to travel. There are a number of people who normally go to Barentin for these twinning weekends from whom we have not yet heard. If you are one of these, please do not assume that we know what you wish to do!! We need your wishes in writing.
If you wish to join the group, but also wish to travel separately for whatever reason, we shall have to ask you for a small fee to help towards the cost of the driver’s accommodation, plus admin.
If you have friends who are not yet members of the Association, they are very welcome to come along, too, but our public liability insurance states that they must join as members in order to take part in foreign visits. We also always strongly recommend that everybody takes personal travel insurance as well.

Visit from Warendorf to Petersfield: Sat. 5^th to Sat. 12^th July. Our German friends are planning to come here by coach. Details of the week are being organised and we will let you know these later in the year. We shall be very pleased to hear from those who can offer accommodation.

Exchange partner needed: We have been asked to find an exchange partner for a German girl of 15 from Warendorf. Do you know someone with a daughter of 14-15 years of age, who would like to do an exchange with a girl of similar age in Warendorf?   The English family need not live in Petersfield, so if you have a niece somewhere else who might be interested, then please let us know.

Finally, you may see notices in the press and around the town that the Association is launching a Youth Travel Bursary this year with the idea of encouraging young people to want to get to know more about their European neighbours. We are inviting applications from those who will be aged between 16 and 22 at the time of travel to undertake a pro- ject of their own choosing in or around Barentin or Warendorf. If you know someone who might be eligible (applicants must live either in Petersfield or in the surrounding area) please ask them to contact us for full details or even just to make enquiries: tel. No. 01730 302862.
There are other activities in the pipeline, of which more later! Meanwhile, I wish all of us another good twinning year.

Your Chairman,
John Kent

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Link to Current Newsletter

To see the September 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the July 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the Spring 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the New Year 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the September 2006 Newsletter click on this link

To see the May 2006 Newsletter click on this link