Our French partners, CJL have now put some photos on the Web of their recent visit to Radlett & Aldenham to celebrate the Silver Anniversary of twinning.
You can see them here
Friday 7 November 2008
Tuesday 28 October 2008
Radlett celebrates Silver Anniversary for French twinning
Last weekend (23 to 25 October) Radlett welcomed 28 visitors from its French twin town, Louveciennes, including their Mayor, André Vanhollebeke to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of their twinning partnership. The Chairman of Radlett's German twinning partners in Lautertal also joined the celebrations. During a busy few days the visitors toured Bhaktivedanta Manor and Aldenham Church, attended a reception hosted by Aldenham Parish Council at the Radlett Centre and held a Silver Anniversary Dinner at Porters Park Golf Club. A highlight of the visit was the re-dedication of a lime tree planted on Aldenham Green in 1983 at the time of the original twinning and which is now one of the largest trees on the Green.
Clive Glover, Chairman of RAIFA, said that the visit was a tremendous success, reflecting the continuing support for twinning in the two communities. “Over the 25 years there have been around 80 official exchanges between Aldenham and Louvciennes, as well as many informal exchanges, particularly between families who have become firm friends over the years. It was especially nice that a number of the people involved in the original twinning arrangements 25 years ago took part in this visit, but it was also clear that a new generation of families are now taking over. We are planning more exchanges involving families with school-age children as these have proved very popular.”
Bhakdavidanta Manor, Letchmore Heath
Departure from RadlettMonday 20 October 2008
Fete des Fleurs 2008
Each year we send a teenage girl from Radlett to be a Maid of Honour at the Fete des Fleurs (Flower Festival) in Louveciennes. This year our representative was Berri Sandford who wrote this account of her experiences:
The next day I was looking forward to doing the day time parade. I was made to feel very special and was taken to the Marie (Town Hall) for lunch first with the other girls. After we were shown to our float again but this time we were given 2 big bin bags of confetti. It was a lovely sunny day and it seemed like the whole town had turned up. The parade was made up of 2 bands and 8 floats plus people dressed up walking. It was traditional for us to throw confetti at the passing crowds but in return we got sprayed with ‘silly string’ and covered in confetti! It was so much fun.
It was upsetting giving my costume back and having to say bye to all the other princesses but I was so glad to have taken part in such a memorable experience.
On September 20th I travelled to Louveciennes to take part in the Fête des Fleurs.I was very excited to be representing Radlett as a princess on one of the floats. Once we arrived I was taken off to try on my costume and meet the other princesses.These were a French girl from the village, German and Romanian girls who were also from twinned towns like me. When I first saw the float I was astonished to find that it was all made out of fresh flower heads and was a mermaid design.
The Saturday night was amazing we sat on the float and were paraded around the village followed by the local people who were carrying lanterns. At the end of the parade the whole village descended upon the local sports ground to watch a spectacular firework display.The next day I was looking forward to doing the day time parade. I was made to feel very special and was taken to the Marie (Town Hall) for lunch first with the other girls. After we were shown to our float again but this time we were given 2 big bin bags of confetti. It was a lovely sunny day and it seemed like the whole town had turned up. The parade was made up of 2 bands and 8 floats plus people dressed up walking. It was traditional for us to throw confetti at the passing crowds but in return we got sprayed with ‘silly string’ and covered in confetti! It was so much fun.
It was upsetting giving my costume back and having to say bye to all the other princesses but I was so glad to have taken part in such a memorable experience.
Friday 12 September 2008
25th Anniversary of Twinning with Louveciennes
We will be welcoming a group of visitors from Louveciennes here in Radlett next month (October) to celebrate the Silver Anniversary (that's 25 years!) of our twinning. We are busy planning their programme at present but it will certainly be a memorable occasion.
Fete des Fleurs
As usual we will be sending a young girl from Radlett to be the Maid of Honour accompanying the Festival Queen at the annual Fete des Fleurs (Festival of Flowers) in Louveciennes over the weekend of 20/21 September. This year we have chosen Beri Sanford, a pupil at St Albans Girls' School and I am sure she will have a great time. We will publish some pictures as soon as we can!
Friday 16 May 2008
New APEG Website
We have been informed that APEG, our German partner organisation in Lautertal has created a brand new website
And very good it is too!
And very good it is too!
Family Exchange between Radlett and Louveciennes
Over the May Bank Holiday weekend this year, three families from Radlett visited our French Twin Town, Louveciennes to stay with three families there. Our French twinning organiser Miranda Quinney describes how it all went....
It was a great evening in a back garden in Louveciennes – fifteen kids aged from 8 – 17 rushing around the garden whilst their parents enjoyed a delicious buffet accompanied by fine French wines talking about their experiences over the weekend in a mixture of French and English.
We had had a busy couple of days – arriving on the Saturday afternoon- a little later than anticipated due to a bit of swimming on the beach at Calais and then a short stop off in Amiens - to be greeted by families Du Jardin, Weber and Benchimole with kier in the Benchimole’s garden and then a walk through the Parc at Marly le Rois; day to day home to the French kings as opposed to Versailles, the location for Court matters .Perfectly manicured trees led via a fairly steep bank to the small lake – it didn’t take long before the children were on the grass rolling down the hill. Having brushed off the grass, we set off towards dinner at the creperie – perfect Bretonne crepes - savoury to start and sweet to follow accompanied by good strong cider.
We all slept well (was it exhaustion or the cider?) and gathered early the next morning to visit the Sunday market at Versailles. Beautiful fruit and vegetables, an enormous variety of cheeses and meats – it was everything you could expect from a typical French market. The children gobbled strawberries as we admired the antiques shops which surrounded the market square, listened to the jazz and then we wandered northwards to take a look at the Palace of Versailles – just a brief glance from outside – the place was mobbed!
Next it was off for lunch – a café in the park at Versailles – our group of 27 comfortably accommodated. Refreshed and revitalized we hoped to rent bikes and boats but it seemed the whole of Paris had had the same idea – nothing available for an hour or so – improvising instead, the children – and a few adults started up a game of British Bulldog followed by an obstacle race and then we were introduced to a new game “beret” which involved tactical snatching of the “ball”and a race to home without being caught by your opposing team member. As a result we built up quite a crowd of onlookers from the passers by each commenting on the technical prowess – or otherwise - of the participants. At one point “Salade” was ordered by the referee of the game and all fifteen children seemed to head into a scrum – given the participation on the trip of no less than two of our local junior rugby coaches – I suspect that Beret may soon find its way to common use at Tabard rugby club if not in the playground!
There was just about time to take a short walking tour around Louveciennes home to the likes of Bridget Bardot, Renoir and Pissaro – a green oasis just 20 minutes from central Paris, no wonder the rich and famous liked it so much. We were treated to a private tour of the Pavillion de Music built for Madame du Barry – usually only open for conferences and weddings. We were lucky enough that one of the committee members for RAIFA’s equivalent in Louveciennes was the Pavillion’s manager and caretaker. The Pavillion itself was ornate with magnificent grounds leading from a significant height down to the River Seine – we were even able to spot the Eiffel Tower! Then it was back to the Du Jardin’s for our final meal together.
Monday morning and families Withyman, Tomlins and Quinney set off for the Eurotunnel via Le Touquet and Cite Europe. It had been an excellent weekend . We’re already thinking about next year’s gathering which will be in Radlett – if you would like to participate, or know of someone who might like to get involved and host a French family please contact Miranda Quinney – it’s going to be a lot of fun.
It was a great evening in a back garden in Louveciennes – fifteen kids aged from 8 – 17 rushing around the garden whilst their parents enjoyed a delicious buffet accompanied by fine French wines talking about their experiences over the weekend in a mixture of French and English.
We had had a busy couple of days – arriving on the Saturday afternoon- a little later than anticipated due to a bit of swimming on the beach at Calais and then a short stop off in Amiens - to be greeted by families Du Jardin, Weber and Benchimole with kier in the Benchimole’s garden and then a walk through the Parc at Marly le Rois; day to day home to the French kings as opposed to Versailles, the location for Court matters .Perfectly manicured trees led via a fairly steep bank to the small lake – it didn’t take long before the children were on the grass rolling down the hill. Having brushed off the grass, we set off towards dinner at the creperie – perfect Bretonne crepes - savoury to start and sweet to follow accompanied by good strong cider.
We all slept well (was it exhaustion or the cider?) and gathered early the next morning to visit the Sunday market at Versailles. Beautiful fruit and vegetables, an enormous variety of cheeses and meats – it was everything you could expect from a typical French market. The children gobbled strawberries as we admired the antiques shops which surrounded the market square, listened to the jazz and then we wandered northwards to take a look at the Palace of Versailles – just a brief glance from outside – the place was mobbed!
Next it was off for lunch – a café in the park at Versailles – our group of 27 comfortably accommodated. Refreshed and revitalized we hoped to rent bikes and boats but it seemed the whole of Paris had had the same idea – nothing available for an hour or so – improvising instead, the children – and a few adults started up a game of British Bulldog followed by an obstacle race and then we were introduced to a new game “beret” which involved tactical snatching of the “ball”and a race to home without being caught by your opposing team member. As a result we built up quite a crowd of onlookers from the passers by each commenting on the technical prowess – or otherwise - of the participants. At one point “Salade” was ordered by the referee of the game and all fifteen children seemed to head into a scrum – given the participation on the trip of no less than two of our local junior rugby coaches – I suspect that Beret may soon find its way to common use at Tabard rugby club if not in the playground!There was just about time to take a short walking tour around Louveciennes home to the likes of Bridget Bardot, Renoir and Pissaro – a green oasis just 20 minutes from central Paris, no wonder the rich and famous liked it so much. We were treated to a private tour of the Pavillion de Music built for Madame du Barry – usually only open for conferences and weddings. We were lucky enough that one of the committee members for RAIFA’s equivalent in Louveciennes was the Pavillion’s manager and caretaker. The Pavillion itself was ornate with magnificent grounds leading from a significant height down to the River Seine – we were even able to spot the Eiffel Tower! Then it was back to the Du Jardin’s for our final meal together.
Monday morning and families Withyman, Tomlins and Quinney set off for the Eurotunnel via Le Touquet and Cite Europe. It had been an excellent weekend . We’re already thinking about next year’s gathering which will be in Radlett – if you would like to participate, or know of someone who might like to get involved and host a French family please contact Miranda Quinney – it’s going to be a lot of fun.Visit by Mayor of Dunaharaszti, Hungary
The Hungarian flag flew for the first time at the Radlett Centre last weekend (18 – 20 April) to welcome Dr Laslo Szalay, the Mayor of Dunaharaszti in Hungary and two colleagues who were visiting Radlett and Aldenham at the invitation of the Twin Town Association, RAIFA. Their visit to the Parish of Aldenham is part of continuing twinning discussions between the two communities following a visit to Dunaharaszti by RAIFA members last Summer.During their busy programme the visitors, Dr Szalay, Marianna Bucsko and Zoltan Petho visited Shenley Park and toured the Parish of Aldenham, taking in Bhaktivedanta Manor in Letchmore Heath, Newberries Primary School and Aldenham Country Park. They met representatives of local societies at a reception hosted by Aldenham Parish Council and also met with Councillor Martin Saunders, Mayor of Hertsmere. Finally, they also visited Borehamwood market, St Albans Abbey and Verulamium Museum.
Dunaharaszti is a town with Roman connections located by the River Danube, near to the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Although it is larger than Radlett, it has much in common with it's prospective partner including thriving choral, drama, music and art societies with whom links are being planned. RAIFA Chairman Clive Glover said “It has been a very enjoyable weekend for us and our visitors and I am confident that we will be able to establish a number of links between individuals and societies here in Radlett and Aldenham and their counterparts in Dunaharaszti over the coming months”.
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