3 minute read
Au Revoir Ambarès
The people of Norton-Radstock and more recently, Midsomer Norton, have enjoyed a very happy twinning relationship with Ambarés et Lagrave, a wonderful little town in South West France, for forty years.
Over those years many hundreds of local people have enjoyed holidays in Ambarés and have welcomed their French friends on reciprocal visits to their homes here.
Hundreds of children from Somervale, Norton Hill and Writhlington Schools have enjoyed school exchanges with The Collége in Amarés, and sports clubs, such as The Judo Club, have held friendly tournaments in each other’s towns.
For forty years, the Twinning Association, of which I have been the latest proud president, have promoted these links and worked tirelessly in the planning of exchanges and the raising of the money necessary to entertain our guests when it has been our turn to host our French Friends.
Over the years the most amazing friendships have been made – and many of us have visited Ambarés for family events, outside of Exchange Weeks. I have been a witness at a French wedding and my husband and I have been guests at several more. Our granddaughter has a French Godmother and it was under the trees in a French garden that we celebrated our daughter’s exam results at a summer “banquet’ hosted by our Exchange family. We, like other members of The Twinning Association, have made friends for life – friends we telephone, email and share photographs of significant events with and sometimes are lucky enough to meet up with on holiday visits.
Very sadly I must report that The Association has had to be disbanded. An ageing membership and a difficulty in recruiting new members has led to issues with arranging affordable group visits –both here and in France. Forty years ago a holiday in France was a big adventure for teenagers, but now they have wider horizons and travel much further afield with their families. The attraction of having the opportunity to practice French with a native speaker is not such a draw as more children are choosing to study German, Spanish, Italian and even Russian for their public examinations.
Midsomer Norton will continue to be twinned with Ambarés et Lagrave and we hope that civic visits will often happen. All of us who have been honoured over the years to be part of The Twinning Association and to have met and kept such amazing Gallic friends will always be part of the Midsomer Norton Twinning Association in our hearts.
