Didcot–Meylan Twinning Association

Newsletter no.5, October 2001

Editorial
It's that time of year again, when we welcome another group of visitors, some old and some new friends, from Meylan to Didcot. We are expecting about 40 guests and at present know very little about the group, other than that there will be some councillors, some business people and some teachers as well as representatives from other societies in Meylan. At the moment we are trying to put a list of host families together and would very much like to hear from anyone who could offer hospitality to our French visitors. If you know of anyone who would act as a host family but are not members of the Twinning Association do email us .
We have a full programme of events planned to which hosts, members and friends are welcome to join. More details are given elsewhere in this newsletter. But do try and join the trip to Blenheim, the tree planting, the fireworks and the Jazz and supper on Saturday!

Facts and Figures:
France adopts the Euro as currency on 1^st January 2002. There are about 62 pence to a Euro and about 9.90 Francs to the pound.

From the Chair
Your committee has been planning for quite a while the proposed visit by the citizens of Meylan from 31^st October to 4^th November 2001. The theme of the visit will be sustainable development and we are expecting between 35 and 40 guests. A broad outline of the programme is included in this newsletter.
May I urge you to publicise this visit and to do all you can to make our guests welcome. We are planning to advertise this event via some flysheets placed in the Library, the Railway Station and the One-stop Shop. If you think you could use one of these, please let me know. The poster has been kindly designed by Jean Wernham for us.
Finally, we are continuing to look for hosts for this event. So if you could help, please email.
Best wishes. Cheng

Jazz, Buffet Supper and Dance, National Power (Innogy) Social Club.
Our planned dinner and dance on Saturday 3^rd November should be great fun and we do hope that many of you will come and bring your friends. These social get-togethers have proved to be relaxed and friendly and a way of cementing firm bonds with our twinning partners. Tickets for non-members are £5 each and can be obtained from committee members or the One Stop shop at the Civic Hall.

Report of the visit of Didcot's Mayour to Meylan
Jerry Goff, our mayor, proposed a visit to Meylan to meet with the new Maire and councillors and extend the established twinning links. His wife Anne, former mayor Terry Joslin and his wife Joan, accompanied him. We are pleased that the new administration is keen to further our twinning links and look forward to their visit in October/ November. Jerry writes this account of his visit.
The visit commenced on Thursday 6 September 2001. We travelled by train to London Gatwick and a flight to Lyon. We were met by Christian Roux and driven to host families. Cllr. and Mrs. Goff stayed with Dennison Van Uye, Cllr. and Mrs. Joslin stayed with Mirielle and Georges Adji.
On Friday 7 September 2001, we assembled at the Hôtel de Ville at 09:00. There, we met Florence Bériot the administrator for International Relations. We then visited:

La Crèche des Buclos - a Crèche for children of 3 months to 4 years old. This is run and subsidised by the Mairie de Meylan but parents pay for its use. Children can be cared for from 8am until 6.30pm. Of course a cooked lunch is supplied.
La Halte-Garderie de Maupertuis - a Crèche for children of 1 to 4 years old. This also is run and subsidised by the Mairie de Meylan with parents paying for its use. This is designed to be used for short periods, e.g. when parents go shopping or to the Dentist, etc. Children can be cared for from 9am until 6.30pm. Again, a cooked lunch is supplied.
The ProZirst centre where we met with the Director Annie Soufi and one of her assistants. We exchanged documents and brochures and noted that the outcome of previous visits have led to similar innovation centres being created on the Harwell and Culham Campuses.
The Maison des Initiatives et de l’Emploi (M.I.E.) is an organization similar to our Jobcentres but funded by a syndicate of 9 communes (towns) including and around Meylan. It helps people with job search activities such as C.V. preparation, vacancy notification service, etc.
The L'hexagone théâtre, a 350-seat auditorium - professionally operated. This is a well-used facility but of course bigger than Didcot can expect. It was stressed that its success depends on the independence of its Director who is solely responsible for the artistic programming. It also has a Technical Director and full time administrative support. 45% of the income is from ticket sales, 25% from the Mairie de Meylan and the rest from the French Ministre de Culture.
The Maison de la Musique, a new purpose built centre for study and performance of music. A number of soundproof studios are available for the learning and practising of instruments and an acoustically “perfect” auditorium with 100 seats. It was smaller than Meylan hoped for!

Following these visits we met with the Comité de Jumelage. We discussed the draft programme available at that time that had been accurately translated by Florence. We described our traditional fireworks display that would take place on the Saturday. It was stressed that Meylan’s Delegation would include a number of primary school teachers (school exchange is a priority policy for the new administration). 5 Councillors including the Maire will be part of the Delegation.

A welcome cocktail followed this meeting when we were introduced to most of the Meylan conseillers. We were presented with a gift and the Maire made a welcome speech. On the Saturday morning we assisted the Maire at the Forum of Associations, where all the Clubs, Societies, Voluntary Organizations, Political Parties, etc. all display their activities and recruit new members. We will be passing on numerous contacts to similar organisations in Didcot, e.g. the football club, rugby club, scouts, over 60s, etc. to enable them to make contact with each other. At this event the Maire introduced our Delegation to very many people. The fact that we were present played prominently in the arrangements. On the Saturday afternoon we visited the new L’espace Chantourne et du CyberCentre; a combined Internet and Sports facility built in a surplus industrial building. This provides Internet access for the whole community in particular the young, as part of France’s policy to educate all in the use of IT. This Centre has surprisingly attracted retired citizens who are learning to use the Internet to contact their families who have moved abroad. Annexed to this is a sports hall (1 badminton court size), a gymnasium and a number of rooms, kitchen, etc. that can be accessed from alternative entrances. Equipment includes a mobile skateboard park! On each of our visits Florence Bériot, the administrator responsible for international relations, and the responsible Meylan conseiller accompanied us. On the Saturday evening we were entertained by the Maire, her husband and her 1^st adjoint M. Joël de Leiris who is responsible for International Relations, at the exclusive La Cerisaie Club; the difference between an eating club and a restaurant is that the club can choose its clientele! The owners were honoured to welcome the Maire and her guests, i.e. our Delegation. On the Sunday we climbed to the summit of the massif de Chartreuse overlooking the monastery of the same name and were entertained to lunch in a mountain restaurant. Following this we visited Le Cadran Solaire, a 14m-diameter sundial where one stands on a calendar causing your shadow to indicate the time of day. We were returned to our hosts and then departed from the Hôtel de Ville at 5pm, we flew back from Lyon to Gatwick and took the train back to Didcot where we arrived at 11pm. Throughout the whole weekend we were treated to outstanding hospitality and I am very pleased to report that the new administration is fully committed to the Twinning of Meylan with Didcot and are looking forward to their visit in October/November. I would like to make special mention of the work done by Florence Bériot who put our whole programme together, to the host families, Marie-Christine Tardy the Maire and to M. Joël de Leiris all of these people generously gave up their weekend to look after us despite some significant domestic circumstances. Jerry Goff, 13 September 2001

Proposed Programme for the November 2001 Visit by Meylan to Didcot
Wednesday 31st October 2001
Take a quick tour round Henley on route from Heathrow. French guests arrive late afternoon. Formal welcome at Didcot Civic Hall. Welcome by Didcot Mayor, Leader of the Town Council and the Chairman of the Didcot-Meylan Twinning Association. Introduce guests to their hosts.
Arrival time at Didcot 17.30-18.00 hours.
20.00 hours Evening presentation by both Didcot and Meylan An opportunity for both towns to introduce their town to each other.

Thursday 1st November 2001

09.30	Train ride to Oxford to visit Oxfordshire County Hall for a seminar on Oxfordshire’s Transport Development Plan Compare and contrast between British and French railway systems
10.15	County Hall reception Guests are provided with details of the Oxfordshire Transport Development Plan and the Oxford Transport Strategy. Presentation followed by local tours to see the implemented schemes
10.30	Oxfordshire Transport Development Plan & Oxford Transport Strategy, Presentation by County Officers
11.30	Tour of Oxford Park-and-Ride schemes
12.00	Walk round Oxford city centre to see implementation of Oxford Transport Strategy
12.30	Lunch at Oxfordshire County Hall (50-60 for lunch?)
14.00	Visit to Museums, Art Galleries, Botanical Gardens and the facilities provided in Oxford city and Oxford University to experience the cultural diversity that exists within Oxford and Oxfordshire Break in smaller groups depending on the interests of our guests. Each group to be led by a local guide
19.30	Evening meal at (up to 100 persons?) Small ‘geographical’groups. Eg Harwell, East Hagbourne, Didcot

Friday 2nd November 2001

09.30	Visits to various local organisations and companies including Culham Science Laboratory, Didcot Power Stations, Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot Girls School, St Birinus School, local primary schools See the many similar industries, organisations and schools that exists in Didcot as in Meylan
12.00	Lunch (at civic hall, conservative club, youth & community centre, church hall or football club?)
14.00	Meeting with local business people (venue to be decided). Those not involved in the business meeting may want to go to Blenheim Palace.
18.00	Guests spend evening with hosts to foster relationship building and sharing of individual experiences of European living, cultures and languages.

Saturday 3rd November 2001

09.30	Council to council meeting
10.30	Tree planting at Millennium Wood (?). A variety of activities are planned for this morning’s session. These include (1) Millennium Wood talk, (2) Gardening - to experience Didcot’s extensive allotment schemes, (3) Didcot’s New Town Centre and expansion, (4) Cooking - to experience the best of British cooking.
12.00	Lunch
14.00	Free time to spend with hosts. Suggested itinerary include visits to local shops, supermarkets, farm shops (e.g. Millets Farm), and nearby villages including Harwell and Hagbourne.
18.00	Fireworks at Brasenose Road.
19.30	Dinner at Didcot Power Station Social Club Entertained by Jazz Band

Sunday 4th November 2001

Morning spent with host families. Final farewell at Civic Hall and French guests depart in time for flight from Heathrow in early afternoon.

Any Other Comments or Suggestions