Worthing signs new twinning charter with French seaside town

Mayor Henna Chowdhury and her consort Millad Chowdhury joined the group of 26 for a day for the charter signing ceremony in Les Sables-d'Olonne.

Worthing has been twinned with Le Pays des Olonnes, a 'country between land and sea' on the Atlantic coast, since October 1998 and with the Elztal region in Germany since May 1997.

But changes in the French region saw the three communes of Château-d'Olonne, Olonne-sur-Mer and Les Sables d'Olonne merged as one seaside town, Les Sables-d'Olonne, on January 1, 2019, with one new mayor, meaning a new charter had to be signed.

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Barry Cranford, publicity co-ordinator, said: "A total of 26 members travelled to our twin French town and we have just returned from the most successful and enjoyable visit.

"The formal purpose was for the mayors of each of the four towns to sign a new charter. The French mayor, Yannick Moreau, and the members of the French twinning group could not have been more welcoming and friendly. They genuinely enjoyed having us and organised a most interesting four days.

"The visit was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all. The event on our side was masterminded by our bilingual chairman Christopher Doidge with the help of secretary Pam Bennett, who also thought up and made the parade national costume, bells and all."

The visit started with a tour of the salt pans followed by lunch and a game of pitch and putt at the golf club. The evening ended with drinks at the harbour.

There was a visit to a biodynamic vineyard with wine tasting, followed by the procession though the streets in national costume.

On the third day, the group visited Chateau de la Chabotterie and on the final day, they ran a stall selling produce from home at the Golden Globe sailing centre, home of the round-the-world yacht race.

Barry said: "The Golden Globe visit was fascinating, just seeing how lone sailors must navigate without GPS the 30,000 miles around the world. The race started on September 4."

The association's next event will be a French film on Thursday, October 13. New members are welcome. Contact secretary Pam Bennett on 01903 232196 or email [email protected].

It is hoped the French twinning association will make a return visit to Worthing next year.