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Wrington Twinning Association MINUTES of a meeting of the Committee 21 st  January 2014 11 am The Plough PRESENT: John Adams (Chair), David Buckley, Nick Walters, Echo Irving, Annabel Scott, Richard Thorn (Minute taker), Frank Finn 1 Apologies: Sarah Chilcott, John Urquhart, Janet Walters, John Rawlins 2 Minutes of the Meeting of 29th November, 2013 - approved as an accurate record subject to 4.6 addition of 'imminent' Matters Arising - French speakers evening  at JA's house successful in interest shown, new contacts made.
 - Wine tasting had had to be cancelled because of escalating costs - contact with local groups eg Drama club
 to be pursued [JA/ EI] - JA reminded the meeting that the October minutes carried a clear statement of aims for 2013-14 and should provide the framework for sub-groups agenda / discussions [All]   3 Events - 2014 Programme - Boules Day 8 th  June 2.30 pm. NW discussing with Gabby (Plough assistant manager), outside bar, second pitch in carpark, up to 18 teams of 3, Plough would source food and provide chef. Raffle prizes to be obtained. French party to be invited. NW was asked to convey the thanks of the Committee to Jason and Gabby for this generous offer  [NW with all to seek raffle prizes] - Conversation Group various times and venues. Tony and Margaret Hancock are accomplished French speakers and have offered to host focused groups at their house in Lawders Orchard, for acoustic reasons. Present evening group has been well attended – 10-12. AS to email present group members about this development. [AS] - Other events: JA suggestions of holding play readings in French; film screenings; French evening at The Plough, say November; casino evening [Events Group] - Autumn event and members' evening to be considered by events group. [Events group] 4 Villeneuve-l-B liaison - Schools and youth groups: meeting with Scouts in offing; AS discussing single exchange with a French family as a ‘pilot scheme’, but anything larger scale is fraught with child protection issues; interest from football club in an exchange. [NW,AS/SC,JA] - Visit 25-28 April. Ryanair flights resume April, single fares in region of £40. Should be a formal visit; Yves won't be there, and the amount he can do is uncertain; need to test any new administration's attitude to twinning development. We will request scheduled meetings with the Maire and relevant élus, youth group leaders, village associations and local vignerons. Travel arrangements depend on dates of individuals' travel, although the period of 25-28 must be a schedule for all. Some committee members already able to go. JA to pursue travel sponsorship with Bristol Airport. [JA and Liaison group] 5 Publicity and Engagement Booklets and leaflets are not moving from The Plough, but are at outlets elsewhere within and outside the parish. Important that outlets are kept supplied and that booklet is always visible. Reminder of allocations/responsibilities for outlets will be re-circulated [NW/JA] Journal/website articles. JA will co-ordinate article for next issue – suggestions / items for inclusion to be sent to him by February 8 th  [JA and all] The WTA database is now held by JW Contact with village organisations to encourage thinking about ways in which the French Connection might add a dimension to interests and activities [all] Lottery: FF outlined possibility of lottery to raise funds. P&E group to prepare a proposal [P&E Group] FF suggested a proposal for links with other twinning groups, including possibility of a (North) Somerset ‘circle’. [P&E Group] 6 Finance Report (JW)  Little to report – detail to follow 7 AOB Membership – discussion over whether membership fees should continue to be paid, or made free. AGREED to continue with £5 fee, with £2 per event for members, £5 for non-members. 8 Date of next meeting  28 th  March. 11.00 am at The Plough