Eardisland Twinning Association

In the 12th century and then for a period of 240 years, the population of Eardisland paid tithes to help support and maintain an abbey in La Vieille Lyre, Normandy, in northern France. This historical fact was uncovered by an Eardisland resident in 2004 and following encouragement by the mayor of the French town, small delegations made visits to each other's communities. Following several larger exchange visits the two locations officially twinned in June 2007.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 28TH MARCH 2024

Five parishioners attended the Annual General Meeting. Six other people requested their apologies to be noted. The meeting received a brief overview of the history of the Association to date from Ruth Brinton-Bivand, outgoing chair, going back to the initial contact in 2004.

Chris Bivand, outgoing Treasurer of the Association, submitted a financial update. At the date of the meeting, the balance in the ETA account, including interest, was £1319.08. An invoice of £7.00 would follow for the hire of the Committee Room in the Hall for the meeting. On 9th September 2023, the Committee had organised a highly successful French Cheese and Wine Evening in Eardisland Village Hall. With huge support from members of the local community, local businesses and Eardisland Village Hall Management Committee, a net profit of £819.88 had been raised.

It is thought that the Association in France no longer has a constituted committee. Ruth Brinton-Bivand has remained in contact with Marc Morière, the current mayor of La Vieille Lyre (who hosted two Eardislanders during the initial visit to France in 2005). Chris and Ruth met with Marc in May 2023 during a personal visit to La Vieille Lyre. However, whilst there was considerable enthusiasm at the time to rekindle both the Twinning Association and the links between primary school pupils on both sides of the Channel, neither project has yet come to fruition.

None of the previous committee wished to re-stand for election and no-one new came forward.
It was unanimously agreed that the Association should go into “hibernation”, safeguarding the funds for a possible re-kindling of the Association by (younger) people in the future.

The meeting discussed possible developments of the current Twinning Facebook project with La Vieille Lyre which, at the time of writing, has 136 members from both sides of the Channel.

*Two principal suggestions emerged: firstly, an invitation to be extended to parishioners of all ages in both villages to link up as “penfriends”, corresponding in English and/or French; secondly, an invitation to be extended to residents of Lyre to find them hosts on an individual, private basis in Eardisland and the surrounding area. Both invitations should be extended on the joint Facebook page, in the Parish Magazines in both villages and at the annual Eardisland Parish Meeting.

It was also suggested that Chris Bivand should investigate the possibility of the current funds being safeguarded by another parish organisation within its own accounts, on the understanding that the funds should be ring-fenced for use by people in the future who might wish to re-kindle the Twinning Association. Another suggestion was that Chris might investigate opening a holding account with NS&I.

It was felt very strongly that dissolution should be avoided at all costs.
It was agreed that no amendments were needed to the current constitution.
There was no other business and the meeting closed at 7.45pm.

WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED?

As suggested at the recent AGM (see * above), please let me know if you would be interested in linking up as “penfriends”, corresponding in English and/or French, with a villager in La Vieille Lyre. Similarly, please contact me if you would like to extend an invitation to a resident, couple or family in Lyre to stay as guests with you on an individually arranged, private basis in Eardisland (or the surrounding area). Thank you.

Click here for a link to a website about the history of La Vieille Lyre. It's in French but your browser should be able to translate it into English.

Contact

Ruth Brinton-Bivand (Administrator)

07773 706147
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The Twinning Garden

As part of the Eardisland in Bloom program for 2009 villager Derek Wareham initiated the Twinning Garden on what was once a rather unkempt area of land adjacent to the pavement near the Dovecot. This was transformed by a group of volunteers into a colourful area to commemorate the villages twinning with La Vieille Lyre.