Keeping up the French connection
SIX people from the St Saviour’s Twinning Association braved the elements to run a stall at the Chandeleur Fair in Montebourg, Normandy.
The event is the earliest agricultural fair in France.
Held at the beginning of February, the right to hold the fair was granted by King Henry I during the Anglo- Norman realm, and it has been running for more than 900 years.
As well as selling local produce, the group handed out timetables and other tourist publicity and talked to people about visiting Guernsey and, for the first time this year, Alderney.
Thousands of people attend the fair and the stall attracted great interest.
The relationship began in the early 1980s when a small group of farmers from Montebourg, Normandy made contact with their St Saviour’s counterparts.
French farmers bought Guernsey calves, French agricultural students came to Guernsey for one week’s work experience and a tradition was born of St Saviour’s farmers visiting Montebourg and French farmers coming to Guernsey.
The relationship was driven principally by the late George Dorey.
The Royal Guernsey Agricultural and Horticultural Society was then invited to set up a stall to advertise Guernsey at the annual cattle fair, La Foire de la Chandeleur.
It was originally sponsored by the RGAHS. In 1993 it was agreed that St Saviour’s and Montebourg would formally twin and the St Saviour’s/Montebourg Twinning Association was formed.
The association sells crepes and cider at the West Show each summer.
The group is the only surviving parochial twinning organisation in Guernsey.
The Guernsey group stayed with local families, many of them old friends who have been involved in the twinning since the beginning.
Former association president and Bailiff Sir de Vic Carey, who was at the original twinning ceremony in 1993, said: ‘The stand looked magnificent and the high standards set by Angela [de Garis] were maintained.’
Member Maria Ozanne, who has been involved for several years, said the produce was well received and as always everything sold.
A trip to Montebourg is planned for 19 May.
Anyone interested in joining the St Saviour’s Twinning Association and taking part in the trip is asked to contact Doreen Laine on 264793.
