COOKHAM
TWINNING
Cookham
is fortunate to be twinned with Saint Benoit, ‘une ville-jardin
extraordinaire’, a village with woods and a river near to the historic town of
Poitiers in central west France.
The
village has the highest possible ranking possible of 4 fleurs (flowers) for
French ‘Villes Fleuris’, and is the only ‘commune’ in Vienne with this
status. It has developed its natural environment over several years, including
their “Les Jardins de Cookham”.
Saint
Benoit is in a fascinating and beautiful area of France, with many historical
towns and villages around, some going back to medieval times. The commune is
divided into three parts with a 12th century church and with a river running
through, just like Cookham!
Poitiers
is an ancient, interesting University town and is close to the theme park ‘Futuroscope'.
Cookham
has been Twinned with Saint Benoit since 1994 and has annual reciprocal visits
when we link with French friends and stay in each others’ houses. In 2022 we
look forward to welcoming Saint Benoit to Cookham, (October 22nd -25th)
when we will host a variety of social and cultural activities. In 2023 we will
be visiting Saint Benoit and look forward, as always, to a great experience and
welcome. Saint Benoit can be reached easily by car (via Portsmouth), plane or
train.
We
also have some regular activities in Cookham. Each week there is an informal
French lunch, ‘Flunch’ where we have an hour or so speaking French to each
other, and members are welcome to join a monthly French film evening.
You
don’t need to be a French speaker to participate in Twinning, although this is
a chance to improve your French language skills. Best of all are the
opportunities to get to know some very friendly French people and to appreciate
and enjoy the culture of France.
EVENTS
FILM NIGHTS
Twinning members are very welcome to join our monthly French film nights, 8pm at Elizabeth House.
Once again this year, from 22nd to 25th October, Cookham will be welcoming a group from our Twinned Village of Saint Benoit on their (usually) biennial visit. We’re expecting a group of about 20 visitors. We are particularly looking forward to this visit as the last two years’ visits have had to be cancelled because of Covid.
ST BENOIT VISIT TO COOKHAM
We are delighted that this year we are finally able to welcome back guests from our twinned village of Saint-Benoit, from Saturday 22nd October to Tuesday 25th October. 21 visitors, including the Mayor of Saint-Benoit, M. Bernard Peterlongo, will be staying with host families in Cookham and will join in events organised for the weekend.
Cookham residents are particularly welcome to join the social evening on Monday 24th October at 7.00pm at Pinder Hall, with Indian food and dancers (cost £18, or £10 for Cookham Twinning members). Other weekend highlights will be a reception hosted by Cookham Parish Council on Saturday, a lunch at Odney and Barn Dance on Sunday, and a trip to Bath on Monday. If you would like to join any of these events, or to join Cookham Twinning, please contact Keith Le Page at keith_le_page@hotmail.com.
Saint-Benoit’s local magazine provides interesting information about their community. They are a four-star ‘ville fleurie’, (the highest award), and their annual flower festival in May attracts 15,000 visitors. There is a flourishing ‘Jardin de Cookham’, and in 2019 they set up the ‘Jardin d’Images’, a public space where an exterior exhibition of large pictures is shown in a lovely garden setting.
Saint-Benoit is about the same size as Cookham, and has numerous village organisations as well as a theatre seating 750 that also serves the local area. They are twinned with locations in Germany, Portugal and Romania as well as with Cookham.
We look forward this year’s event, and to taking a group from Cookham to Saint-Benoit in 2023.
Keith Le Page
OUR ARCHIVES
Cookham Twinning Visit to Cookham 2018
Cookham Twinning Visit More Photos 2016
Visit to Cookham's Twin Town - 2005
A Happy Twinning Christmas - 2003
Cookham Society and Cookham Twinning Come Together for a Joint Christmas Party - 2002
French visitors in Cookham for 'Allo'een - 2002
Cookham Twinning celebrate Christmas - 2001
Cookham Twinning Visit St Benoit - 2001
Twinning show film Plein Soleil - 2000
MEMBERSHIP
Single (£12 for two year/£25 for 5 years)
Family (£20 for two year/£40 for 5 years)
Click here for Application Form
For more information phone: 01628 532279
E-Mail: info@cookhamtwinning.org.uk
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