Activities in 2005
Denton Town Twinning
Activities During 2005
Christmas Market (Marché de Noël)
During the weekend commencing Friday 2nd December, members of Denton Twinning Association, in the company of the Mayor of Tameside, Councillor Jacqueline Lane and her Consort, Mr Dawson Lane attended the 'Marché de Noël' in Montigny. This is an annual event which is held in the grounds of the Ferme du Manet, Montigny's oldest building.
Twinning Association members run a stall at this event. The market attracts craftspeople, artists and food producers from all over Europe . For three days it is crowded with people.
Members of the Association who run the stand give their time freely and contribute by fulfilling a goodwill role as ambassadors for Denton in its twin town. The Denton stall displays typically English products such as mince pies and Christmas puddings most of which are home made. Visitors are invited to taste and, if they like the products, to buy them.
On Saturday evening members from each of Montigny's twin towns are entertained to a dinner in recognition of their support. On this occasion the function was held in Montigny's new Cultural Building.
On the photograph to the right, we see members of the twinning association, including the mayor of Tameside (centre) being met on arrival by their hosts.
After the meal, Michèle Parent (left), Deputy Mayor with special responsibility for Montigny's links with its twin towns, in the company of Michel Laugier, Mayor of Montigny-le-Bretonneux, thanked the Mayor of Tameside, Councillor Jacqueline Lane for taking the time out of a busy schedule to support, by her presence, the association between Denton and Montigny.
Scouts Visit 2005
During the last week in October 25 members of Denton Scouts under the leadership of scout master Keith Burdon spent several days in the company of the scouts in our twin town Montigny-le-Bretonneux, near Paris. The visit was organised with the support of the Denton Twinning Association
After travelling by coach they arrived in Montigny on the 22nd October to be welcomed by members of the local scouts association, the council and the many people who were to provide accommodation during their visit. In the evening they were all treated to a lavish buffet after which entertainment was provided, the evening finished with everyone contributing with songs in French and English.
Sunday included a trip to Versailles and after a picnic lunch the scouts split up into groups and were taken to visit other local attractions.
The group left Montigny early on Monday morning in order to spend a day in Paris which packed in a visit to the Tour Eiffel, the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, a cruise on the Seine and then lunch in a street café followed by a visit to the Sacré Coeur and Montmartre.
On Tuesday the group said a sad farewell to their many new friends and travelled to Dieppe in order to explore the city. Wednesday was spent in Rouen , the historic capital of Normandy , where Jeanne-d'Arc was burnt at the stake. After the evening meal the scouts took part in a game of football organised in a local sports hall.
A visit to the battle fields of the Somme on Thursday included a tour of the impressively realistic first world-war museum at Albert, a tour of the trenches at Beaummont Hamel and the war memorial at Thiepval. It gave the party a moving and unforgettable insight into the sacrifices made during the conflict. Then, in a lighter vein, the evening included participation in a Sports Night Challenge.
The party returned to Denton on Friday 28th exhausted but happy and full of stories about their week's adventure and of friendships made.
Keith Burdon, District Commissioner, photographed presenting a full set of scout's badges to madame Florence Juin, leader of the Montigny Scouts.
Making new friends! Most of the scouts who joined in the visit know at least some French from lessons at school. With both French and English scouts eager to communicate with one another, language did not present a barrier.