BAD EMS DROITWICH SPA

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1 BAD EMS DROITWICH SPA Bedspring 2016 welcome. Bad Ems Chairman Wolfgang Heuser and Droitwich Chairman Peter Gilfeather with Droitwich mayor Roy Murphy. Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 1 SUMMER 2016

2 FROM OUR CHAIRMAN Well that went well!! All the planning for BedSpring 2016 paid off and I am sure our guests from Bad Ems went home feeling as though they had been well looked after and suitably entertained. I will take this opportunity to voice my utmost thanks to everyone on the committee. Experience and enthusiasm abound! My successor after the AGM in November should take some solace in knowing that the committee will ensure a continuation of an efficient organised program. Anyone who would like to take part in this organisational progress would be very welcome to join this committee. Please feel free to volunteer. Peter Gilfeather Chairman 2014 to DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Saturday 8th October - Meal on the Move - joint event with the French Twinning Group Saturday 15 th October Coach trip to Windsor Thursday 17 th November AGM Friday June 2 nd to Tuesday 6 th June Bedspring 2017 NEXT NEWSLETTER. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this newsletter. If you have any twinning articles or photographs for the next newsletter please send them to: droit_twin_pub@btinternet.com Any items sent by for the newsletter will be acknowledged by . Hand written articles and printed photographs also welcome; contact Penny or Will on Items must reach us by Wednesday 31st August for inclusion in the next newsletter, due out in the autumn. Our web site - Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 2 SUMMER 2016

3 INTER-TOWN QUIZ EVENING. The Inter-Town quiz evening was held this year at the Sacred Heart in Droitwich on Friday 15th May, and was hosted by Mike Nott, the chairman of last year's winners, the Droitwich Spa French Twinning Group. The event was very well attended. There were a total of 14 teams entered, with teams from Bromsgrove, Malvern, Solihull and Tenbury Wells, in addition to the two Droitwich groups. The quiz was held in two parts, with four rounds of ten questions each, before the meal break, and four rounds after. In addition, there was a picture quiz to be completed during the break. The subjects covered were General Knowledge (2 rounds), 2015, colours, food and drink, kings and queens, entertainment and this week. The pictures were outlines of 10 EU countries that had to be recognised. During the break, we were served a ploughman's with a good selection of cheeses and pate, followed by Tarte Tatin and cream. The winners were the official team from Tenbury Wells, who scored a tremendous 83.5 points out of a possible 92. So next year, it's all off to Tenbury Wells! Thanks to the Droitwich French Twinning Group for a well organise event. Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 3 SUMMER 2016

4 BEDSPRING THURSDAY 26th MAY The German coach arrived, reversing down to the Cricket Club, just a few minutes late. They had left home at midnight, and after a 30 minute break at Aachen, caught the 06:45 ferry from Calais. After traffic delays on the M25, they had a stop at Stratford for an hour and a half. There were (brief!) welcome speeches from the respective chairmen Peter Gilfeather (who did his own German translations!) and Wolfgang Heuser, and the Mayor of Droitwich, Councillor Roy Murphy. Then followed the handing out of goody bags to our German guests. After the formalities, it was time for a cup of tea or coffee, and to tuck into a wonderful selection of cakes. After tea, we collected our guests suitcases and bags, said our goodbyes and went home. Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 4 SUMMER 2016

5 BEDSPRING FRIDAY 27th MAY Friday was a free day. Our twinners were tired from the journey here, and enjoyed sleeping late to recover, as I suspect many others also did. In the evening, the Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group proudly presented a Musical Evening at the Norbury Theatre to entertain our German guests and ourselves. The show opened with a collection of eight songs sung by the Rock Choir. They were formed in 2005, and was the first choir to offer the general public the chance to sing with no entry audition or any previous experience. They now have 24,000 members across the country. There were about 50 singers on stage; it's just as well that all 24,000 didn't come, it would have been a bit of a squash! Next, we were entertained by seven members of the Worcester Ukulele Band. They were formed in May 2010 by four would-be-musicians who went to learn to play the ukulele at the Elgar School of Music. Numbers soon grew, and they now have about 50 musicians meeting weekly. They perform for charity, and this year are raising money for the Midlands Air Ambulance. They played five songs, including "When I'm cleaning Windows". When buying the ice creams in the interval, I discovered that they had a new (to me) flavour of Blackcurrant in Clotted Cream. I had one, and it was really delicious. After the interval, the next act was the Grafton Consort. They are a chamber choir, who perform sacred and secular music from the sixteenth century to the present day, and who brought a touch of culture to the evening. There were fourteen singers, with just four men. I really liked the singing of nursery rhymes in the style of Handel. The Ukulele Band then returned, and played a further five songs. The final performance, and highlight, of the evening was the Droitwich Twinning In-House. We had Peter Leonard and Mike Nott on guitars, with Peter and Penny Gilfeather and Jenny Leonard singing and doing the actions of the Hokey Cokey. Just when it seemed to be finishing at the last "that's what it's all about", Peter announced that "that's NOT what it's all about". A few extra verses were added with the words "we're having a referendum, in out in out...". This was much appreciated by the audience, and made a great finale to the evening. Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 5 SUMMER 2016

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8 Sunday. The joint committee meeting was held at the Chateau Impney. Afterwards, many committee members and their hosts/guests relaxed in the hotel gardens with tea or coffee. Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 8 SUMMER 2016

9 Above: The Masonic Hall in Worcester Below: The exchange of gifts at the Farewell Dinner Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 9 SUMMER 2016

10 BEDSPRING SATURDAY 28th MAY After a relaxed breakfast, it was off to the Chateau and onto the waiting coaches to take us to Birmingham. The Hardings driver knew a place very close to Brindleyplace where two coaches could be parked, and as both spaces were free, we were able to park there. The highlight of the day was a one hour canal ride on a narrow boat. As the boat could only carry about 30 passengers, there were two sailings arranged, at 11:00 and 12:00. The boat left from the Gas Street Basin, and went on the Birmingham and Worcester Canal past Five Ways station and alongside the railway through Edgbaston, where it turned round and went back to the start. Some of us who were on the twelve o'clock sailing decided to visit the new library, but found that it did not open until 11:00. However, the cafe was open and we were soon having a coffee or tea. The library was visited by many of us during the day, with wonderful views from the top and an outside walkway. Unfortunately, the escalators were not working when we were there, but we took the lift to the top, and only had to walk down. The ICC and Symphony hall were also visited. There was a Gay Pride Parade in Victoria Square which we saw on our way to the Museum, where some of the Staffordshire Hoard was on display. The new Grand Central at New Street station was a popular destination, as was Selfridges and the Bullring. BEDSPRING SUNDAY 29th MAY The venue for the farewell meal was the Masonic Hall in Worcester. An early arrival meant that there was time to go upstairs into the museum, where there are lots of fascinating items on display. Before the meal was served, there were some short speeches, during which there was an exchange of gifts. We gave the German twinners a large hamper containing various English produce, and they gave us two boxes of wine. We then had an extremely nice three course meal. Everyone had an individual paper place mat with their menu choices printed on; this was useful for those of us who had forgotten what they had ordered, and also for the staff who could easily see what had been ordered. Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 10 SUMMER 2016

11 At the end of the meal, we were again entertained by the Worcester Ukulele band, although this time there were 14 of them, and they seemed to be enjoying the event as much as we were. At one stage, they asked for a volunteer to take part, and Lea Rheinberg, grand-daughter of Manfred and Roswitha Feuerstake, went up and was shown how to play a ukulele, and joined in with the next song. Later, there were several volunteers asked to play the Kazoo during another song. Peter Gilfeather and Wolfgang Heuser went up, along with Lea and her sister Olivia, Roger Collins and David Morris. It was a wonderful evening, an excellent venue, a superb meal and a great way to end Bedspring BEDSPRING MONDAY 30th MAY Where did the time go? Another Bedspring at an end. We got up early at 06:00 and had breakfast at 06:30. Then, once the packing was complete, it was off to the Chateau, where we arrived just before 07:30. After lots of hugs and kisses, it was time to go and the coach departed at 07:45, to get to Dover for the ferry at 13:00. Weather conditions in the channel were not good, with strong winds and rain, and arrival at Calais was half an hour late. The bad weather continued across France and Belgium, although the rain stopped once in Germany. Arrival home was at midnight. FACEBOOK. Are you on Facebook? We now have our own Facebook Group. To join, in the Find friends box near the top of the screen, enter Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group. (It will probably find the site before you enter the full text.) Press Enter. It is a closed group site, and a membership request will be sent to the Administrator (me!). I will approve your membership, and the group will be listed on your Facebook page on the left hand side of the screen. Click on it and you will see our pages. I look forward to hearing from you. Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 11 SUMMER 2016

12 Printed by Kopy Kats of Droitwich Droitwich Spa German Twinning Group page 12 SUMMER 2016