The delegation from Louviers, twin town of Weymouth & Portland, will number 45 Frenchmen and women this year, arriving on Thursday 5 May. Leading the Louviers delegation will be Coun Christian Wuilque, on his second visit to Weymouth. As the Briefholder for international relations, he is representing the Mayor of Louviers, Francois-Xavier Priollaud who is again unable to travel to Weymouth. The twinning between Weymouth and Louviers began in 1958, 58 years ago.
The Civic Reception will be held on Friday 6 May at the Portland Masonic Centre on Victoria Square, when Coun Christine James, Mayor of Weymouth & Portland and Mayoress Trish Chorley will welcome the delegation, along with Mayor Elect Coun Richard Kosior and Mayoress Elect Caroline Churchill. In addition, Coun Sandy West, Mayor Elect of Portland, will be part of the welcome.
The menu of the twinning dinner at the Masonic Centre is designed to reflect traditional English fare, beginning with smoked salmon and continuing with rump of lamb or cod mornay.
“On behalf of the residents of the Borough of Weymouth and Portland, I would like to welcome Christian Wuilque from our twinned town of Louviers,” comments Coun Christine James, Mayor and President of the Weymouth & Portland – Louviers Society. “This is not the first time he has visited our town, or indeed the beautiful county that is Dorset. As he is their Briefholder for international relations, I hope that he will feel the members of the Weymouth & Portland – Louviers Society are making sure that those relations are thriving and strong. We always seem to have more and more to reveal to our foreign friends, and I’m sure this year will be no different. I hope they enjoy their stay and our twinning history continues for many years.”
On Saturday 7 May, the French delegation will be taken to Exeter for a tour of the city and of the cathedral. Coun Christine James, as Mayor of Weymouth & Portland and Coun Christian Wuilque will be received by the Lord Mayor of Exeter, Coun Olwen Foggin at the Guildhall, together with the Chairmen of the Weymouth & Louviers twinning committees- Geoff McDonnell and Jacqueline Hamon.
Louviers is a market town in Normandy, 22 miles south of Rouen. Coun Richard Kosior will lead the reciprocal visit to Louviers, beginning on Wednesday 24 August.
The annual subscription is £10. Enquiries about joining the Louviers Society should be directed to Secretary Pam Nicklin at 01305 771773.
Michel Hooper-Immins
