NEW TWINNING CHAIRMAN
At the Annual General Meeting 2002 John Rudman stood down from the position of Chairman. He said he felt that after so many years in the post, it was time for new blood and fresh ideas.
John was one of the signatories to the the founding document setting-up the Melton Twinning Association on 17th July 1972. The first Twinning Agreement with Dieppe was signed on Saturday 21st October 1972. This was a wonderful day celebrated by a great procession of decorated floats through the town, headed by a band, and the horses from the Veterinary Camp led by Sgt. Major Kettle with a drawn sword! (The Royal Army Veterinary Corps have the freedom of the Borough and are entitled to march with drawn swords.) The whole day was "carnival" complete with a Twinning Beauty Queen.
We subsequently enjoyed many sucessful and happy visits with Dieppe, but after about five years Dieppe felt that their future twinning partners lay nearer home.
It was at this time that we first twinned with Kapelle in the Netherlands. We have since then continued our happy relationships with them and more recently have a similar arrangement with Sochaczew in Poland, and currently a potential friendship link with Clarksville in Indiana, USA.
John Rudman has always felt that twinning is important. Its actions help people from different countries and cultures to communicate and understand each other. He has organised many visits (in both directions). He has travelled many times to Dieppe, about eight times to Kapelle, and three times to Sochaczew and is now planning to go out to Clarksville. John says he looks forward to supporting the Society and its new Chairman, David Morris, in any way he can.
David Morris joined the Society about two years ago, made a big impact, since he was a major player in the highly acclaimed visit of the Polish Ladies Choir last year, and is now very busy organising rehearsals and a reciprocal visit of our choirs to Sochaczew to sing Clive Roger's Millennium Mass.
David has many ideas for the furthering of our links with our friends abroad in the fields of commerce and trade. He intends to visit Kapelle in August, and he hopes that we shall be able to increase our membership, and keep all our links vigorous and fruitful. He is appealing to past members to become active members again and to give the Association renewed support, with the benefit of their experiences.
It augurs well for the Assocation as it grows from strength to strength and activities increase.
Pictured below are David (left) and John
Photograph courtesy of Dinah Rudman.