Vos questions
Questions people ask
If yours isn’t here, just ask — we would rather answer it than have you wonder.
- What is the Twinning Association for?
- The Association exists to promote friendship between the communities of Haughley and Wetherden and Noyelles-lès-Seclin, which is a village in northern France near Lille.
- How does it work?
- Families from both countries are “twinned” and take turns to visit each other, one year here in England, followed by a trip to France the following year.
- How long has the Twinning Association been in existence?
- The Association was started some thirty-five years ago, mostly at the initiative of Fred Rapsey, who ran the school at Walnut Tree Manor in Haughley Green.
- How do members travel to and from France?
- The cost of hiring a coach has become prohibitive, so in recent years we travel by car, often sharing places to bring down the cost for individuals.
- Can anybody join?
- Everybody is welcome, although it is true that most members live in the parishes of Wetherden and Haughley. Children are particularly welcome — after all, the future of the Association is in their hands.
- How much does it cost?
- Each family pays £20 per month. When our French friends visit here we club together to pay for catering and the like, although often the Association funds cover the cost of those visits. When we go to France everything is paid for by our hosts, except the cost of getting there.
- What happens when our families get together?
- Each weekend offers a programme of social, cultural and just plain fun activities.
- Do you need to speak French?
- If you have some French language expertise that would of course be very helpful, however most of our French friends speak English, so communication is not a problem. These visits offer a great opportunity for children and the rest of us to learn and practise.
- Do we need to have a big house with spare bedrooms?
- It would be convenient, but it certainly is not necessary — tents, caravans and camp beds have been pressed into service before now!
- How do you join the Association?
- Fill in the form on our Join page, or contact our chairman, Richard Standen.
Still wondering something?
Ask us directly — there is no such thing as a daft question about twinning.