The Chair and vice chair of twinning, together with the Chief Executive, were invited to Annecy from 10-13 October for the annual working meeting, when consultation on past projects and plans for future joint projects were discussed.  Various contacts and visits to schools were also made.  The visit coincided with the traditional ‘Descente des Alpages’ when the cattle return to the lower pastures for winter and parade through the old town of Annecy, with the streets being a fiesta of traditional folklore and market stalls with local produce.  The visit was very productive and much enjoyed.

Student Lucas Roche from Annecy has been doing a four week work placement with Ubico, the council’s waste and recycling provider.  He spent 3 weeks working in the nursery and  his last week out and about in the parks and gardens.  Lucas very much enjoyed his time here and was delighted to have been part of his host family’s winning team at their local pub quiz!

Another student from Annecy, Camille Lemaitre, also worked from 29 July to 23 August with the Community Rangers and helped out with the annual Paws in the Park.

Two Cheltenham girls have spent the month of July working in Annecy on the summer work placement scheme.  Flora McFarlene from Pates School worked in the Youth Information Office and Phoebe Harris from Balcarras School in the parks and gardens division. Both were very enthusiastic about their stay and found it a rewarding and valuable experience.

Eight 10 and 11 year olds from Woodmancote primary school spent 4 days in Annecy from 8-12 June, linking with the La Plaine primary school.  The trip was part funded with a grant from the Inspiring young people through twinning fund.  The young children prepared songs and presentations to perform at the Annecy school and are now preparing further presentations about their visit to show to their own school pupils as well as taking into other schools in the Cheltenham Learning Partnership.  An interesting report on the visit has been produced by the head teacher.

From 8-13 May, eleven members of Cheltenham Bridge Club took part in a Bridge tournament in Annecy, together with two members of a Göttingen Bridge Club.  During the stay the members played in three bridge tournaments, had a boat tour  on the lake, a reception at the Hotel de Ville, time to explore both the town of Annecy and the surrounding mountains and enjoyed superb hospitality and friendship.    A report on the visit ends: ‘If the purpose of twinning is to nurture friendships between the citizens of the towns, then this visit did just that – in spades!!’