DITTON TWINNING ASSOCIATION
c/o Parish Council Office
Ditton Community Centre
Kilnbarn Road
DITTON
Aylesford
Kent ME20 6AH
Telephone: 01732 844749
Fax: 01732 845572
The French town of Rang du Fliers is located on the Côte d'Opale (the Opal Coast), 6 Km from the beach of Berck sur Mer, in the Montreuil sur Mer area.
Rang-du-Fliers is a tourist focused town and has 3800 inhabitants with seven camping sites, two hotels, several B&Bs and restaurants, numerous shops, as well as the Bagatelle theme park. Its footpaths and byways for pedestrians and bicycles is a delight for all those who enjoy the peace and quiet of natural surroundings.
The two-star Tourist Office, which is open all year round, is on hand to assist you with your stay and will inform you of the many events organised throughout the year. Visit the Rang-du-Fliers Tourist Office web site (in French but with some English).
DITTON TWINNING ASSOCIATION -- Planned Activities, (June 2008 onwards)
Following the June 2008 and previous meetings of the Twinning Association Committee, the following events are planned:-
SCHOOLS VISIT 
– to Rang du Fliers on 14th June 2008 by Ditton Infant and Junior
Schools. Two coaches with children, teachers and parents made the trip with splendid weather. Click here for some photographs and a report.
BASTILLE DAY - Some members have made arrangements to attend the ceremony on 14 July 2008.
Visit to Ditton Twinning Short Mat Bowls Club – 18th June 2008 is the date for French guests to come here. A meal at the Castle Lake Restaurant, Leybourne is planned. A raffle would be held to help offset the cost of visitor meals. Fifteen English people were going, but definite numbers for French players are awaited.
PETANQUE - Return Match. Plans are in hand for Ditton Petanque Club (and other visitors) to travel to Rang-du-Fliers on 6th September 2008.
CHRISTMAS FAIR - Sunday 30th November 2008. Our planning has started for this and a wide variety of stall is sought. Tombola prizes are being accepted now.
INDOOR MARKET - 15th February 2009 is planned for the next fund-raising Market in aid of Ditton Twinning Association.
The date for the next meeting of Ditton Twinning Association is Thursday 24th July 2008 at 7pm.
Activities Update, Spring 2008.
VISIT BY LES MARCHEURS (a walking group) - to Ditton for
the weekend 17/18 May 2008. The visit went off very well, despite the weather. Click here for some photographs and a report.
New Chairman. Barbara Matthews, who has been the Association's Chair for some time now wished to stand down. Mike Atkinson was duly appointed as Chair for the 2008/2009 period. Our grateful thanks to Barbara for all her hard work for the Association over the years and it was unanimously agreed that she has presided over many extremely successful events during her term of office.
BOWLS FRIENDSHIP TROPHY - The JT Bowls Club visited Rang in March 2008 and won the Trophy. A return match has been arranged in Ditton on 12th June 2008 with about 11 French guests expected.
Tea Dance at Ditton, 16 April 2008 - [Report by Mike Atkinson] "A flying start was made by having access to the Bowls Club on the Tuesday evening, allowing guest tables to be set with tablecloths, cutlery, carafes, and glasses, and for the self service buffet tables to be organised in readiness for the following day.
Angela and the volunteers (none of whom appeared from DAMARA!) were all in place early Wednesday morning, and everybody was soon involved in the preparation of the food and other tasks in prior to the lunch. A check was made over at the Parish Office before the expected time of arrival of our guests to ensure that the Kiln Barn Club would be available for refreshments, but this proved not to be so. Apparently, the pipes are cleaned through on Wednesday mornings. However, this small crisis was overcome and alternative arrangements put in place.
Shortly after returning to the Bowls Club, it came as something of a surprise to see two or three of the French guys showing interest in the quality of the grass on the green. The good citizens had arrived earlier than expected. Barbara and Mike went across to the Oaken Hall where our guests were already relaxing with refreshment, and being hosted by Pat and Trevor Brimsted from DAMARA.
Shortly before noon, everybody made their way to the Bowls Club, where everything was laid ready to sit down and tuck in. The buffet looked absolutely first class and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The atmosphere was extremely convivial, and the setting was ideal in respect of both size of the venue and the outlook over the bowling green. The "charmer" from Vivre son Age, Jean Boubet, took the initiative in identifying the organiser of the lunch, and duly expressed public appreciation of Angela's efforts and hard work in co-ordinating everything. Luckily, he wasn't aware of Angela's sleepless night beforehand, otherwise he might .have added a few more chosen words.
Back in the Oaken Hall, the remainder of the afternoon was enjoyed by all present. The music for dancing was provided by the Two Jays, a very accomplished couple who have an extensive repertoire of entertainment. The ample refreshments were provided by some of the DAMARA ladies
Our guests departed around 4.30, in good time to get the Shuttle back to France. They each and everyone expressed their appreciation of a happy day.
I will conclude by thanking Angela and acknowledging her considerable contribution to the success of the lunch and ultimately of the day. Thanks also to John and Audrey, Betty and Mike, Barbara and Val for their assistance in preparing the lunch. Thanks are also due to Maralyn and Tony Mulcuck for their help and support on the day."
Activities Update, September/October 2007.
The JT Indoor Bowls Club traveled to Rang-du-Fliers on 26th September 2007. 10 people traveled, arriving at 11.15am to be greeted with coffee and calvados. After playing 3 mats, everyone sat down to a meal together; food and wine were plentiful. It was a very enjoyable day with a happy atmosphere, even though the visiting team lost the match. A champagne toast was made during the presentation of the trophy; this was followed by singing and dancing. It is possible that the Kent County Indoor Bowls Club may consider inviting the Rang-du-Fliers Club to participate in a future event.
Activities Update, July/August 2007.
Representatives from Ditton visited Rang du Fliers and participated in the Bastille Day Ceremony on 14th July 2007. For Jose Collette, the Rang du Fliers' Mayor, Bastille Day Speech, please click here; for photographs of the day, please click here.
A
group of 11 people from the Vivre Son Age club in Rang-du-Fliers came
across on Saturday, 28th July to play Short Mat Bowls at the Community
Centre. This followed on from us playing French Boules on our last visit
and offering to show our French friends short mat bowls. The French
visitors were welcomed with coffee and danish pastries upon arrival (which
was 8.30am instead of 10.00am as expected!) They played bowls all morning,
were taken to lunch at The Wealden Hall, then more bowls. The Friendship
Cup was narrowly won by Ditton this time, but will be taken across to
Rang-du-Fliers on 26th September 2007, for a return match. It is hoped
that these exchanges between the two clubs will take place every two months.
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Above are a couple of photographs taken during the bowls match: one showing
the players in action and one of the Friendship cup and souvenir shields
which were given to each visitor. The bottle of Courvoisier also in the
picture was won in the raffle by one of the Vivre Son Age visitors.
DITTON TWINNING ASSOCIATION -- Activities Update, May 2007.
The Annual General Meeting of the association was held on 16 May 2007. Here are some key details and dates from that meeting.
- Twinning
Association members visited Rang-du-Fliers
on 21st March 2007, to attend the Annual Senior Dancing Lunch in the
Salle Bleue. A very enjoyable day was experienced and the date for next
year's similar event will be 5th March 2008.
- Ditton
Infant School is planning a visit to Rang-du-Fliers on 9th June 2007.
- Bastille
Day Celebrations 2007 are on 13th-14th July this year. Some fourteen
people will be traveling to Rang-du-Fliers on 13th July 2007 and Ditton
will be represented by the Parish Council and the Twinning Association,
who will both lay a floral tribute either at the War Memorial or the
Place de Paix on the morning of 14th.
- The
Twinning Association's Christmas Craft Fair will be held on Saturday
7th November 2007.
- Twinning
Association Committee and Officers 2007: Chair - Barbara Matthews;
Vice-Chair - John Beadle; Secretary & Co-ordinator: Eileen Jones;
Treasurer - Colin Stanley. Natalie Marnham and Sylvie Bartlett Rawlings
will assist in other ways with translation or communications with Rang-du-Fliers.
- The next meeting of the Twinning Association was agreed for Wednesday 1st August 2007.
For more information about the Twinning Association and to see how you can get involved, please contact Elieen Jones, email here.
PREVIOUS VISITS TO DITTON'S TWIN TOWN OF RANG-DU-FLIERS
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DITTON INFANT SCHOOL VISIT TO THE INFANTS SCHOOL IN RANG DU FLIERS ON 11TH JUNE 2005.
The children from Ditton enjoyed being shown around the School in Rang-du-Fliers
and going into classrooms and, although shy at first, did practice their
French.
School Classroom, Rang-du-Fliers
The Children also enjoyed a walk around the village and their visit to
the Boulangerie/Patisserie and a French Supermarket.
They ended their visit with a picnic on the neighbouring beach of Berck-Sur-Mer.
Berck Sur Mer beach
BASTILLE CELEBRATION VISIT, 2005
Twenty six people from Ditton, including Councillors and residents, visited Rang-du-Fliers on 13th & 14th July 2005 to attend the Bastille celebrations.
They received a very warm welcome and attended a dinner, torchlight procession and firework display on the evening of the 13th. The next day they attended the more serious wreath laying ceremony and wreaths were laid from Ditton Parish Council and Ditton Twinning Association. During the ceremony two minutes silence was observed in memory of those who died in the London bombings. All French and English flags in the town were flown at half mast as a mark of respect to those who died in the attacks.
After the ceremony, everyone marched behind the Rang-du-Fliers band to the School playground where the town Majorettes gave a display before proceeding to the Vin d'honneur for those people in the town who have achievements in Sport, long service etc., during the past year. Public presentations were made to each of these.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the twinning of the two communities, Ditton Parish Council's Chairman, John Day, presented the Mayor with an engraved crystal decanter and the Twinning Association presented him with a locally made and decorated pottery bowl.
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Tourist Information Office and Council Chamber, Rang-du-Fliers |
Majorettes |
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Mayor of Rang-du-Fliers, Jose Collett holding gift from Ditton Twinning Association presented to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Twinning. |
Ceramic Bowl gift from Ditton Twinning Association to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Twinning. |
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Torchlight Procession through the Village of Rang-du-Fliers |
Bastille Wreath Laying Ceremony |
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Wreaths |
