Report by Brenda Snow:

Saturday 11th November saw the annual CVST Christmas Market take place in the Town Hall.  TTA members hosted visitors from Świdnica in Poland and Biberach in Germany.  Sadly, this year, no visitors from Valence were able to attend.  With our visitors arriving on Friday, the early evening was spent preparing the stall for the following day’s market.  This was soon done and the rest of the evening was spent with their hosts.  Petra and Sarah enjoyed an Indian meal at the Blue Sari – especially appreciated as it seems Biberach doesn’t have an Indian restaurant.

Saturday was a busy day, selling produce, being photographed, renewing old friendships, shopping in Clacton and, when the market closed, being hosted, in the inner sanctum of the Town Hall, by the Chairman of the Council, Mark Platt and his wife. Mark entertained us all by producing a number of objects, books and certificates relating to twinning over the years that he had unearthed in various council offices, with a view to having them on more permanent display. 

He also admitted to, on his first visit to our German twin town, driving to the ‘wrong’ Biberach before finally arriving in Biberach-an-der Riss!  He impressed our Polish visitors by pointing out a painting of Świdnica in the background of his official portrait. It is very encouraging to see Mark’s support and enthusiasm for town twinning.

Saturday evening was an opportunity for more members of the TTA to come along to the Martello Inn to join our visitors and hosts for dinner and a very noisy and sociable evening was had by all.

On Sunday our visitors spent the day with their hosts visiting various local places, shopping in Colchester and Norwich always being popular destinations with Christmas looming.  All too soon though, Monday morning arrived and, with a very early start, our visitors were off home again – until the next time.