You will be made very welcome at the lanfarfechan Croquet Club's Annual Open Day which will be held on Sunday, 27 May 2012 from 2.00 p.m. when you can sample, FOR FREE, the game of golf-croquet.

Refreshments will be served between 3.00pm and 4.00 pm.

After a space of 11 years, some of the gardens at Abergwyngregyn will once again, be open to the public in aid of the North West Cancer Research Fund (Llanfairfechan & Aber Committee).

"The village of Aber offers an interesting and diverse range of small gardens.It's Alpine aspect is both challenging and gratifying for the gardener. All the gardens offer an assortment of both rare and common plants and shrubs with the added advantage of the gardeners at hand to offer tips and advice."

The trail will begin at the Information Centre at Ty Pwmp where you will buy your ticket at £3. There will be something for everyone and refreshments will be on sale at the Chapel.

LLANFAIRFECHAN AND PLEUMELEUC TOWN TWINNING AND LLANFAIRFECHAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

At 10.00pm on Friday 6th April, 24 members of the Llanfairfechan Under 13’s and Under 16’s Football Teams along with coaches, parents and members of the Llanfairfechan Town Twinning Association (TTA) boarded the ABACAB Coach for the journey to Pleumeleuc to play in the first Matches of a tournament between the two ‘Twinned Towns’ which, it is hoped, will be repeated annually in France and Wales.

After a six hour journey to Portsmouth, we boarded the ferry to Ouistreham in Normandy. A two hour journey to Pleumeleuc followed, where we were warmly welcomed by the Mayor, Madame Patricia Cousin and the Town Twinning Committee led by the President, Madame Fabienne Nouveau.

We were then driven to the gite at La Besneraye, a renovated farmhouse, where we were treated to the first of many delicious meals prepared by the Twinning Committee. After welcoming speeches, most of the football teams remained in the gite, their base for the stay, whilst the TTA and some of the parents were hosted by other members of the Pleumeleuc Town Twinning Committee, most of whom had visited Llanfairfechan during their 2011 visit.

This was many of the group's first visit to France and they were suitably impressed!

Sunday saw the first matches of the tournament. The two teams were led onto the field by the mascots of the Pleumeleuc/Bedee FA, lining up for the two national anthems, before the national flags and a crowd of onlookers. The French teams won both of the morning games, despite tremendous efforts from the Welsh teams. The afternoon matches became more exciting when the Under 13 team won their match 2-1. To round off the tournament the Welsh and French coaches and some of the parents played a ‘friendly’ match. The French teams were led by Mme. Cousin, who was obviously not playing the game for the first time! There was good humour all round and the Welsh Team won 3-1. During the matches, the TTA group in the party visited Pleumeleuc, including a short walk alongside the River Vaunoise.

At 5.30 on Sunday afternoon, events became more formal with an Official welcome in front of the Town Hall before a large audience of Pleumeleucoises (residents of the town), and a representative for the Communaute Montfort Tourist Association who were sponsoring the European Week, with speeches by the Mayor of Pleumeleuc and Cllr. Ray Jones, Llanfairfechan TTA Chairman. In her speech, Mme. Cousin emphasised the importance of these visits to bring together the two towns in the real spirit of friendship within Europe, following the planting of a liquid amber tree outside the Town Hall: 'This very symbolic gesture of planting the tree of friendship is a sure sign of trust, peace and friendship between two people within a united Europe'.

On behalf of Llanfairfechan TTA, Cllr. Jones presented the Mayor and the Pleumeleuc Twinning Committee with a slate plaque embossed with a Celtic design in wood, and a copy of Margaret Roberts's latest book on Llanfairfechan, 'Days Gone By'. The last chapter, entitled 'The Twinning of Llanfairfechan and Pleumeleuc', gives an account of the visit to Llanfairfechan in 2011. The Light Up Llanfairfechan Group sent a Christmas illumination of 'Nadolig Llawen', which will be displayed in Pleumeleuc this Christmas.

A flock of pigeons was released by the Pleumeleuc Pigeon Fanciers Association to the accompaniment of a Breton Pipe Band, Le Montfort Bagdad. A road sign indicating the twinning of the town with Llanfairfechan was then unveiled on the main road into Pleumeleuc, the N68 from Rennes.

This was the first anniversary of Twinning for the French, and a copy of the Declaration of Friendship was signed again as it had been in the original visits in 2010 and 2011. Cllrs. Carol Edwards and Ray Jones signing for Llanfairfechan with the Mayor and President of the TTA for Pleumeleuc.

The event was sealed with a toast and buffet in the Mairie and then the whole group, including the residents of Pleumeleuc, enjoyed a superb reception and soiree with music and dancing to round off the evening.

Monday saw a visit to Mt. Saint Michel, a World Heritage Site and a famous tourist feature in Normandy, where we were given a guided tour of the monastery. The return to Pleumeleuc included a stop at a local McDonalds, to the delight of the footballers, who voted Chris the most popular driver in the world!!

Then it was back to the gite and a final meal for all the party with thank you speeches being made by Lorrie Murphy, the leader of the football teams, and Fabienne Nouveau, the President of the Pleumeleuc Twinning Committee. It was an emotional event with everyone joining in the French and Welsh songs. Some of the footballers presented gifts to their hosts which were very warmly received with traditional kisses on both cheeks, much to the embarrassment of some of the young players!!

On Tuesday morning after breakfast, the party returned to the Sports Centre in Pleumeleuc for games of basketball and kingball. Some of the party were taken to the neighbouring tourist town of Montfort to see its fortifications, cobbled streets and quaint buildings.

At 11.00 we were treated to a final buffet at Le Petit Prince, a local primary school, before saying our farewells. We boarded the bus to the accompaniment of Auld Langs Syne, sung by the Twinning Committee in English! Provided with a picnic, the party left Pleumeleuc for Ouistreham and caught the 4.00 ferry to Portsmouth, arriving in Llanfairfechan at 3.15am on Wednesday morning!

Chris Wynne, the Under 16 Coach said it had been a great experience for the players and the coaches, both from a football and cultural point of view. It was an opportunity to meet with young French people and make new friends.

The whole event was a great success, was enjoyed by all and will be remembered for years to come. The two teams were great ambassadors, not only for Llanfairfechan but also for their country. They are looking forward to next year when the Association de Football de Pleumeleuc/Bedee come to Llanfairfechan to play the second leg of the tournament.

I should like to thank all the members of Llanfairfechan TTA, Llanfairfechan Community Council, Llanfairfechan Football Association and everyone who contributed and supported the fundraising events throughout the year to make the trip possible.

Diolch yn Fawr iawn!

Ray Jones,
Chairman, Llanfairfechan TTA.

There are some photos of the youngsters from Llanfairfechan Town FC playing against their Pleumeleuc hosts during their Easter 2012 exchange visit at http://www.usbedee.fr/FOOT/diapo/evene/album/gallois/index.html

Margaret Roberts's new book about life in Llanfairfechan in past times is selling well, and the feedback she has received is very positive.

The book is on sale at Llan Newsagency, Village Road, Llanfairfechan, Siop y Pentre newsagents in Penmaenmawr, Y Felin in Aber, Fitzpatrick's cafe in Bethesda and Waterstones in Llandudno.

Copies can also be obtained directly from Margaret. Contact her at robertsmrg@aol.com.