Councillor Geoff Acton with his consort, Eileen McManus.
Sunday 3rd October. 11.30 a.m. The Mayor of Richmond’s Civic Service will take place at St. Mary’s Church Twickenham. This service would normally have taken place at the commencement of councillor Acton’s term of office, but it had to be postponed because of the pandemic.
17th October. Autumn Concert by the Middlesex Yeomanry Concert Band in St. James’ Church, Hampton Hill.
The Middlesex Yeomanry Concert Band performing at the Town Twinning ceremony on Hampton Common in September 2021.
Climate Change Week 1st-8th November
As global warming is an issue which can only be solved by international co-operation, many activities are being planned with our twin towns for climate change week. This will take place at the same time as the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) which is being hosted in Glasgow. So far the programme includes:
Wednesday 3rd November. Online school exchanges between the twin towns.
Thursday 4th November. The Deputy German Ambassador will unveil a new fingerpost sign pointing to our twin towns outside the civic centre in Twickenham.
The deputy German ambassador, Julia Gross.
A service tree of Fontainebleau will also be planted in honour of the occasion.
St. Margarets Elastic Band, which is twinned with Union Musicale de Fontainebleau, will provide the music for the ceremony.
Further details will be published shortly.
For information about COP26 please click on the following link.
The Mayor, Geoff Acton, & his consort, Eileen McManus.
The 44th Annual General Meeting of the Richmond in Europe Association
will take place in the Salon of York House, Twickenham on Monday 22nd November at 7.30 p.m.
The Mayor of Richmond, councillor Geoff Acton, who is one of our three patrons, along with the mayors of Fontainebleau & Konstanz, will be the guest of honour.
The formal business of the meeting will be followed by a wine & cheese buffet.
The REA Annual Christmas Dinner
will be held on Friday 3rd December at Brouge Restaurant in Fulwell. Further details to be confirmed, but please keep the date free in your diaries.
The last Christmas dinner was held at Stein’s in Kingston.
Sunday 12th December. Carols at Clare’s from 4 p.m. REA vice-chairman Clare Head will be hosting her annual festive event with music, mulled wine & mince pies at her beautiful new home in Teddington. All funds raised will be shared between the Richmond in Europe Association, the Chapel Royal & Cancer Research. All REA members are invited.
Friday 17th December. 7 p.m. The Mayor’s Christmas Concert in York House, Twickenham. The Middlesex Yeomanry Concert Band will be providing the music.
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th December. The annual French market in Church Street Twickenham
A Tour of Farnborough Abbey
On a date yet to be determined David King will lead REA members on a guided tour of the Mausoleum of Napoleon III & Empress Eugenie in Farnborough. Tours usually take place at 3 p.m. on a Saturday, but the mausoleum is currently closed because of Covid 19.
Napoleon III
Napoleon III spent much of his childhood on the shores of Lake Constance, as Emperor he lived in his magnificent palace at Fontainebleau & he died in exile in England in 1873.
Members were treated to a fascinating online lecture on the life of Napoleon III by David King on 11th February which can be viewed by clicking on the following link:
23rd-25th February. REA members are invited to the Fasnacht celebrations in Konstanz. If you are interested in joining the REA delegation in 2022 please contact former chairman, Bernd Steinlechner at
bsteinlechner16@gmail.com
Bernd in Konstanz with the Oberbürgermeister, Uli Burchardt.
Das Europakonzil
Gemeinsam für den Klimaschutz
Delegates in 2017Konstanzer Oberbürgermeister, Uli Burchardt (back row left), with some of the delegates from the 5 nations in 2017
25th-27th April 2022
The next Europakonzil will take place in Konstanz. The Konzil promotes the benefits of European co-operation & the theme for the 2022 meeting is “Gemeinsam für den Klimaschutz.” (Together for climate protection).
As in 2017, Richmond will be sending youth delegates to join those of a similar age from Fontainebleau, Tabor, Lodi & Konstanz. Last time there were 100 young delegates from the five nations. This time there will be 75, including 15 from Richmond. English will be the lingua franca. So successful was the Konzil in 2017 that it was nominated for two awards in Germany & won prize money totalling €1250.
