UPCOMING EVENTS
A talk by Dr Michael Somerville on the Origins of our Twinning
How a bunch of Buxton lads found themselves fighting a war in a French Town called Oignies
Friday 13 June at 7:30pm (Doors open 7pm)
At Harper Hill Village Hall
This talk tells the story of how a local battalion, the 2/5th Sherwood Foresters, was involved, and in particular the story of the men from Buxton who fought and died there. Mike makes the case that this action was crucial in allowing the successful escape of the British Expeditionary Force across the Channel and back to England, towards the beginning of World War II.
Mike's talk will last approximately 50 minutes and will be followed by a Q and A session.
There is no charge for attending the event, but we would appreciate it if you could let us know if you plan on coming along. We will be providing some light refreshments, for which there will be an opportunity to make a voluntary donation should you wish.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND - Croquet and Champagne Afternoon Tea
Saturday 21 June 2pm - 5pm
Ashwood Park Croquet Lawn
£12 Adult / £5 Children
Visit to Oignies '26
22 - 26 May 2026
We are planning our 2026 visit Oignies for the dates above.
Anglo-French ZOOM Sessions
40 minutes or so of Friendly Franglais every week
The Zoom sessions are currently paused. We are planning to restart soon.
A chance to brush up on your French and have a chat with some of our Amis from Oignies via ZOOM.
Following on from the first virtual Soirée, which took place in lieu of our cancelled visit to Oignies in 2020, several people expressed an interest in further group sessions on ZOOM, particularly with regard to improving their language skills in French/English. We started holding these these meet-ups in June and they have been great fun with up to a dozen members joining in weekly from both sides of la Manche. The format is fairly ad hoc, with a mixture of English and French spoken in a lively informal atmosphere. The duration tends to vary depending on the numbers, with people free to join and leave à volonté.
If you would like to join in, please let us know via friendsofoignies@gmail.com and we'll send you details.
