"We were all touched by the desire to please....." On the 22nd July, 16 members of the Twinning Association, including 6 children, left Overton for the start of the biennial visit to Overton's twinned village of La Murette. "What a great time we had" - writes Sue England. "Exhilarating...jam-packed...exciting.....marvellous visits" These are the memories of my two daughters on our return from a wonderful week in La Murette, our twin village. I have to agree with their sentiments. After a frantic end of term rush the prospect of our impending visit to France was a little daunting. However, from the minute we arrived in France our hosts excelled themselves by the warmth of their welcome. We were a mixed group - some who had visited the village before and others like ourselves who were new to twinning. We were immediately made to feel 'at home' by our families and so began the whirlwind of activities: walks - wine, music - wine, dancing - more wine!
To say our hosts Louis and Andre were organised and well prepared would be an understatement. The itinerary was fun, varied and action-packed! From swinging through the trees at an Adventure Park, to admiring the wonderful buildings in Lyon, the days had something for everyone. As one of the group remarked, the people in La Murette either worked all day, and then joined us for the evening, or they chose to take time off work to help entertain us. We were all very touched by the desire to please, and admired how enthusiastic their twinning committee seemed. The children mixed easily with the French youngsters and despite very different levels of French, managed to communicate somehow! At the leaving party, where we all danced following Jacques' expert instruction, we all felt the same. A real sense of making new friends, anticipating the return visit of the people from La Murette to Overton next year, and looking forward to two years time and our return to France. If you have ever thought of joining the trip, I can only urge you to do so. You will not regret it. The children summed it up by saying that in one week they had "made some firm friends and returned with many happy memories"
Ed. As one of those who went to La Murette this year, I cannot agree more with the sentiments expressed by Sue England and her daughters Lucy and Jenny. By the way, Sue did not tell you that we won the International Boules trophy - again!! 8 Rules for staying safe by Mike Redworth - MRT Training and Consultancy, Overton. The use of chat rooms by children is a normal part of growing up now and should be encouraged. We have seen, however, how vulnerable children are to abuse and sexual exploitation through the meeting of people on the internet. This has been amply demonstrated through the recent episodes of Coronation Street. With a little caution using the internet can be an educational and rewarding experience for young and older people alike. By following the simple rules below, internet users will reduce the risk of dangerous and harmful experiences Rule 1. Never give out personal details in chat rooms or on instant messaging services. Personal details such as name, address, telephone number, name of school should remain private. Rule 2. Never agree to meet in person anyone that you have met on-line, unless you are absolutely sure it is safe to do so. Rule 3. If you do want to meet someone take the following precautions: Meet in a public place in daytime; Take another adult with you; Let someone know where you are going, who you are going to meet and what time you will be coming home. Rule 4. Tell Mum or Dad if anything on-line makes you feel uncomfortable or threatened. If you are an adult, report it to the police or to the Internet Service Provider (e.g. AOL or Freeserve, etc) Rule 5. Never send offensive or threatening messages whilst in a chat room. If you get such messages, follow Rule 4 above. Rule 6. Always keep your password secret Rule 7. Never download files from e-mails or off the internet unless you are sure of where they came from Rule 8. Never send a photograph of yourself to anyone unless you are sure of whom he or she is. Remember that most internet users are ordinary people but be aware that some are dangerous people. Always be cautious. For further safety information I recommend the following sites: www.safekids.com; www.teensafe.com or www.parentsonline.gov.uk . Happy and safe surfing!! MRT Training, Research & Consultancy, offers training and consultancy in personal safety, violence and aggression and other Human service issues to National Occupational and national Vocational Qualification Standards. Contact: Mike Redworth (e-mail MRTtraining@aol.com) Scouts Win Best Raft Shield in District Raft Race Overton Scouts recently took part in the Wrexham District Raft Race at the Quinta, Weston Rhyn. They competed well in the speed race, but won the Best Raft Shield for their traditionally built Scout Raft which was made of plastic drums, long pioneering poles and knotted rope. Not a nail or glue in sight and no pallets, crates or streamlining in use!
The Scouts built the raft at Friday's Scout meeting and raced it the following day. Three teams used the same raft to propel it around the island, and it held up well against the more sophisticated rafts on show from other Troops in the District. Development Plan moves a step forward Wrexham County Borough Council has agreed changes to its Unitary Development Plan following a period of public consultation last year. The Plan covers the administrative area of the County Borough and will supersede existing adopted plans, namely the Wrexham Local Plan - Forward to 2001, the Glyndwr Local Plan, and the Clwyd Structure Plan. Its purpose is to provide a framework for local decision making and indicates the provision to be made for housing, employment and other major land uses: the broad locations for development and the areas where policies of restraint may be necessary These proposed changes are now the subject of further public consultation during a six week period which began on the 17th August and continues until the 28th September. Copies of the documents are available for inspection free of charge at the Guildhall, Wrexham and various libraries and Arts centres throughout the Borough, including Overton library. Special forms for responding to the document will be available, and any representations must relate only to the proposed changes. All representations will be considered by the Wrexham Council and then placed before an independent Inspector for consideration at a local Public Inquiry in association with the original objections/supporting representations to the Unitary Development Plan. Future looks bright for the White Horse At a recent meeting of the Community Council, concern was expressed over the future of the White Horse, which closed its doors to the public last June. With each successive tenant finding it increasingly difficult to sustain any profitability, and the building being left to deteriorate both internally and externally, members felt that the time had come to enter into a dialogue with the Pub's agents to see how this downward spiral could be turned around. Mr Neil Forkin, Property Manager of the Pyramid Pub Management Company Limited said:- "We are currently in negotiations with a private individual who wishes to operate the property. The proposal will involve substantial investment with the property being fully refurbished. It is hoped that the works will be carried out in time for the pub to re-open for Christmas 2001. The former coach-house at the rear of the White Horse has recently been put on the market with the potential for residential use, subject to planning permission. The agents are Wingetts, 29 Holt Street, Wrexham |
