Past Events

		INFORMATION
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How to Join
Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the twinning. A knowledge of German is certainly not required ! The events listed below will give you some idea of the sort of things we get up to. We organise a variety of activities throughout the year, but the main focus is always on the visits to Rheinbach (normally in even years) and visits from Rheinbach (in the odd years). The membership year is based on the calendar year and for 2008 the fees are £10 for an Adult & £20 for a family. For more details, please contact Christine Newby our Membership Secretary The rest of the committee for 2008 are - Chairperson - Chris Ide Treasurer Keith Loney Secretary Chris Sutton Social Secretary Margie Regnaudot Education Secretary Gillian Theaker

Forthcoming Events Full details from margieregnaudot@aol.com
Thur 28th to Sun 31st August 2008	Visit to Rheinbach

November 2008	Annual General Meeting

2009	Visit from Rheinbach

Past Events
June 2008	A party of 8 cyclists led by the Mayor of Rheinbach visit Sevenoaks		click here for more information
January 2008	New Year Party
September 2007	A party of over 45 Rheinbachers visit Sevenoaks to participate in a ceremony to name "Rheinbach Gardens"		click here to see photographs
Summer 2007	Friends of Rheinbach link up with Friends of Pontoise for a second time to host a joint stand at the (very wet) annual town fair.
January 2007	New Year Party
October 2006	Mr. Wittman, who gave us such an interesting talk about Berlin last year, gave us another fascinating illustrated talk, this time on Dresden.
Summer 2006	Keely Speller takes part in work experience visit in Rheinbach		Click on this link for report
June 2006	Friends of Rheinbach link up with Friends of Pontoise to host a joint stand at the annual town fair.		Click on this link for photographs
May 2006	Visit by over 30 FoR Members to Rheinbach. The visit included the dedication of a roundabout in Rheinbach to Sevenoaks, a guided tour of Bonn and a superb buffet-dinner at the Glass School.		Click on this link for photographs
October 2005	Mr. Wittman, a German journalist based in the UK, gave us an interesting illustrated talk about Berlin.
June 2005	Visit by over 30 FvS Members to Sevenoaks to coincide with the town festival. The visit included trips to Hever Castle and Sissinghurst and a Murder Mystery Evening !		Click on this link for photographs
April 2005	Spring Walk - Another successful walk, this time encompassing One Tree Hill and back for a delicious Sunday Lunch at Seal Street
January 2005	New Year Party
December 2004	We made a very successful visit to Rheinbach to visit the Christmas Market.		Click on this link for photographs
July 2004	We held a summer pub evening in the beautiful garden at the Kings Head at Bessels Green
April - 2004	We held a successful cross-country walk followed by a Roast Sunday lunch at the Chafford Arms, Fordcombe.
January - 2004	The post-Christmas party, held again this year at the Padwell Arms, Stone Street, took place as planned on the 9th January. Judging by the positive feedback we received it was enjoyed by all who attended !
September - 2003	John Spurway and Chris Sutton took Mayor Maurice Short to Rheinbach for a weekend to attend the twinning celebrations for Rheinbach's new twin town - Zamenisky Senov (also known as Steinschonau) in the Czech Republic. The connection arose from a visit by a Rheinbacher to his mother's home town, and the fact that he found a number of people who remembered his family. By coincidence, we found that one of the Czech visitors had family connections with Sevenoaks!!
September 2003	We held a very successful Wine Tasting. Many thanks are due to Jane and Nigel Primmer for making the arrangements and to Godfrey Spence of the Wines and Spirits Educational Trust for his excellent presentation.
August 2003	An evening was spent with the Bromley Town Twinning Committee at their invitation, in order to share and compare experiences.
November 2002	We welcomed a delegation of 30 persons from Rheinbach. There was a dinner, with cocktails in St. Julian’s Private Club and an exchange of speeches The following day „FvS“ accepted an invitation to join in the "Guy Fawkes Day" celebrations
July 2002	A cricket team, consisting of 10 players including Rheinbach’s Mayor Stefan Raetz, take part in a cricket weekend in Sevenoaks.
May 2001	Official Celebrations of the City of Rheinbach on the occasion of the twinning with Sevenoaks. Celebration with musical programme and signing of the Twinning Charter in the City Hall, Rheinbach.
Summer 2000	Nadine Warzel, student (Technical College, Koblenz) from Rheinbach worked in Sevenoaks and completed her placement in a Day Nursery and in Walthamstow Hall Junior School.
June 25th 2000	A Morning Service was held in St. Mary's Kippington. It featured a performance by the School Choir of St. Joseph’s Grammar School for Girls, Rheinbach.
June 24th 2000	Festive Twinning Ceremony at the Vine Gardens Cricket field and signing of the Twinning Charter by the Mayors of each town, with subsequent reception in the pavilion. Afternoon excursion to Knole House Evening celebrations with dinner in St. Juliens, a private club on the outskirts of Sevenoaks. The Flag with the coat of arms, of Rheinbach was presented to the town of Sevenoaks and presents were exchanged.
June 23rd 2000	The German delegation, consisting of official representatives of the town of Rheinbach, under the leadership of the Mayor, Stefan Raetz, members of the press and „FvS“ arrived in Sevenoaks. On their arrival they were heartily greeted by the Mayor of Sevenoaks, John London.
June 23-25 2000	Signing of the Twinning Charter in Sevenoaks, Kent.
December 1999	The Councillors of both towns settled the twinning.
September 1999	This visit caused Sevenoaks Town Council in a Council Meeting on the 12^th September to arrange for the appropriate steps towards an official twinning.
June 1999	A further, important step towards an official twinning: The City of Rheinbach hosted the visit of four representatives of Sevenoaks Council, including Ann Dawson the reigning Mayor, to the 700 Year Anniversary Celebrations which were coming to an end. During the course of an extensive programme, the English guests were officially greeted at a reception in the Town Hall.
February 1999	A group of visitors from Sevenoaks arrived for the Carnival and enjoyed the local customs and processions.
February 1998	Financial support for the Bromley High School Girls Choir during their visit to St. Joseph’s Grammar School for Girls, Rheinbach.
Summer 1997	Start of the Youth Exchange: Two students from Sevenoaks stayed for work placement in Rheinbach. Start of the Cultural Exchange: The Madrigal Choir of the Church of St. Martin, Rheinbach and the Fidelia Orchestra, Wormersdorf held concerts in Sevenoaks.
May 1997	Group of visitors from Sevenoaks in Rheinbach.
March 1997	The Mayor of Rheinbach, Dr. Hans Schellenberger and the Town Director Gerhard Martini visited Sevenoaks.
September 1996	Second journey of the „FvS“ to Sevenoaks.
June 1996	First trip to Sevenoaks with a tour of the town.
April 1996	Visit of a group of „FoR“ from Sevenoaks; wine tasting and dinner in Mayshoß.
February 1996	Official founding of the Club/Society "Freunde von Sevenoaks ", hereinafter named „FvS“, .
February 1996	The Mayor of Sevenoaks, Tony Clayton, visited Rheinbach. "Friends of Rheinbach" formed
November 1995	Interested residents of Rheinbach met with the intention of founding a Club/Society; discussion and debate about drafting up the statutes and articles.
March 1995	Nigel Keen, an English man living in Rheinbach visited Sevenoaks and held informal talks with representatives of the council.