Celebrating L'Entente Cordiale'

10 October, 2008

Immediate

The Rotary Club of Canterbury spent an enjoyable weekend of fellowship and fun entertaining members of their French contact club, St Quentin.  The annual event, which alternates between the two cities, included a variety of activities including a golf tournament, seeing how beer is brewed at the Shepherd Neame Brewery in Faversham and a safari supper.

More than fifty Rotarians and their partners from the two clubs took part in the weekend and the President of Canterbury Rotary Club, David Barton was thrilled at its success.  He said: “This has been one of the best weekends we can remember with our French friends and their partners. This international element of Rotary enables us to forge friendships across national barriers which would not necessarily happen naturally.” He added: “Rotary isn’t just about raising money and supporting local and national charities, it’s also about having fellowship and fun with like-minded people.  We always look forward to spending time with our French friends.”

Santé!
The President of the Rotary Club of Canterbury, David Barton (right), toasts the health of his French counterpart, Jean-Louis Bouyenval, the President of the St Quentin Rotary Club, at the Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham

David Barton is particularly pleased at how the relationship between the two clubs has matured over the best part of six decades: “The northern French city of St Quentin was badly damaged during the second world war and we have enjoyed close relations with the St Quentin Club for more than sixty years since British Rotary Clubs helped with the reconstruction in France following the Second World War.” He continued.

The weekend concluded with Sunday lunch at Broome Park.

Thursday 1st January 1970

Published by: The Rotary Club of Canterbury

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