This year’s AGM was very well attended and we were
happy to welcome the Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor
Percy Prowse and the Lady Mayoress, Mrs. Elaine Prowse
as guests. Our third guest was John Street, Corporate
Manager of Exeter City Council, who gave a short address
explaining that he was the holder of the purse strings where
our grant was concerned. He said that he was very
impressed with our vibrant and lively membership and our
commitment to Twinning. He assured us that the council is
very responsive to our 50th anniversary with Bad Homburg
and will be supportive to our efforts. We were delighted to
hear that our efforts are appreciated and supported.
He invited ETC to take part in the European flag raising
ceremony in the Guildhall, an invitation that we were
pleased to accept.
He concluded by saying that ECC was looking forward to
next year’s 60th anniversary with Rennes.
Acceptance of the minutes and the formal elections, plus
A.O.B. were completed efficiently. The decision was made
to increase the ETC annual subscription in 2016: for a
single person – £10.00 and for a couple or a family – £15.00.
When the official meeting was closed all present adjourned
to the other end of the room where tables were laid for our
meal.
As usual the meal was delicious and the service
impeccable. I was lucky enough to be seated at the Lord
Mayor’s table and can report that we all enjoyed his stories
of life in local politics.
We are happy to announce that the Lord Mayor and his
wife have decided to join Exeter Twinning Circle as
members.
Thank you all for coming and the Committee look forward
to seeing you at the events throughout the year, especially
at all the special ones planned for our 50th anniversary with
Bad Homburg.

Josie Mardon
ETC Secretary

******************
A Word from the Chair

This year there were 55 members at our AGM in the Devon
Hotel on February 11th, which must be close to a record.
We were delighted this year to have as our special guests
the Lord Mayor Percy Prowse and his wife Elaine as well
as John Street our link man in Exeter City Council. It is
reassuring for us to know that our city shows its support for
its twinning links in this way. John Street, ECC Corporate
Manager, gave an address saying how impressed he was by
the ETC and how ECC would do its best to continue
funding in these difficult times. This year, the 50th
anniversary of our partnership with Bad Homburg, there
would also be civic visits to and from BH in July.
He also confirmed that ECC would erect new entry signs
showing Exeter’s twinning links. As I remarked if every
other Devon village mentions its partnership with
Machinchouette-sur-mer, why can’t the Capital of the
South West?  This time there was far less change for the
committee as the present officers and members were
reconfirmed, except Sarah Branton who has stepped down
due to personal commitments, and who I would like to
thank for her contribution as a committee member.  Steve
and Kathy Morris, after just one year’s sabbatical gallantly
put their names forward in this busy year for respectively
the unfilled post of vice-chairman and committee member,
and were duly elected.  Brenda Kite agreed to be co-opted
for both the committee and the Bad Homburg subcommittee.
Brenda’s twinning memory and experience goes back well
beyond most of us relative newcomers!

John Whitton