ELFORD/AWOINGT ASSOCIATION: FRIENDS OF AWOINGT REPORT

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   MAY 2020 – 2021

 

The optimistic view that 2020 -2021 would offer the opportunity of introducing new members to friends in Awoingt was unfortunately very misplaced! Regrettably the Covid 19 virus cancelled the planned visit to Awoingt in June and its proposed accompanying cycle tour.  The virus has also deprived us of nearly all of the various social occasions which are used both to keep in touch and organise events for the Elford based group.

The negative aspects of the last year having been covered, it is good to concentrate on the positive ones. The monthly newsletters continued to be exchanged between the two villages and have kept us abreast of life in each other’s communities, such as the retirement of Jean-Richard Lechowicz as Mayor and his replacement by Eddy DHerbecourt. Thanks to the wonders of digital communication we have shared the joint experience of living through the pandemic, enjoyed their humour, commiserated with their losses and due to the commitment of the correspondents it has often seemed we had more knowledge of life under lock-down in Awoingt than in e.g. Whittington or Edingale! Although disappointingly we were unable to meet up face to face in Awoingt for a weekend this past year, our contact has been further enhanced by the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company via the internet as Elfordians have been invited several times to join their friends in Awoingt for a virtual aperitif and exchange of news. Here in Elford, taking advantage of the brief period of relative freedom during the summer, due to the generosity of the Taylors the majority of the Friends were able to enjoy a wonderful, well spaced, evening in a beautiful garden to remind us how much pleasure and stimulation the association between the two villages affords us.

So although this exceptional year has lost us the opportunity of widening the group of people involved in the contact between the two villages, for those who have already established a contact is has provided the chance to deepen and reinforce this friendship.

In anticipation of the promised invitation, we look forward to planning the visit to Awoingt in 2022 and expanding the numbers involved.