Haddington Twinning Association Bulletin Board

All photos – Mr. Christian Couture – with grateful thanks – August 2019

Photo – with thanks Elaine Wilson.

Visit to Berwick – Paxton House.

Paxton House – Home of John Hume Robertson. Politician

Visitors from Aubigny enjoying the moment.

Kitchen Paxton House

Paxton House from rear.

Paxton House Garden …

Arrival in Berwick –

Boutique

To be continued – more photos of the visit coming soon.

Photographs – with thanks – Christian Couture. August 2019.

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, Musselburgh Twinning Association
(MTA) organised a programme of activities over the weekend of 5-8 March. Four representatives of Musselburgh’s French partner Champigny sur Marne were invited to join MTA members during the three day event. Haddington Twinning‘s Secretary Elaine Mitchell-Wilson attended, accompanied by Martine Destenave from Haddington’s twin town Aubigny sur Nère.
The programme began on Thursday 5 March with a welcome dinner at Ravelston House Hotel in Musselburgh hosted by Provost John McMillan. As always, rousing renditions of La Marseillaise and Auld Lang Syne set the weekend off.
On Friday 6 March the group took part in a visit and tour of the Scottish Parliament. They also met with the local MSP Colin Beattie.
In the afternoon, the group had a guided tour of Newhailes House in Musselburgh. Mark McLean from the National Trust of Scotland gave an insightful talk about the history of the house and the life of its occupants over the years.
The main focus of the event was a Women’s conference at the Brunton Hall on Saturday 7 March which celebrated the achievements of women both locally and in France. The group was joined by pupils from Musselburgh Grammar, members of the French Institute and the French Consul, Laurence Païs.
In the morning, the group were treated to a screening of a fantastic film about the fishwives of Fisherrow followed by a fascinating presentation by Séverine Genieys- Kirk, a lecturer in French at Edinburgh University, about several women who are important in the journey and struggle for women’s rights in France. Before lunch , Mark from Newhailes House delivered an exciting talk on Châtelaines-Women as Guardians of Scottish Heritage including Lady Antonia Dalrymple, the last
guardian of Newhailes.
The afternoon kicked off with a presentation by Margaret Elgin on the Fishwives of Fisherrow. Dressed stylishly in her fishwives’ regalia, Margaret gave a detailed account of the amazing life of the fishwives. Tales given to her by her mother who had been a true Fisherrow fishwife!
The group from Champigny sur Marne, Nicole, Josette, Catherine and Geneviève continued the theme of influential women with presentations about historical women who fought for social justice and equality and engaged in feminist activism in France.
All of the presentations were very interesting and truly inspirational.
The day ended with a thank you by Provost McMillan and the French Consul to the members of Musselburgh Twinning Association for organising an extremely successful event that celebrated the achievements of women-both past and present, both local and from further afield.
Vive les femmes, vive les Jumelages et vive la Vielle Alliance!

Article by Elaine Wilson, Haddington Twinning. 14th March 2020

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Great excitement as Scotland won on the day…….. 28 – 17

A very big thank you to Haddington Rugby Club for a fantastic day.

Photos – Irene Higgenbotham. 2020

With photos by Christian Couture – Aubigny.