12:35pm Tuesday 8th June 2010
By Rebecca Cain
LANE End is gearing up to welcome their French counterparts to the village this weekend celebrating ten years of the twinning with St Pierre d'Oleron.
A party of French visitors from the island in the bay of Biscay will celebrate the anniversary during the weekend and stay with families in the Buckinghamshire village.
The hosts will present a cheque of 500 Euros to the French party as their island was rocked by a storm earlier this year.
Twinning association member Andrew MacTavish said: “The island suffered very much and we wanted to help. Some very strong friendships have formed.
“St Pierre d'Oleron is totally different to Lane End which is why the original twinning was made.”
He said five years ago a traditional British red telephone box was sent to St Pierre which now sits in the centre.
The official welcoming ceremony takes place at 6.30pm on Friday at the Lane End Primary School Hall and pupils from each country will sing to each other in their own languages.
The French visitors will go to the annual village day fête on Saturday after a trip to Oxford. On Sunday there will be a trip to the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway.
The trip will finish with a grand dinner at the Grouse and Ale at 5.30pm on Sunday.
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