After months of careful preparation Billericay was finally Twinned with the town of Fishers, Indiana on Monday 7 September 1998 in St Mary Magdalene Church, Great Burstead, Billericay. Seventeen residents of Fishers including the Town President, the Executive Director of the Town's Chamber of Commerce, the Principal of the Senior High School, the Principal of the Junior High School and the President of the Sister Cities International (SCI) Committee came to Billericay for the occasion. They stayed with families in the town and on Sunday attended Church in the morning, visited Norsey Woods in the afternoon and met members of various organisations in Billericay at an informal get together hosted by a member of the Billericay Twinning Association.
On Monday morning they visited the Library, the Police Station and the Fire Station after which they had lunch at the Edwardian Club. The service at the Chuch in the afternoon, at which the Twinning Charter was signed by the President of the Town of Fishers, a representative of Billericay Town Council and the Chairman of the Billericay Twinning Association, was attended by about sixty people including a representative of the Local Government International Bureau (LGIB) the organisation responsible for twinning matters in England, and members of the Town Council. In the evening a celebratory dinner was held in Barleylands Restaurant attended by about fifty people at which a shield, hand carved by a local craftsman, was presented to the President of Fishers to commemorate the signing of the Charter.
Tuesday morning saw the Americans visiting the schools where, after talking to pupils and staff, they had lunch and in the afternoon went to Barleylands museum to watch the manufacture of glass fruit. The final event of the day took place in South Green Junior School where students from Mayflower County High School talked to students of South East Hamilton Senior and Junior High Schools in Fishers over a video conference link.
Most of the visitors went to London on Wednesday, stayed overnight and returned to America the following day. So ended a trip that promises great possibilities for the future - already student exchanges have been arranged and teacher exchanges are being discussed, the Mayflower Corps, which is going to America next year, is to be hosted by the people of Fishers and commercial contacts have been established between the two towns. Additionally friendships have been formed between hosts and guests which will no doubt lead to exchange visits in the future. All in all a most enjoyable and meaningful event. A twinning of substance recognised by the LGIB and SCI and which has the support, by association, of the Town Council.
This official twinning with Fishers has been accomplished in spite of concerted attempts to sabotage and denigrate it. For example although the Town Council at its meeting on 18 June voted,18 to 1 with 1 abstention, to support the twinning with Fishers the Americans received a fax dated 28 June stating that "The Town Council re-affirmed that they do not support such a twinning at the last Council meeting and that they are not connected in any way with the Billericay Twinning Association which has no mandate to speak for anyone except the few people who have joined Mr Stansfield in this misguided endeavour" and "It would be very sad to think that either you or the people of Fishers are wasting time and effort pursuing an endeavour which can never come to fruition as no mandate will ever be given from the people of Billericay for twinning with Fishers. This endeavour has only brought disrepute on your town and caused great distress to the citizens of both Billericay and Billerica". Edward J Hurd Chairman of the Board of Selectman in Billerica told the Billericay Gazette, 6 August, that although his town was strongly in favour of twinning with Billericay it was not concerned about the link with Fishers adding that they did not feel insulted.
The Fishers newspaper Sun Herald included in its copy of 1 July parts of a letter from Billericay in which it was said " We wish to publicly assure the people of Fishers that the citizens of Billericay, England do not want to twin with Fishers and to urge the people of Fishers to find a willing partner with whom to share the benefits of twinning". It was also said that Billericay's Town Council did not want to form a relationship with Fishers because of its daughter relationship with Billerica. On the 23 July the Town Manager of Fishers received a fax from Billericay containing the following :
"Do you know that the Billericay Town Council do not support this venture and that the people of Billericay are totally opposed to any link with Fishers. --------- How can you as a town carry on with this? There can be no future in it as you do not have a willing partner. There is a growing resentment towards the BTA and Fishers. In Billericay, England the mandate of the towns people is paramount over the wishes of individuals". In addition the following fax was sent to the President of Fishers' Sister Cities Committee :
"I have read various articles attributed to you both in the press and on the Internet and cannot understand your insistence on wanting to twin with us when the local opinion is strongly against such a move. You have stated that your entire community is greatly behind this twinning but my information is to the contrary, you have only a lukewarm support - did you do a survey?? Have you a mandate from your community for such an action??? I am quite aware of the aims of twinning, we have been doing this for well over a century with our daughter town Billerica. I do not think these aims and objectives would be achieved by twinning with your town as a large percentage of the populace are against such a move. It is not a question of goodwill and peace but the totally undemocratic way this twinning has been foisted upon us by less than a dozen citizens who are mainly newcomers to the district. The Town Council which incidentally received votes from about 18% of the electorate have stated that the twinning has nothing to do with them and is purely a matter for the BTA who refuse to listen to criticism and are trying to save face - why don't they say "Sorry Mr Johnson we have made a mistake and have misjudged the situation by not obtaining public opinion - that would have shown goodwill - and left Billericay in peace. Think again Mr Johnson - save money and cancel your trip."
These faxes have been sent by a group who claim they have the interests of Billericay at heart but by their very actions have shown themselves to be unprincipled in their efforts to stop the twinning with Fishers. Their behaviour has lacked decorum and to say the very least has been discourteous to people who have extended the hand of friendship in an attempt to foster international relationships. There is much to be gained from this relationship but the benefits are in direct proportion to the amount of effort expended to achieve them. Incidentally some one tried to cancel the celebratory dinner booking at Barleylands Restaurant on Monday night - I wonder who!!!!!!!
Finally I reproduce below a letter from the Director of the LGIB to the Town Council :
"Firstly, I can confirm that the Billericay Twinning Association's Constitution has been drawn up with reference to the model constitution recommended by the LGIB. The LGIB endorse the terms of the Billericay Twinning Association Constitution.
On the issue of the proposed link with Billerica, Massachusetts may I refer you to the attached copy of a letter sent to the Hon Sec of the Billericay Mayflower Twinning Association, Susan Morley. You will note that we do not consider the Constitution of the Billericay Mayflower Twinning Association as currently drafted appropriate for a community twinning association. We therefore feel it would be inappropriate at this time to recognise the formal linking of Billericay and Billerica. Naturally, any organisation is at liberty to develop links with another community and call those links twinning but, in our opinion, this particular organisation does not meet the accepted standards of a bona fide twinning association as set out in our Best Practice Guidelines for Twinning. (My italics. Ed) It is for the Billericay Town Council alone to decide whether this association and its activities should be recognised locally as being for the benefit of the community as a whole."(My italics. Ed.) In summary the situation at the moment, although it may change, is :
1) The Billericay Mayflower Twinning Association is not recognised by the LGIB or the Town Council.
2) The link between Billericay and Billerica is not recognised by the LGIB or Sister Cities International.
3) The Billericay Twinning Association is recognised by the LGIB and has the support of the Town Council
4) The twinning of Billericay and Fishers is recognised by the LGIB and SCI and the official twinning charter has been signed by a representative of the Town Council
The Crunch will be visiting the following locations between the hours of 9.00am and 12.00 noon :-
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Little Burstead Car Park |
17 October |
28 November |
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Radford Crescent Car Park |
31 October |
12 December |
Bring along your garden refuse and general rubbish. Not suitable for oil, paint and other waste fluids, please speak to the driver about disposal of these items.
Telephone 01268 294949 for information regarding recycling and waste disposal facilities.
SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER - NURSERY TALES BAZAAR (Billericay United Reform Church) - Mayflower Hall, Chapel Street. 10.00am to 2.00pm. All sorts of stalls with jewellery, cakes, jams, toys, games and books for sale - excellent for Christmas shopping.
SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER - 11.00AM TO 12.30PM - JUMBLE SALE at South Green Memorial Hall for Grenfell Preschool. There will also be tombola, lucky dip, cake stalls and a raffle. Refreshments will be on sale in aid of the McMillan Cancer Fund Biggest Coffee Morning Appeal. Admission 20p.
SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER - QUIZ NIGHT at South Green Memorial Hall - 7.30pm for 8.00pm. Proceeds in aid of Hall Funds. Teams of 6, Tickets £3.50 per head including supper. Ring 01277 624310.
SUNDAY 15 NOVEMBER - CRAFT FAIR at South Green Memorial Hall for Hall Funds - 10.00am to 3.00pm. A few stalls still available. Ring 01277 624310.
SUNDAY 1 & 22 NOVEMBER and 6 DECEMBER - 10.00am to 1.00pm. TABLE SALES at South Green Memorial Hall for Hall Funds. Tables £5.00. Ring 01277 653369.
FRANCES' SCHOOL OF DANCING - DRAMA CLASSES FOR CHILDREN FROM THE AGE OF 5 YEARS AT THE FOLD. Pupils are encouraged to explore their imaginations, develop their acting skills, increase their confidence, improve their diction in a fun but hard working atmosphere. For additional information please call 01277 201335.
SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER at 7.30pm. - "ANOTHER FINE MESS". Postscript Theatre present a full-length play in which Stephen and Phil dream of being Stan and Ollie but their cabaret act is as close as they can get. Tickets £5.00 (Members £4.00).
TUESDAY 27 OCTOBER at 2.00pm. CHILDREN'S EVENT - Champ Productions presents "TALES FROM THE WASHING LINE" - a positive approach to pollution, waste and litter. A witty, entertaining show for 4 - 9 year olds involving terrific puppets and lots of audience participation. Tickets £4.00 adults and £3.50 children.
THURSDAY 29 OCTOBER - 10.00am to 12.00 noon & 2.00pm to 4.00pm - CHILDREN'S CRAFT WORKSHOP - 7 to 12 year olds are invited to come and join in the fun and try their hands at variety of seasonal crafts. Tickets £3.50.
SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER - 11.00am to 4.00pm - AUTUMN CRAFT MARKET - An early opportunity to search out some unique and inexpensive Christmas gifts from local crafts people. Admission free.
FRIDAY/SATURDAY 6/7 NOVEMBER - "TRIVIAL PURSUITS" - presented by Adelphi Drama. Dissention in the ranks of a local operatic society.
SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER - "WARTIME TEACAKE" by Third Edge. An informal evening of laughter, joy and sadness in song and verse.
THE RESIDENT is published by Billericay District Residents'
Association Editor - Trevor Stansfield, 174 Perry Sreet, Billericay,
Essex CM12 0NX. Tel: 623519 E-mail:vice.chairman@bdra.org
Printed by New Realm Design, Fortune Works, Wash Road, Laindon,
Basildon, Essex
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