FIVE schools have now been set up with partner schools in France through Coleford’s twinning with St-Hilaire-de-Riez.

The Coleford Twinning Association’s first AGM heard that pupils have exchanged letters and future exchange visits were being planned.

Chairman Iain Baird said sports clubs had begun to establish links and it was hoped that joint football, rugby and golf tournaments would take place in Coleford over the coming year.

Weekly French conversation sessions have also been ongoing for the past three months, thanks to French residents in the Forest.

Coleford twinned with St-Hilaire-de-Riez, a coastal town in western France’s Vendeé, last August.

And Mr Baird, who was re-elected as chairman at the AGM at the Main Place, on Monday, February 20, praised the progress the twinning association had made in its first nine months.

As well as reciprocal visits by members of both associations, the Coleford association were planning to take a large group of members and friends to St-Hilaire-de-Riez for the Whitsun Bank holiday weekend at the end of May, which anyone interested was welcome to join.

Following a successful visit to Coleford by a group of youngsters from St Hilaire youth club, a similar visit to the French town is currently being planned for August, when Forest visitors will be able to enjoy the glorious Vendeé beaches.

Mr Baird said: “The mayors of both Coleford and St-Hilaire-de-Riez have been extremely supportive of the twinning, so much so that the Coleford Association have been given a voucher for a week’s holiday in a mobile home at the beach-side municipal campsite during June or September.”

The Coleford Association will auction this by asking anyone interested to submit an offer to Coleford Town Council’s office by Friday, March 24.

Funds raised will help support future twinning events.

Full details of the auction, plus the trip to St Hilaire in May, can be seen at www.colefordtwinning.org or at the Tourist Information Centre.