Dear SHTA Friends,
“A clever story”, “such fun”, “a charming French farce”, and “great performances” were just some of the positive post-film feedback comments from a very good-sized audience who saw “La Doublure” at the Empire Cinema on 19th October.
If you’d like to be at our next film to be shown on Wednesday 16th November and entitled ‘Paris Pieds Nus’ (English title: ‘Lost in Paris’), all you need to do is contact Jan Cooper on jannicooper@icloud.com to reserve your seat.

The film is a 2016 French-Belgian comedy written, directed and co-produced by Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon.

Here’s a synopsis from IMDb:
“Martha, an eighty-year old former Canadian dancer, has been living in Paris for decades. Now losing her head, she is threatened to be sent to an old people’s home. No way. Martha decides to call her niece, Canadian librarian Fiona, for help. Alas, when her relative arrives in the French capital, Martha has disappeared.
Worse, Fiona loses both her identity documents and money after falling into the Seine. Now, alone in Paris, the young woman is desperate. It is at this point that Dom, a homeless man who lives in a tent on the Île aux Cygnes, unexpectedly comes into her life …, for better or worse.”
The film is a certificate 12A and lasts 1 hour 23 minutes. As always, the cinema doors will open at 7.00 for a 7.30 pm start, the cost remaining at £7.50. As with last month, we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Empire next Wednesday.

Paid-up members who saw the last film received their Member’s Card on the night. Thank you to those of you who have paid your Subscriptions in the meantime and our subscribed membership for the current year stands at 55. Some are possibly unsure if they’ve paid this year; if so, please contact Treasurer, Steve Laslett, to find out where you stand. If you discover that you’ve still to pay, please endeavour to do so, either on Wednesday’s film night at the Empire or online using our sort code: 30-90-09 and account number: 42027168. Thank you.

In less than three weeks’ time now, our traditional Christmas Dinner & Party has received a great response so far with 55 takers. Our Committee member leading the organisation of the event, Rick Ratcliffe, has the following words for you:
“We look forward to welcoming our members, old and new, to our Christmas dinner and party at Tan Bueno on Thursday 1st December at 6.30 for a welcoming glass of bubbly. There will be a table quiz and easy quiz and games for those that wish to participate. There’s also a box of chocolates for the best Christmas outfit. There are a few places still left, but you will need to be quick as we have to give final numbers by the 20th November.”

Two courses will cost you £28 while 3 courses are £32, and you’ll find details of all the menu options on our website at:

sandwichhonfleurtwinning.org.uk

Two days later, on Saturday 3rd December, Sandwich Town sees another traditional event where SHTA will be holding a stand. Our Treasurer and Committee member, Steve Laslett, is leading on this one and he promotes it as follows:
“Our Association has a proud tradition of making superior mulled wine, properly called ‘Vin Chaud’ for the Sandwich Christmas Lights switch on event. Each year we brew our special recipe including French wines, spices, crème de cassis, maybe a little brandy – and sucre…and serve to the public. We give most of the profits to the Sandwich Lights Community Account, last year we donated £400. We have a gazebo with cooking hobs and lights beside the war memorial in Market Street. If you would like to join in and help ladle out the Vin Chaud – please let us know. You might also qualify as an official taster!”

In case you occasionally wonder where some of your membership money goes, there are a couple of impending items which require expenditure: (i) Committee members will be laying a wreath at the war memorial in Sandwich at 11.00 am on Sunday 13th November; (ii) we’ll also be attending the Presentation Evening for Sandwich Technology School on Friday 18th November where we’ll be sponsoring
the Foreign Modern Languages prize.

The highlight for many in 2023 is the final SHTA activity to update you on in this newsletter. As you’ll have seen in previous months, the Group Trip to Honfleur will take place from Friday 23rd – Monday 26th June. We now have 36 people who have so far signed up for this excursion. The cost will be between £130 and £150 which, I think you will agree, is amazing value for 3 nights in one of the top resorts in France with food, drink and visits included. There are still a handful of places remaining, so contact me asap if you’re interested in joining this biennial visit.

That’s all the news for this month, everyone. Hopefully you’re staying well, and we look forward to seeing you at one or more of our events in the next few weeks Best wishes, Stuart & the Committee