Dear SHTA Friends,

A Very Happy New Year to you and to those close to you. I hope that you had an enjoyable festive period and are able to look forward to the future with hope and optimism. As we enter 2024 and observe the seemingly endless turmoil around the world, perhaps we might appreciate the goodwill, joy and friendship which we continue to enjoy between our twin towns of Sandwich and Honfleur. This year will be 65 years since the link was first forged and many members on both sides of the Channel think that it’s as strong now as it’s ever been.

Following our successful group visit to Honfleur six months ago in June, thoughts now turn to hosting our friends from Normandy this year. Unlike most years when we look to receive them in the Summer, 2024 will see Pierre Jan and his coach-load staying for four days from 31st October – 3rd November, the reason being that they have expressed a wish to witness Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations. Apart from organising those particular occasions later in the year, your SHTA Committee needs to start the process of signing up those of you who would like to host guests from Honfleur, whether that be to reciprocate following a visit to Honfleur or simply to enjoy having French visitors in your home for three nights. Therefore, could you please let me know, as soon as it’s convenient, if you’d like to host in 2024 and how many guests you could accept.

Returning now briefly to last month, I’d like to thank all of you firstly who did a stint on the SHTA Vin Chaud stand on Saturday 2nd December; we sold in excess of 300 cups and made a healthy profit towards the Association’s funds; secondly a big thank you to those who attended the Christmas Dinner & Party at Tan Bueno on Thursday 7th December. Hopefully, those who were there enjoyed the meal, Rick Ratcliffe’s quizzes and the games afterwards. The restaurant staff are always very obliging and are more than happy for us to do it all over again at the start of December later this year.

Our social activities for the new year kick off with a New Members’ Evening on Thursday 11th January at The King’s Arms in Sandwich. If you’ve become a member in the past 12-18 months, this will be give you an opportunity to meet fellow new/newish members as well as the 10 members of the Committee. The evening will start at 7.00 pm and, once you’ve supplied yourself with a drink at the bar downstairs, we’d ask you to come upstairs for a free buffet and the chance to mingle with others and simply enjoy a convivial chat. For the purposes of catering numbers could you please let me know asap if you’d be interested in attending this informal get-together.

Our first film of 2024 will be ‘La Bête Humaine’ (‘The Human Beast’), arguably the best Émile Zola screen adaptation. We’ll be screening this on Wednesday 17th January at 7.30 pm in the Empire Cinema. ‘La Bête Humaine’ is a classic 1938 black and white film directed by Jean Renoir, with cinematography by Curt Courant. The picture features Jean Gabin and Simone Simon, and is loosely based on the 1890 novel ‘La Bête Humaine’ by Zola. Rotten Tomatoes’ “Tomatometer” rates the film at 94% and here is their synopsis:

“On board a train bound for the port city of Le Havre, France, railroad stationmaster Roubard (Fernand Ledoux) murders Grandmorin (Jacques Berlioz), who seduced his beautiful young wife, Severine (Simone Simon). Engineer Jacques Lantier (Jean Gabin), stuck in Le Havre while the train is being repaired, also begins a passionate affair with Severine, who tries to entice the handsome stranger to murder her controlling husband. However, Lantier has a secret urge of his own that changes everything.”

As usual, if you’d like to see the January film, please contact Jan Cooper on jannicooper@icloud.com or phone her on 01304 612895 to secure your place. As you’re well aware, the cost of a seat remains at £7.50 per head and can be paid online in advance to SHTA (account number 42027168; sort code 30-90-09); alternatively you can pay by cash or card at the cinema on the night.

The date of the second film of 2024 is Wednesday 21st February under the title of ‘Le Dîner des Cons’. (English title ‘The Dinner Game’). You’ll be able to read more details of this one in the next newsletter which will come to you courtesy of Mark Moorhouse, Vice-Chair of SHTA.

There we are then; another year commences full of expectation and, if you’re anything like we are on the Committee, you’ll be looking forward to 12 months full of fun, frolics and friendship.

Best wishes, Stuart & the Committee