Dear SHTA Friends,

Now that Spring has officially sprung, according to the meteorologists, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, we can look forward to longer days, hopefully warmer temperatures and further exciting activities in the SHTA programme. This newsletter will also provide some detail of what’s to come as far as the Honfleur Visit in the Autumn of 2024.

Taking events chronologically, we shall be screening our next film at the Empire Cinema on Wednesday 13th March when you’ll be able to see, as previewed before the February film, ‘Coco Avant Chanel’. Apart from a trailer for this, our excellent projectionist, David Nunn, treated us at the February film to a classic Jacques Tati short film, ‘L’École des Facteurs’, which was well received by our audience and David promises more of the same if the main feature isn’t too long.

‘Coco avant Chanel’ is a 2009 biographical drama directed and co-written by Anne Fontaine. Audrey Tautou stars as Gabrielle Chanel who finds work in a bar as a seamstress and a singer. There she earns a nickname, ‘Coco’. Her liaison with a baron and affair with an Englishman initiate her into the world of fashion.

As usual, if you’d like to see the March film, please contact Jan Cooper at

jannicooper@icloud.com or phone her on 01304 612895 to secure your place. 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.

Our three further films for the 2023-2024 season, which you’ll also find on our website, sandwichhonfleurtwinning.org.uk, and in your Member’s Card, are as follows:

• Wednesday 17th April: ‘Un Homme et une Femme’
• Wednesday 15th May: ‘Le Charme Discret de la Bourgeoisie’
• Wednesday 12th June: ‘Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles’

We have already started a list of potential films to show in the 2024-2025 season and would be delighted if you had suggestions of film titles to add to the mix, so please do get in touch.

The new date for our New Members’ Evening is Wednesday 24th April; if you’re a new or relatively new member of SHTA you are invited to come along to The King’s Arms pub and restaurant in Strand Street Sandwich at 7.00 pm. There will be a free buffet and the opportunity to meet other new members as well as those on the Committee. To assist with catering could you please let me know if you’d like to attend. Thank you.

Weather permitting, on Monday 20th May we’ll be holding a ‘Pique-Nique’ on the Quay Green where we’ll simply be meeting around 12.00 midday to eat our own lunches and have a general chat. Informal and relaxed are the key words for these!

Looking onwards to the Summer months now and residents of and visitors to Sandwich will see the SHTA stall over the Saturday and Sunday of 8th – 9th June for ‘Le Week-end’ when we allow ourselves to show off slightly and just promote the Association. An hour of your time on our stand, if you’re available, is always much appreciated!

The SHTA Annual General Meeting is on Thursday 18th July in the Jury Room at the Guildhall. As they say, it does what it says on the tin: it’s a meeting which takes place annually, and, like most of their type, there’s a round-up of the past year and election of a new committee for the forthcoming year. New blood and ideas on the Committee are always welcomed and this year is no exception.

Whether you’ve played ‘boules’ before or not shouldn’t affect your decision to sign up for this year’s Bangers & Boules. Last year’s event was a great success and we’ll be looking for a repeat on Thursday 25th July at the Anchor Pub in Wingham.

And finally for now, a reminder that we’ll be welcoming a group of 40-50 friends from Honfleur to stay with us for 3 nights from 31st October – 3rd November. A big thank you to all of you who have expressed a willingness to host 1 or more visitors from our twin town and we are in a position now where we can accommodate up to 33 people; however, we do need a few more, so if you think that this is something you could do, please contact me and I’ll add your name to our list. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. This is always a memorable experience and often leads to lifelong friendships, whether you’re able to speak French or not.

That’s all for the moment. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Best wishes from Stuart, Mark and the Committee