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The Mayflower |
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Twinning Ceremony at Billericay During 1998 a Twinning Agreement was established with the town of Fishers, Indiana, USA which culminated with the signing of a Twinning Charter at a ceremony held in the church of St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead, Billericay on 7 September 1998. The signatories to the Charter were the President of the town of Fishers, the Chairman of the Billericay Twinning Association and a representative of Billericay Town Council. In the evening a celebratory dinner was held in Barleylands Restaurant which was attended by seventeen residents of Fishers including the Town President, the Town Communications Co-ordinator, the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, the President of the SCI Committee, the Principals of the Senior High School and the Junior High School and members of the SCI Committee. Billericay was represented by a representative of the Town Council, the Chairman and members of the Billericay Twinning Association, members of some of the organisations in Billericay and families who hosted the visitors. A shield, carved by a local craftsman, was presented to the President of Fishers to commemorate the event whilst a framed painting of Billericay was presented to each of the American guests. During their visit the Americans toured the High Street, visited the Library, the Police Station, the Fire Brigade Station, had a guided tour of Norsey Woods ending with an informal garden party at the home of a member of the BTA committee which was also attended by representatives of Billericay Town Council and other organisations in the town. In their rather hectic itinerary the Americans also visited the industrial estate at Radford Way, lunched at the Edwardian Club and saw examples of the art of "glass blowing" at Barleylands Museum. Most of the local schools entertained the visitors for a day providing them with lunch and a tour of the classrooms. They were able to sit in on some of the lessons and talk to the students and also see some of the paintings and other works of art crafted by members of the senior classes. A most interesting part of the itinerary was a video conferencing link with the Senior and Junior High Schools in Fishers where students from each country were able to see and talk with each other. "This is the end of the beginning" was the phrase used by the Chairman of the Billericay Twinning Association at the signing of the Twinning Charter in the Town Hall at Fishers Indiana. The signing of the Charter by the Chairman of the Billericay Town Council, Vice Chairman of the Billericay Twinning Association, President of the Town of Fishers, Fishers' Town Clerk and all the Town Councillors of Fishers and the President of the Fishers Sister Cities Committee, on 24 June completes the requirements of Sister Cities International and the Local Government Information Bureau. The ceremony was attended by municipal officers in full dress uniform, members of the church, administrative staff of the Council, members of the public and representatives of the press. An informal buffet followed the signing. In the evening a celebratory dinner was held, attended by about 70 people, when the Senator of the State of Indiana presented the State flag to the Chairman of Billericay Twinning Association and the President of the Town Council presented a collage, drawn by a local artist Mary Lou Grey, to the people of Billericay. This collage now hangs in the Council Chamber of the Billericay Town Council along with the two Twinning Charters.
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