East Lothian Courier | News | Farmers' market hits France

Thursday, 20th November, 2008

Published: Thursday, 17th July, 2008 08:55

Farmers' market hits France

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LEADING community figures have returned from a unique promotional trip to France confident that they have put the county town firmly on the international map.

A dozen members of the Haddington Twinning Association committee visited twin town Aubigny near Paris together with Haddington Pipe Band and the Haddington Farmers’ Market.

The trip was planned to coincide with the Comice Agricole, a huge annual agricultural festival which is hosted in turn by seven towns in the Cher area. It was an opportunity to renew the strong friendships between the towns and to reinforce the Auld Alliance.

As it was Aubigny’s turn to stage the 2008 Comice Agricole (district agricultural show) the twinning association committee was keen to continue the tradition of ensuring a Haddington presence, as it has done for the past 30 years.

Taking the farmers’ market to France in particular proved to be a shrewd move on the part of the Haddington organisers.

Twinning association chairman, Frank Elliott said: “It was good that the farmers were able to get there for the first time. ‘Landward’, the BBC programme transmitted on Sundays, was following them to do a programme for transmission sometime this autumn.

“There was good coverage of the farmers’ market in the local papers in France and some 8,000 people came into the town during the weekend.

“There were about 10 stalls and the Scottish producers did their best to communicate with the locals, which was not always easy, but all were united in their taste of good food and this only helped to reinforce the links that we already have with the town,” he added.

For the pipe band, the return visit to Aubigny was the high point of their seasonal agenda.

Around 20 band members, plus family and friends, made the trip.

The highlight of the visit was the Comice Agricole parade through Aubigny town centre, involving a total of 14 floats and as many marching bands.

The Haddington float, led by the pipe band, was particularly striking. It featured a giant hardboard cut-out replica of the Town House.

Made on site in France by Aubigny Twinning Association member Michel Vannier, it was based on photos taken of the Haddington landmark on previous visits to East Lothian.

The spire was attached by a folding hinge to enable the three metre tall display to be stored in a shed.

Also taking part in the

parade was Knox Academy S6 pupil Jessica Harrison-Boond, who is spending a month in Aubigny as this year’s winner of the twinning scholarship.

Jessica has been doing work experience in the Aubigny tourist office before going to university.

Another visitor from Haddington, twinning association stalwart Effie Bowman, noted: “Haddington could certainly learn a lesson or two from Aubigny when it comes to respect for other people’s property.

“The French had a massive street art exhibition during the festival, when numerous paintings were left propped up overnight on easels on the pavements.

“Not one of the exhibits was vandalised or stolen.”

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