Chalfont St Giles & Graft – De Rijp Twinning Association

Chalfont St Giles & Graft – De Rijp What is Twinning? Twinning Association Twinning is about fostering friendship and Membership Application understanding between communities. Annual Subscription £6 per person Twinning between Chalfont St Giles and Graft – De Rijp in North Holland began in 1979 and is still Special rates for Groups on request going strong, an indication of its success. During that time we have shared many experiences and formed Full Name: ..................................................................... strong relationships. Address: ......................................................................... Twinning is a good way to get to know people from another country; to learn about their way of life, ......................................................................................... their interests and traditions and to enjoy their Post Code: .................... Phone: .................................. hospitality and they ours. E-mail: ............................................................................ Twinning between our two communities is not an exchange of representatives but one of local Additional Names (at same address): residents. It matters not that we do not speak Dutch; Chalfont St Giles ......................................................................................... most Dutch people speak excellent English and tolerate our poor attempts at their language which & E-mail: ............................................................................ adds to the fun. Hosting in our own homes makes ......................................................................................... ‘getting to know you’ very enjoyable and the Graft – De Rijp E-mail: ............................................................................ difference in our habits can be a source of amusement. Twinning Association ......................................................................................... Twinning has a busy calendar in Chalfont St Giles Email: ............................................................................. including a coffee morning in the Reading Room on (Chartered in 1979) the first Saturday of the month. In the summer Please return with remittance (cheques payable to months there is a barbecue and picnic, there are ‘Chalfont St Giles Twinning Association’) to the walks, talks and visits to places of interest Membership Secretary: throughout the year and a members’ dinner in Bert Bowden January. We try to ensure that our activities have 42 The Lagger something for all ages and are attractive to new Chalfont St Giles members as well as those of us who have enjoyed Bucks them for years. HP8 4DH Come along to a coffee morning or contact: Data Protection Act: Membership information will be stored Mary Finey 01494 873088 on a password protected computer unless otherwise requested. It Bert Bowden 01494 872439 will be used only for the purpose of maintaining membership records and communicating with members. Personal details will Bryan Ogilvie 020 8998 7042 not be disclosed to any individual or organization outside the Twinning Association. BSO/9/2010 www.csgtwinning.co.uk GRAFT – DE RIJP At one time Graft-De Rijp was the second largest Everyone, young and old, herring port in Holland and had a large whaling travels by bike, which is easy fleet. Ironically it was a local man, Jan Leeghwater, since it is so flat. It is not who devised the system of draining the land which unusual to see a child in over the years caused this way of life to cease. The front and another on a seat at remaining legacy is the the back, or even a double fishermens’ traditional buggy arrangement fixed to the back wheel. Wooden Graft–De Rijp is the name of the administrative area wooden houses which are clogs are still worn by farmers while others hang of North Holland encompassing the picturesque very desirable. Built them by the door as decoration. villages of Graft, De Rijp, Markenbinnen, alongside the canals they are Noordeinde and Oost- and West-Graftdijk. It is painted dark green with Both De Rijp and Graft similar in size to Chalfont St Giles but there the white window frames and their individually carved have outstanding town similarity ends. The landscape is flat, very, very flat, gables are characteristic of the area. As in Chalfont halls built in 1613 in the having been reclaimed from the sea in 1612, and the St Giles the centre of Graft-De Rijp is a conservation Dutch Renaissance style. district forms part of the Unesco world heritage site, area. The Grote Kerk, built in De Beemster polder. It is said that God created the 1655, has 23 fine stained earth and the Dutch created Holland. Most of the working population commutes to glass windows and is Amsterdam or the nearby towns of Purmerend, typical of the huge In tulip time the Alkmaar and Zaanstad. The administration of the churches which dominate the skyline throughout polders are a riot of community is very different to an English village in Holland. colour. For the rest of that the Burgermeister is a royal appointment and is the year they are responsible for the fire and ambulance service as As we leave Purmerend and see the Church spire carpets of vegetables, well as all other aspects of the local authority. piercing the sky we know we are nearly at our Dutch grazing for cows and home and that we are sure of a warm welcome from sheep and a haven for Holland is famous for its our friends in our twin community, the lovely birds of every variety. Birds sweep and whirl in the horticulture and one is village of Graft-De Rijp wind, the same wind which turns the windmills surrounded by immaculate which keep the polders dry. fields and gardens. Dutch people love flowers and Stroll around the oldest plants and every house, part of De Rijp called shop and café has beautiful De Buurtjes, and one could displays. They also love be in the 17th century. This sailing and there are is a world of canals criss– rowing boats on the canals crossed by little wooden at the end of the gardens bridges which make lovely reflections in the water. and sailing boats and Graft-De Rijp is a photographers’ paradise. Driehuizen (Three Households) barges on the larger canals and inland seas..

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