History of the Society

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In September 2008, the Wokingham Anglo-French Club celebrated  its 20th anniversary.  It was founded in 1988 by Agnès Green (Chair), Audrey Williams (Treasurer) and a small committee.  In the early days, Agnès typed and duplicated the early calendars -  before computers became widely used - and loyal founder members, often drawn from French classes led by Agnès, have supported the Club from its inception.  

The aim of the Club is to encourage members to speak French and to explore all aspects of French culture in an informal ambiance.  We invite members' participation and also provide speakers, mostly native French, who cover a wide range of topics, which include tourism, French literature, traditions, language, food and wine, film, transport, architecture, history, politics, etc.  We like to remember important events such as Noël, les rois, 14 juillet, 1 mai... and participate in typical French leisure pursuits: pétanque, French cinema, etc.  We celebrate Christmas in a number of ways and summer barbecues, at the home of Treasurer, Audrey Williams, are always popular.  

We have had occasion to be grateful for the proximity of the University of Reading, where lecturers from the Department of French have spoken on North African literature and also on the history and politics of France.  Former French colonies have been embraced by other speakers and Algeria, with its special links with France, has been a source of considerable interest.  The Second World War and, of course, the rôle of le Général de Gaulle, have been covered.

L'Institut Français in London has supplied speakers, a notable one being on the subject of Les Fables de La Fontaine, while M. Didier Garçon, a member of the Phoenix Choir (Reading), has visited us on more than one occasion to demonstrate, with pipe, tabor and slides, the music of Provence.

Agnès (Chair) is a popular speaker; Geneviève Walker (Committee member) has given an extremely interesting, illustrated talk on the lesser-known parts of Paris and has also spoken on several holiday resorts (with illustrations),  whilst Secretary Margaret Bensley, has introduced members to the works of Ousmane Sembene, the celebrated Senegalese film producer and author, who died fairly recently, but not before he had visited London during a month of African cinema, mounted by the British Film Institute.  Our French native speakers have willingly made contributions to our meetings, a highlight being Françoise Knight's talk on L'Epouse secrète d'un Grand Roi.  Those with second homes in France have interesting stories to tell.  Celia Weber, now an honorary member of our club, is a speaker much in demand and is always willing to share her talents, not least her skill in illustrating books with her clever cartoon-type characters.  Her talk in June 2009, well laced with humour, concerned French words and expressions.

The Club warmly welcomes new members with a reasonable level of French - there is ample room at Emmbrook Village Hall, Emmbrook Road, Wokingham, where it meets.

--ooOoo--