Morning of Christmas Cheer - December 2023

Maralyn Green • December 28, 2023

Mayor of Bognor Regis, Councillor Francis Oppler meets  Santa

Two surprise guests met at the Morning of Christmas Cheer, hosted by the Bognor Town Twinning Association.   Father Christmas met the Mayor of Bognor Regis, Councillor Francis Oppler, who came to wish Twinning members a very Happy Christmas.  The Mayor was able to get an early taste of Christmas, in more ways than one.   Santa came with a sack full of little gifts for everyone and there was opportunity to fill up many an empty tum on the Christmas food delights on offer :  warm mince pies, stollen bites, lebkuchen, biscuits, cheeses, crudites, grapes, etc.   To help get in the holly jolly mood, there was plenty of warm mulled wine to drink and, also, hot spiced apple juice for those preferring a non-alcoholic alternative.   Roaring log fires and Christmas decorations helped everyone, including Santa, feel right at home and maybe also helped get Santa ready for his big night of the year.   And we know he did very well on that night!


The Morning of Christmas Cheer was the last Town Twinning event for 2023 but a whole new programme of events starts in January. 


By Maralyn Green March 1, 2026
At the Regis School of Music, members of the Bognor Regis Town Twinning Association gathered for their AGM and to listen to the Association’s achievements over the past year. Mrs Heather Perrott, Chairman, led the AGM and praised the success of the Town Twinning Association in 2025. The social programme had been much enjoyed comprising rambles, a boules tournament, a quiz evening, luncheons, games evenings, talks, coffee mornings, and the ever popular Beaujolais Bistro, which sold out all 52 places quickly. A second Murder Mystery Evening was as successful as the first when members dressed up as the 14 suspects, whilst the rest of the guests tried to figure out who was the dastardly Murderer. At the Morning of Christmas Cheer, Father Christmas arrived with two rather adult-sized elves and quizzed guests as to the names of all his reindeer. Members were amused by his stories whilst partaking of the mulled wine, spiced apple punch and generous buffet available In May, visitors from our French twin town of St-Maur-des-Fossés, located near Paris, came to Bognor for several days, staying with members of the Twinning Association. A guided walking tour of Bognor, finishing in the Bognor museum, was arranged as well as visits to Petworth House, West Dean and Chichester. In June members of the Association visited Weil am Rhein, in the vineyard region of Southern Germany, and were treated to several days of visits to Switzerland and France, as well as the Black Forest. Members stayed with friends, old and new, and enjoyed evening receptions laid on by the Town Hall and also by the Weil am Rhein Association. Mrs Perrott was unanimously approved by the AGM as the new Chairman for 2026. Mr Patrick Hastings was welcomed as the new President of the Association. Mr Hastings has been a long-term active member, who was Chairman back in 1987 when Bognor initially twinned with Weil am Rhein.
By Raymond Hagger September 22, 2025
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By Maralyn Green September 1, 2025
And the winners are....