Here you’ll find snippets of information about a selection of our members. If you’d like your profile to be included here, simply send it with a photo to: staplefordtwinningassociation@gmail.com
Tony Hore – our new chair
Tony joined Twinning in 1980 shortly after he and his wife Jean moved to the Village, experiencing their first exchange visit in 1982. Tony has been a Committee Member for the majority of the years since then and participated in most of the exchange visits, both Family and Youth, and has hosted many times.
He has been Treasurer on numerous occasions and currently holds that office as well.
He retired from the Construction Industry in 2015 and now spends time as a Volunteer for a local Hospice with which both he and Jean have a close connection. Jean also works there as a Volunteer.
He says, I was honoured to be asked to be the Chairman of the Association and look forward to leading the resumption of activities between Stapleford and Villedômer after these difficult few years.
Tim and Kate Jessop
Tim and his wife, Kate, joined the Twinning Association shortly after moving to Stapleford from Babraham in 2015. Since then they have participated in a number of twinning social events and exchange visits; and Tim was newly elected to the committee in January 2022.
The couple have long been interested in things French and have spent most of their holidays there during their fifty years of marriage. In 2003 they bought a house in the south of the country and they have devoted much of their spare time since then to numerous house improvement projects. Having completed these in 2016, their visits these days are all about relaxation and immersion in local village life.
Kate retired from school teaching at the Perse Prep School in Cambridge in 2008 and Tim fully retired from part time consultancy work at the beginning of 2022. Before that he was Associate Director of The Welding Institute (TWI), Great Abington.
Apart from being Francophiles, they both enjoy socialising with friends and family. They have two grown up daughters and four grandchildren, all of whom are now in their teens. Kate’s leisure interests include walking and reading, and Tim plays keyboard and saxophone in a local amateur band. (He also occasionally swings a golf club but to no great effect!)
Jill Gardner – our new vice chair
Jill started twinning in 2012 when she escorted the youth group to a French Outdoor Adventure Centre. Highlights there included horse riding, and caving to discover 17,000-year-old paintings. Jill has also enjoyed the impromptu Anglo-French folk band, playing violin under the guidance of expert Jean-Pierre Benoit.
Jill speaks good French, having lived and worked in France & Switzerland. The rest of the family have different levels of ability, but all have enjoyed both hosting and visiting – with the 40th Anniversary meal in a château being a particular favourite.
Jill works as a child and adolescent psychotherapist for Cambridge charity Blue Smile.
As well as being vice chair of the committee, Jill acts as the focus for communications with our counterparts in Villedômer.
Jackie Bow – our former chair
Jackie and her family joined Stapleford Twinning Association when they arrived in the village in 1988. As a francophone and Francophile, Jackie has been an active member of the Association and has missed only one family visit to Villedômer. Her four children took part in the erstwhile youth visits, and Jackie led several of these. Firm friendships have been forged with French Twinners and Jackie has made innumerable, independent trips to Tours and Villedômer to visit friends.
Both Jackie and her husband Chris have been Committee members. Jackie served as Chairman of the Association for some 15 years and stepped down in November 2021. She is very much looking forward to Twinning Weekends resuming! Vive le Jumelage!