2005 was a year where we mainly concentrated on our Czech and Slovak links but also developed a few Lithuanian links. We did a rock tour of Czecho and several school visits. We were pushing civic links with Prague 6 district from where many of the schools who used Crowcombe were coming. However, crowcombe was becoming an issue as the YHA were planning to sell it to a young offenders unit and so we had to start looking elsewhere. We started our link up with the former Yugoslavia when we met Janez Media from Slovenia
We had one visit from a Lithuanian group (Salvina Sekuvienne) ;- a coach party of 48 visited Crowcombe. BCSFS members catered for them + assisted with guiding however the secretary admitted he had made an error of judgement by allowing one of our members who was an alcoholic to be their guide on one occaision and this had contributed to their decision not to come in 2006.The member was currently in hospital due to the deterioration of his condition. .
In March Plymouth Stoke Demerel college had visited Prague+ Olomouc .
In April our annual Czech Rock tour had seen 4 bands touring Prague, Olomouc ,Uherske Hradiste + Ceske Budejovice whilst Dr Souceks Arabska Prague 6 group had visited Bridgwater staying home hosted with families
In May a council group from Prague 6 had visited Somerset being accommodated,catered for and transported by us – based at minehead YHA and playing football against Bridgwater International and Sedgemoor Unison, whilst a group from EXETER COLLEGE had visited Uherske Hradiste and Zlin linking up with the UH gymnasium, business academie and the Bata University.
In June 2 Ceske Budejovice Czech-English high school groups had visited and stayed at Crowcombe YHA catered for and guided by our members.This could be the last time we use Crowcombe as it is in the process of being sold by YHA.
Also in june we made a new contact in Slovenia following a planning visit (Janez Medja).
A group of 4 boys from UH stayed with us and took part in an English course run by our members and a glastonbury group of 3 czechs + 3 brits had worked at Glastonbury for the workers beer company.
Meanwhile a Bridgwater College group of Counselling students had visited Prague in the Czech rep
In July Czechs from UH organised by Jana Hubena had joined us on a ROUND WESSEX trip- members drove , home hosted and catered for this UH group
A second group of Czechs and Brits from Usti nad labem, Prague and Havirov came with us on a ROUND IRELAND TRIP .
In August SGT PEPPER a Somerset based beatles tribute band toured Prague, Uherske Hradiste,Krakow,Poprad,Bratislava,Vienna and ceske budejovice
In october SEDGEMOOR UNISON football team had visited Slovenia along with a Czech football team from UH (Altech) and had participated in a tournament together in Bled against Slovenian opponents. BRIDGWATER COLLEGE AMBASSADORS had joined us for a trip to Prague and Ceske budejovice .
A low point of the year was the ADULT FOOTBALL TOUR in october half term when some members of the admirals landing footbal lteam who had joined our members destroyed a hotel room in UH (Morava). However, the group with the help of Richard Weaving, paid for the damage the following morning and had written a letter of apology.
Action;- a code of conduct had been drawn up by Marilyn Wallace which future groups would be expected to sign up to in appreciation of the country they will visit, the members responsible for the trouble would not be invited on future trips and an ‘Appreciation day’ should be a part of each programme which participants would be expected to attend.
In November a civic group from Uherske Hradiste came visit to Bridgwater to see carnival. We had received a grant of some £300 from Bridgwater Town Council which we used exclusively for this trip.