27/08/2026
Twinning Trip Tales: Holker Hall, Packed Lunch Pantomime and Singing in the Rain
Our twinning visit today with our friends from Sailly-sur-la-Lys took us to the magnificent Holker Hall and Gardens, where we enjoyed beautiful surroundings, wonderful company and, for my guests at least, a packed lunch with an unexpected challenge.
The day began perfectly. The Hall looked splendid, the gardens were stunning, and everyone was enjoying themselves immensely. Our French visitors and Carnforth hosts wandered through the grounds, admired the scenery and soaked up the atmosphere.
As lunchtime approached, everyone gathered to enjoy their packed lunches or a delicious meal in the café. That's when I made a discovery that filled me with absolute horror.
I had forgotten the plates.
And the cutlery.
And the napkins.
And even the cakes.
To be clear, everyone else involved in organising the visit had done their job perfectly. The lunches were prepared, the coach arrangements were sorted, the itinerary was organised and our guests were ready to eat.
The only problem was that the Carnforth Town Clerk had somehow neglected to provide some of the most basic essentials required for a packed lunch.
It was a complete failure on my part, and I can only apologise to my guests from France, whom I had spectacularly let down at lunchtime.
What followed, however, was a remarkable demonstration of Anglo-French resilience. We improvised admirably. Sandwiches were consumed without incident, cakes were located by other means, and nobody starved! If there is ever an Olympic event for eating lunch without the correct equipment, both Carnforth and Sailly-sur-la-Lys are now well qualified.
Fortunately, my French friends saw the funny side and took it all in good humour, for which I was extremely grateful.
After lunch, we enjoyed the remainder of our visit before boarding the coach for the journey home.
Then the weather changed.
Not a gentle shower.
Not a passing drizzle.
The heavens opened.
Rain lashed against the windows, the skies turned grey and Cumbria briefly appeared to be auditioning for the role of Atlantis.
Faced with such conditions, the only sensible response was singing.
Naturally, somebody launched into Here Comes the Sun.
As we peered through sheets of rain and low cloud, it was difficult to identify exactly where the sun had gone, never mind where it was supposedly coming from. Nevertheless, the coach enthusiastically joined in.
Not to be deterred by minor details such as reality, I am reminded that, as the song goes, "The sun'll come out tomorrow."
Looking out at the torrential rain, this is a bold prediction. There was certainly no evidence to support it this afternoon, but I choose to believe it anyway.
After all, tomorrow we are heading to Liverpool for the next stage of our twinning adventure. Spirits today were high, the singing continued, and hopes are firmly pinned on a brighter forecast for our visit to one of the North West's most famous cities.
The musical journey then continued with a selection of Liverpool favourites, adding even more laughter to the trip home. By this point, any remaining embarrassment over the lunchtime cutlery crisis had largely disappeared beneath a chorus of singing, joking and friendship.
And perhaps that's what twinning is really all about.
Not perfection.
Not flawless organisation.
Certainly not the weather.
It's about friendship, laughter, shared experiences and creating memories that people will talk about long after they've forgotten the details of the day.
Although I suspect my French visitors may remember one detail for quite some time: "The gardens were beautiful, the company was wonderful... but wasn't that the day the Carnforth Town Clerk forgot the plates, the cutlery, the napkins and the cakes?"
Unfortunately, the answer to that question will always be oui! Bob Bailey, Town Clerk
