** We said a sad farewell on June 6 to our stalwart Twinnings Officer, Alix Hughes, at City Hall, after 30 years of intensive work to support Bristol’s seven twinnings.
For most of that time Alix had been working outside the City Council as Twinnings Coordinator, funded by the Council, but from 2016 he became a Council Officer. This was most helpful in cementing the relationship between the seven associations, staffed by volunteers, and the City Council.
Shelley Nania of the International Office and Derek Pickup, Chair of Bristol International Twinnings Association, spoke warmly of Alix’s untiring efforts to ensure that Bristol’s twinnings remained at the top of the city’s international agenda, always with imagination, diplomacy and using his considerable communications skills.
We already miss him, especially in this anniversary year, when so many events have been organised, many of them with his help. Alix received various parting gifts, including a beret from Valerie who came over from Bordeaux to be there, and a street art portrait from BITA, by the Georgian street artist, Tamoonz.
We wish Alix all the best in his rather more relaxed future, but hope to see him from time to time.
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