Weekly Bulletin 1624 keeps expats in the know about events

The Bulletin 1624 website and newsletter goes out to 300 subscribers by email every week, keeping people up-to-date with events taking place on both sides of the Dordogne and Charente border.

Editor Jeremy Smith wants to double the number of people signing up and is keen for more people to get involved by sending him local information. He said Bulletin 1624 is a useful service because it can be difficult to find out what is going on, particularly for people living near a départment border, as there could be something taking place about 10km away but which isn’t widely publicised.

As well as being a mine for local events, the Bulletin 1624 website is also home to two or three blogs, as well as gardening information and amusing poems. Mr Smith said: “There is a lot of information. For example, the library in Roche Chalais tells us what events they are putting on, while a local restaurant posts their weekly menu. In May and June, we carry details about the International Festival of Chamber Music in Charente. Having written about it, I went to the gala night, even though I wasn’t interested in chamber music, and I found it to be really wonderful. The site can introduce you to new experiences.”

Bulletin 1624 was launched in 2001, in response to an influx of people coming to live in in both the Dordogne and Charente areas. It was designed to help people settle into their new surroundings by offering information about local events and activities, which it was felt were thin on the ground. By letting people know what was going on, they could get more involved in local life.

By 2009, the hard work of typing, printing and distributing the newsletter came to an end when doing things via the internet became more popular. The original association has since folded, but Mr Smith is determined to keep it going as a free service. “I get feedback from people saying how useful it is and, as it has been going on so long, I don’t want to close it on my watch,” he said.

If you want to receive the newsletter or check out the website, visit www.bulletin1624.com. Mr Smith is also interested in hearing from anyone who would like lend a hand collecting information for the site.