In a show of solidarity with the people of the United States 12 months on
from the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington DC, Michael
Fabricant is organising a visit to Litchfield, Connecticut in New England
and also to Boston, Massachusetts. The visit will take place in the autumn
of 2003 and he will be accompanied by a group from the Lichfield area.

"I am very keen to build still closer ties between the United Kingdom and
the United States. At a local level, it is obvious to link the Lichfield
Constituency with Litchfield, Connecticut. Being close to Boston, flights
are relatively cheap and plentiful. The evil events of September 11th last
year were the catalyst which started my planning of this visit aimed to show
solidarity with our American cousins." says Michael Fabricant.

Litchfield was founded in 1719 and has many English traditions. Its Town
Council is made up of a ‘Board of Selectmen’ and the mayor is known as the
‘First Selectman’.

"Our common language, traditions, legal system, and heritage form a good and
easy base on which to build links between our two communities" adds Michael
Fabricant. "I want to strengthen tourist, cultural, economic, and political
ties between Britain and the United States and I have often spoken about
this in the House of Commons. This is one small way in which this might be
achieved. I have been in close contact with the First Selectman of
Litchfield and he has invited us to attend one of their Council meetings and
for us all to meet socially afterwards. I am also hoping to meet the Hon
Nancy L Johnson who is my ‘opposite number’ in the House of Representatives
in Washington DC – their ‘House of Commons’. She represents the 6th
District of Connecticut, which includes Litchfield.

The visit will last around 8 days and will include tourism as well as
socialising. "Perhaps once we have met up, a party from Litchfield USA
will visit us in Staffordshire the following year".

There are a number of Lichfields (spelt in different ways) throughout the
world. The City of Lichfield (Staffordshire) website publishes a list of them at
http://www.lichfield.gov.uk/lcc-world.html

Litchfield in Connecticut is the oldest of them all; apart from, of course,
the City of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. It is recorded that
Lichfield’s first Bishop was appointed in the year 669.