International Link welcome French visitors from twin town

For the first time since lockdown, Bromsgrove International Link, formerly Bromsgrove Twinning Association, were able to welcome a party of visitors from the town’s twin in France, Saint-Sauveur-Lendelin, over the spring bank holiday weekend.

The party arrived by coach at the Parkside Centre to be welcomed by the new chairman of Bromsgrove District Council, Councillor Sam Ammar, and BIL chairman Roger Westwood. Both greeted the guests in impeccable French despite Sam not having spoken any since her school days.

The visitors then spent the remainder of the afternoon with hosts in their own homes. Some of them who had not visited Bromsgrove before enjoyed a tour around the town. The new Cofton Village Hall was used in the evening for a buffet meal.

The twinning visits are an attempt to build friendships and cultural links and to foster good relations between different people. Much time was spent making comparisons of life in our two countries. There are more similarities than differences but interestingly all English hosts were grilled as to how Brexit is affecting them.

Sunday was spent in Malvern with a guided tour around the priory in both English and French. In the evening, everyone gathered in the Rouslers Bar at Bromsgrove Sporting FC for a buffet meal and an impromptu jam session led by the French coach driver, who is also a talented singer and guitarist. The evening also included a tour around the Victoria Ground. One of the Sporting directors donated a home and away shirt to the delight of two young visitors.

Guests departed for the cross-channel ferry from Portsmouth on Monday so they could be back home in time for work and school the following day.

Plans are now in progress to visit St Sauveur, which is a large village on Normandy’s Cotentin peninsula, in 2024. A visit to Bromsgrove’s twin town in Germany, Gronau, is also a possibility.

New members are always welcome to join BIL, which organises social occasions during the year as well as the visits. Further information is available at www. bromstwin.org.uk