Town Twinning 50th Anniversary Visit
SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN TWINNING ASSOCIATION 50TH ANNIVERSARY
A delegation of 12 town twinning members travelled to Bry-sur-Marne, our French twin town, over the weekend of 18-21 May to join the 50th anniversary celebrations with our two twin towns, Bry, and Moosburg, near Munich. Cllr Tony Dodd started the link in September 1973, together with the French mayor, Etienne Audfray, but the link with Moosburg was not formalised until 2018. Two coaches came from Moosburg, including a group of young musicians (average age 16).
On arrival we attended a tree planting ceremony (a symbolic elm) with speeches by the three mayors, including our own mayor, Cllr Ruth Buckmaster. Moosburg brought a sculpture made by a local artist, representing Europa, from Greek mythology.
On Friday, we all went to a sculpture museum in Montparnasse and walked to the Jardin du Luxembourg. Saturday was a free day for further exploration of Paris, followed by an official dinner with music, more speeches, and an exchange of gifts. We presented inscribed pens and Coronation souvenirs to the two mayors and twinning organisers.
We will further mark the anniversary when our French friends visit us from 15-18 September and when we go to Moosburg from 19-22 October. In addition, we will have an event on 29 September in the Hailey Centre to mark the actual date of the signing of the first twinning oath by our then mayor Fred Whitehead and his French and German counterparts in Bry-sur-Marne. Former twinners, Association chairmen and women will be invited. David Royle 22 May 2023
