Europe

Sat 7 Aug 2021, 11:09

I am about to move to Charlbury and wonder whether your Twinning Group is active?  

Fri 8 Feb 2019, 20:08

Count me in.

Fri 8 Feb 2019, 14:42

This is the response from the Town Council meeting to the letter on twinning I sent them:

 Dear Mr Johnson, further to your recent correspondence regarding twinning the Town Council have agreed that at present there is insufficient information available to reach any conclusion save that in the 1996 Town Appraisal there was no desire to see the matter pursued. However, times change and the Council would be grateful if you and any like minded persons could come together to produce facts, figures and costs together with some suggested "twins" to enable the matter to be given informed consideration at a future meeting. I hope that you will be able to arrange this. Thanks. Roger Clarke.

Anyone feel this is would pursuing and prepared to put a bit of time into it?

Fri 1 Feb 2019, 13:09

A lovely idea.

Fri 1 Feb 2019, 12:25

My kids (as they were then) went on school exchange with Chipping Norton even though they were at Spendlove school

Fri 1 Feb 2019, 11:36

As a member of Chipping Norton and District Twinning Association for over 40 years, committee member and chairman for a good few of them, I would be happy to share experiences with anyone interested in a start up.

Coincidentally, the CNDTA started despite EEC membership being a hot potato and the subject of a referendum!

Avoid TINO - Twinning In Name Only. For example Oxford has strong links with Leiden in Holland, but I wonder what percentage of Oxford residents have been to (or received visitors from) Perm in Russia?

Fri 1 Feb 2019, 11:20

1996 is quite a few years ago and as we know a vote for something is only temporary as times and opinions change.

Fri 1 Feb 2019, 11:10

Gets my vote!

Fri 1 Feb 2019, 10:36

The Twinning idea was voted out at the Charlbury appraisal 1996

Mon 21 Jan 2019, 10:30

I first went to Berlin for The Wall Concert in July 1990, and subsequently met and dated an East German lady for some years. (When I first went there, the two countries had not yet reunited.) Even to this day, what was East Germany remains very much the "poor neighbour" of the western part, and even though my relationship did not last, I retain a very soft spot for what was East Germany, because - to this day, from what I hear - they were absolutely *shafted* by reunification, and I would like to respectfully suggest that if Charlbury is to try to find a twinning town, Eastern Germany is an area that we should look at. Thank you.

Mon 21 Jan 2019, 09:43

My brother lives in Cricklade Wiltshire, they have a very successful Twinning, which is why I was so disappointed when it was not adopted here , I seem to remember that it was very clearly voted against

Mon 21 Jan 2019, 09:13

Excellent idea, Nick.
Many years ago I was fortunate to live in Northumberland, and our District, Wansbeck (Ashington / Bedlington / Newbiggin) was twinned with Remscheid in Germany. This was a twinning arrangement which worked very well indeed, involving all the community. There were very frequent exchange trips for all sorts of groups: schools, colleges, musicians, local newspaper readers, gardening groups, political parties (Wansbeck was/is a one party state), etc., etc. Remscheid was also twinned with a town in Brittany, and they reckoned that a twinning was only fully successful once there had been a marriage between members of the "twins" - they had managed that with France, but not with Wansbeck - perhaps they have by now? Enduring friendships were made - people hosted visitors from Remscheid in their own homes. It was a wonderful experience. Wansbeck, however, is more like West Oxfordshire in terms of population, so Charlbury would have the challenge of finding a similar sized town with a similar range of activities going on. Not easy. Bring it on!

Sat 19 Jan 2019, 14:29

I've asked Roger Clark to put the general issue on the agenda for the next Town Council meeting. It would be helpful to get a few more general views before getting into exactly where and with whom

Fri 18 Jan 2019, 21:13

A referendum - what could possibly go wrong?

Fri 18 Jan 2019, 19:42

No we need a Referendum.it was voted out at the Charlbury appraisal many years ago.

Fri 18 Jan 2019, 17:40

Suggest you ask the Town Council by emailing Roger Clarke and get on the agenda for next week. But you need to get a move on!

Fri 18 Jan 2019, 16:01

I couldn't believe it when it was turned down last time!

Fri 18 Jan 2019, 15:36 (last edited on Fri 18 Jan 2019, 15:42)

It sounds a great idea.

We could find a like minded town - with similar interests and ambitions.I would have thought our network of internationally minded citizens would be well placed to do this.

Alternatively I believe the EU runs an annual round offering support for twinning proposals. A quick look at the EAECA website (the EU agency dealing with this) says the 2019 call for twinning proposals is currently open - the deadline for proposals is 1st March 2019. eacea.ec.europa.eu/europe-for-citizens/funding/networks-towns-2019-round-1_en

Details of criterial and application rules are at: eacea.ec.europa.eu/sites/eacea-site/files/programme_guide_2019_en.pdf There is a reference to Brexit and its impact on the UK in the notes.

Fri 18 Jan 2019, 14:18

Sounds good to me Nick

Thu 17 Jan 2019, 19:01

Such ideas are always good ideas, politics is somewhat transient whereas twinning is not. However, where? Russia, Germany, France, Syria, Turkey? They are all countries with political/economic problems, I'm not trivialising the situation in Syria however, that is not good in any way. I think twinning is about friendship and culture, it is not political and they are good things to promote and develop.

Thu 17 Jan 2019, 17:34

At the risk of being condemned to the grease pit, may I raise a (I hope) non political point on Europe? Charlbury is strong Remain area but even the Brexiteers have stressed the importance of maintaining non EU cultural ties with Europe. Given the importance, particularly for our children,of understanding other nations and cultures why don't we do our bit locally? What do other people feel about a twinning between Charlbury and another small European town? I know this has been suggested before and would need some fund raising but these are not insuperable objections. Anyone else think this is a good idea at this political moment?