Town twinning: Relations with England deepened

From 26 to 29 June, a four-person delegation from Bocholt travelled to the English twin town of Rossendale. A packed programme awaited the travellers on site. The Bocholt group, led by Mayor Thomas Kerkhoff, returned home with new contacts and ideas.

The relationship with Rossendale, near Manchester, dates back to 1952 and the partnership was sealed in 1977. Since then, numerous reciprocal visits have taken place, not only at municipal level, but also as an exchange between the German-British Society and the "Friends of Rossendale", other associations and private individuals. Regular visits take place during the Bocholt funfair, which is also planned for this year.

In addition to Mayor Kerkhoff, one member of the administration and one representative each from politics and civic society took part in the delegation trip.

Immediately after landing in Manchester, the delegation met with the Chief Executive Officer of Rossendale Borough Council and other Rossendale representatives. Here, the delegation received information about the current situation in Rossendale and planned projects, such as the redesign of public spaces and neuralgic traffic points.

A highlight of the trip was the art auction organised by the "Friends of Bocholt", who auctioned off works of art by local artists to fund the European youth camp in Bocholt. The amount raised of around £2,000 will benefit the young people who, since the UK's withdrawal from the EU, have not received any financial support from the "ERASMUS+" programme to attend the youth camp.

Haslingden High School was also a destination for the German delegation. A partnership is planned with a school in Bocholt. The first pupils will come to Bocholt in October. The pupils had prepared questions about Bocholt for an initial familiarisation session. During the subsequent visit to Rossendale's Future Park, they talked about economic development and projects that prepare people for the labour market.

Plans for further possible exchanges in the fields of sport and culture were discussed with the Mayor of Rossendale, Judith Driver.

In conclusion, the hosts and visitors agreed that personal contact remains essential, even in times of digital communication.

About Rossendale

The English twin town of Rossendale is located in the county of Lancashire, England. It comprises a number of former mill communities located in the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial north-west of England. The borough of Rossendale was formed on 1 April 1974 from the boroughs of Bacup, Haslingden, Rawtenstall, part of the borough of Ramsbottom and the borough of Whitworth. Rossendale borders Greater Manchester and Calderdale. The borough of Rossendale covers 138 square kilometres and has a population of around 71,000. Rossendale is famous for its mountain bike trails and hiking routes.