Bracknell Twinning Association

27/06/2016
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Schloss Morsbroich – Morsbroich Palace, Leverkusen

Bracknell Twinning Association works with the Freundeskreis in Leverkusen to arrange regular visits to their partner towns and in particular to facilitate exchanges between local interest groups, schools and sports clubs and for work experience.

Bracknell originally twinned in 1973 with Opladen in Germany, a town of a similar size to itself.  During a local government re-organisation the Opladen local authority was absorbed by Leverkusen, a town of about 160,000 people and the home of the famous Bayer Chemical Works. Leverkusen continued the partnership and is also twinned with several other towns across the world. Leverkusen is just north of Cologne and has a good train service to this city. You can read more about Leverkusen in the “Welcome to Leverkusen” guide. (Link below)

Bracknell Twinning Association works with the Freundeskreis in Leverkusen to arrange regular visits to their partner towns and in particular to facilitate exchanges between local interest groups, schools and sports clubs and for work experience. In recent years the bond of friendship between citizens of the twin towns has been re-kindled with an increasing number of exchanges and joint activities.

Regular updates about exchanges and joint activities are posted on the Council’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Bracknelltowncouncil

The Bracknell Twinning Association is run by a committee elected each year at its Annual General Meeting. All its meetings are held in the Bracknell Town Council Chamber, usually on Monday evenings at about monthly intervals. Any local resident interested in twinning is welcome to make contact and attend the meetings. Various sports and cultural exchanges take place on a regular basis and the committee is always pleased to facilitate other exchanges for clubs or individuals.

The Association would be pleased to hear from anyone who may be able to offer accommodation to visitors from Leverkusen.
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45 Year Friendship, Campfire and Cake

14/07/2018

2018 : Residents of Bracknell have recently returned from a very successful six day visit to their German twin Town of Leverkusen in North Rhine-Westphalia. For the first time ever, the Bracknell Twinning Association flew to Germany and then hired a German coach for trips out. On the Friday we visited Bonn and saw the buildings of the former government headquarters. We had a very German lunch in a very German pub followed by a visit to the Museum of Contemporary History, Bonn. www.hdg.de
We then visited Konrad Adenauer’s house : German statesman (1876-1967), Federal Chancellor of Germany, the first chancellor after the second world war. We also visited a wine cellar and tasted their wine, followed by a delicious meal.
That evening, the mid summer’s day, was celebrated with the Finnish friends of Leverkusen with a camp-fire besides the river Rhine. The Mayor of Bracknell Town Council, Sandra Ingham, joined us and met Mayor Marewski of the city of Oulu, dressed in his Finnish costume. The Lord Mayor of Leverkusen, Oberburgermeister Uwe Richrath presented Sandra with a delightful set of dishes decorated with pictures of old Opladen.

Saturday we visited sites in Leverkusen, including the Water Tower, a new destination for us. We also visited the Japanese gardens and had Lunch in the restaurant in the gardens next to the Rhine.

Sunday we visited Brühl castle – very, very elaborate and designed to emphasise the wealth of the owner. The gardens were very like Versailles. The group had lunch together followed by free-time to walk in the grounds, visit the Hunting Lodge, visit the town or visit the Max Ernst Art Museum.

Monday we visited the beautiful city of Cologne which included a guided tour of the cathedral and around the historic city centre. In the evening we had a party all together, celebrating the 45th year of our twinning partnership. A specially decorated cake had been prepared to mark the occasion.

Tuesday, we visited a castle in the north of Düsseldorf and had lunch at a restaurant next to the Rhine before flying home.

During the trip, the Mayor of Bracknell made contacts with the Leverkusen Youth Theatre group in order to facilitate an exchange with a similar group at South Hill Park Arts Centre. We also made contact with teachers organising an exchange visit with students from Easthampstead Park school and a teacher wishing to arrange work experience opportunities for his students with Bracknell companies. We are also seeking a youth football team to exchange a visit with a similar team in Bracknell.

Everyone enjoyed the trip immensely, made new friends and were welcomed by old ones.

Next year (2019), our German friends will come to Bracknell and again will stay with host families. It is this aspect that makes Bracknell – Leverkusen twinning so special.

Our thanks to the Twinning Committee (Freundeskreis Bracknell Leverkusen) de.bracklev.eu for organising such a superb trip and we look forward to welcoming you to Bracknell next year.

 

 

Visit our Leverkusen sister site to view their 2018 gallery…

Leverkusen Tour Programme for Bracknell Visitors 2018

06/06/2018

Programme for the Bracknell Visitors: June 21st to June 26th 2018

  • Thursday 21st
    About 16.30 (depending on traffic) arrival of the guests and meeting with the hosts in the community centre (Gemeindehaus) Lehner Mühle 8 in Lützenkirchen, greeting from the chair of Bracknell-Leverkusen Twinning, Renate Buchwald and the distribution of informational material for their stay. First talks over refreshments. After that travel to the hosts and supper with the families.
  • Friday 22nd
    09.30: Meet at the Gemeindehaus, Lützenkirchen. Travel to Bonn – look round the town with shopping opportunities from 10.30.
    13.30: meet at the bus
    14.00: Haus der Geschichte (house of history) with an English tour (90 mins). Then at about 16.30 a visit to the Adenauer House in Rhöndorf with guided tour, followed by a wine tasting and supper in Rhöndorf. Return in the evening at about 20.00 to the Gemeindehaus in Lützenkirchen.
  • Saturday 23rd
    09.30: Meet at the Gemeindehaus. Drive around Leverkusen.
    10.00: Visit the Water Tower, the Bayer buildings, Japanese Gardens and Neulandpark.
    13.00: Lunch/buffet at the Wacht am Rhein (hosts pay for themselves).
    After the meal a walk together to the Platz der Partnerschaften (Twinning Square); then on with the bus to the stadium/Hitdorf depending on time.
    16.00: Return to Lützenkirchen
    In the evening Johannisfeuer (midsummer celebration?) at the Wupper Bridge with the German-Finnish Association. Bring a torch! The English guests come with their hosts to the Wupper Bridge. Pay for your own food/drinks.
  • Sunday 24th
    09.30: Meet at the Gemeindehaus. Travel to Brühl (castle with guided tour at about 10.30) plus perhaps Falconry, Max-Ernst-Museum.
    Lunch at the Brauhaus – pay for your own
    Leave Brühl about 17.00. Return around 18.00. Pick up by hosts. Supper and evening in the families.
  • Monday 25th
    09.30: Meet at the Gemeindehaus. Travel to Cologne.
    10.30: English guided tour through the old town. Lunch in the Brauhaus – pay for your own.
    Return around 17.30 at the Gemeindehaus and pick up by the hosts. A short break in the families
    19.00: Supper together with the hosts at Mattea next to the Forum in Wiesdorf. The hosts will be the guests of Bracknell Twinning. (excluding drinks)
  • Tuesday 26th
    10.00: Departure of the guests from the Gemeindezentrum.
    On the way to Düsseldorf Airport a little sightseeing tour through Kaiserswerth! Light meal at the Alten Rheinfähre.
    The guests’ flight is at 15.50.

Renate Buchwald, Leverkusen contact person Tel : +49 2171 51393

Archive
Tel: 01344 426191 Email: mary.temperton@bracknelltowncouncil.gov.uk