Twinning Quiz Night
Our next Quiz to raise money for Bracknell Twinning Association will be on Friday February 9th 2018, 7.30 p.m. at Braybrooke Community Hall, Makepiece Road, Bracknell. RG12 2HF. Tickets are £7.00 each – includes a baked potato with tuna, cheese, beans fillings. Please bring your own drinks and glasses.
This is now a popular annual event and as ever, is likely to be a very enjoyable evening.
We make new friends, try hard not to be too competitive and would be delighted to see new faces. If you would like to find out more about our long standing friendships with citizens of our twin city Leverkusen and of our planned 2018 visit there, then please join us on Friday February 9th.
If you are coming, please let Mary Temperton know (telephone 01344 426191, or email temperton.mary@gmail.com ).
Bracknell – A New Era
A new era in Bracknell’s history began on 7th September 2017 with the official opening of the new Lexicon Centre. Visitors from Bracknell’s twin city, Leverkusen, in North Rhein – Westphalia will recognise some of the images in our photo-shoot from memories of their visit in June this year.
Children from primary schools throughout Bracknell Forest took part in the opening celebrations.

The Mayor of Bracknell Forest opened the Lexicon – Bracknell Town centre’s new shopping area 07/09/17
Mary Temperton, Chair of twinning, is here celebrating too.
Regular Bracknell visitors to Leverkusen will recall the renewal process and eventual opening of their € 207.4 Million “Rathaus-Galerie” complex in 2010.
More than 150 local children, from primary and junior schools across the borough counted down to Bracknell’s historic event, which was marked with a fanfare of green, gold and silver streamers and leaf shaped confetti, cascading across the new town centre’s walkways and squares – writes Mary Temperton.
Our June visitors from Leverkusen will recognise some of the sites.
The whole theme is ‘Green Bracknell’ and the designs in brass have been commissioned from a Bracknell artist and are set into the pavement.
There is a good variety of shops from those that sell expensive goods to those providing families with lower economies.
The shopping area is superb- open at each end, like an old fashioned street but without cars.
Another Successful Exchange between friends
On June 8th, 2017 besides being the day of the UK General election, guests from our twin town of Leverkusen came to stay with us in Bracknell.
They had a very full 5 days . On Friday, they met both the Town and Borough Mayors and saw the new Town Centre developments viewed from the top of Ocean House. They visited the Brooklands Museum and then we had a welcoming party at Braybrooke community hall. Saturday included a visit to Stone Henge and then Salisbury. Sunday was a trip to the Isle of Wight, Osborne House then a fish and chip supper at Cowes. Monday we visited Windsor castle, Saville gardens and then all went to an Indian restaurant for a farewell supper. A big thank you to all the hosts who made this possible.
Next June, 2018, we will be returning to stay with them in Leverkusen.
Comments from Leverkusen guests :
1. Marlene Bohn: I’m very lucky ,having been in England for the first time and it was so beautiful to be with our nice group and the people of Bracknell !
My host family Penny and Peter were very friendly and I felt like beeing in a hotel but without any costs. It was very cosy to live there. All things we did were beautiful and I liked it.
2. Anne-Marie Puisais: High spirits, all were very helpful, super driver, good organistion, wonderful excursions. Not enough time in the family.
3. Ilse Mundt: Bracknell 2017 : A wonderful program together with a harmonious little group and our competent driver Andreas.
Highlights : Concorde, Stonehenge, Salisbury, Osborne House, Windsor Castle, Leisure time on the Isle of Wight with fish and chips for dinner. A nice cup of tea with scones, clotted cream and jam in the restaurant of the wonderful Saville gardens.
Last but not least a big “thank you” to our wonderful hosts.
Bracknell Regeneration 2016
Bracknell town centre is being transformed into an exciting, vibrant destination for the people of Bracknell Forest and the wider Thames Valley area by Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP) with Bracknell Forest Council.
The regenerated town centre, called The Lexicon Bracknell, will create a new social and cultural heart for the area, by bringing a high-quality mix of shops, restaurants and entertainment within vibrant public spaces to the town centre.
Mace, a British construction company, has been appointed as the main contractor for the £240m (281m€) redevelopment and started construction work in late March 2015.
Foundation work, often called piling, started in late April and steel work started in June 2015. Shops, restaurants and a 12-screen cinema will open in Spring 2017.
Quiz Night February 10th
Bracknell Twinning Association is organising a Fund raising Quiz Night on February 10th 2017 at 7.30 pm at Braybrooke Hall, Makepiece Road, Bracknell RG12 2HF
The cost is £7 per ticket to include baked potato with tuna, cheese and beans.
Please bring your own drinks and glasses.
Mary Harris and Mark Goldup are again doing the questions for us.
The last quiz was very successful and a hugely enjoyable evening.
Please support us, bring your friends and sell as many tickets as possible.
Mary Temperton has the tickets. If you can contact her and tell her numbers that will be excellent.
Thank you.
See you there!
Tel: 01344 426191 E-mail: mary.temperton@bracknelltowncouncil.gov.uk
Merry Christmas
Apple Harvest Day
Sunday 16th October 10:13 – 13:30 – Free Entry
Jealott’s Hill Community Landshare.
- Pick your own orchard apples for a donation
- Explore the 2.4 hectare (6 acre) site
- Bric-a-Brac Stalls
- Apple Juice pressing on site
- Refreshments
Wells Lane, Warfield, Bracknell. RG42 6BQ
Leverkusen September 2016
“Many thanks to the Bracknell Twinning Committee for organising such an excellent trip that ran so smoothly. The members of the Freundeskreis Bracknell Leverkusen committee were amazing too: they planned a fantastic programme of trips, events and eating experiences.”
“The camaraderie among the English guests and German hosts was lovely with lots of laughter – much caused by Freddy Jones’ jokes! A true experience of friendship between nations which we would be well advised to continue through twinning.”
Quiz Night
A very successful Quiz Night was organised on July 1st 2016 to raise funds for Twinning. The questions were written by Mary Harris and Mark Goldrup, both well known members of Bracknell Twinning. Over 40 people took part and enjoyed a ‘ploughman’s supper’. £320 was raised to support the activities of Twinning, supporting the links between our two communities.
Several of the participants took the opportunity to get to know each other before travelling to Leverkusen for our September visit.
Leverkusen Trip September 2016
Planned programme as of September 1st:
Thursday, 15.9.16:
18:00 h (approx) :
Arrival of guests at Church Hall in Leverkusen-Lützenkirchen, Lehner Mühle 8.
Welcome speech by chair of Twinning Society “Freundeskreises Bracknell-Leverkusen”, Mrs Renate Buchwald; distribution of printed information about the visit.
Informal talks whilst refreshments are served.
Travel to hosts and evening meal with families.
Friday, 16.9.16:
08:15 h: Meeting point: Church Hall Leverkusen-Lützenkirchen, Lehner Mühle 8.
Coach to Leverkusen Town Hall:
09:00 h:
Reception by Lord Mayor Richrath for guests and hosts. Photo-call with the Mayor.
10:00 h:
Departure to Ratingen, a medieval town near Düsseldorf. Guided city tour and visit of Cromford museum, led by an English lady living there. Break with coffee and cake.
German attendants: Renate Buchwald, Ursula Wittek, Marthe Blümel.
18:00 h:
Dinner in a typical brewery in Ratingen with home brewed beer.
20:00 h:
Coach back to Leverkusen.
21:00 h: Pick up by hosts at Church Hall in Leverkusen-Lützenkirchen, Lehner Mühle 8. (more…)