Noyon visits Hexham in June 2019
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Well over 100 people of all shapes, sizes and ages dancing together in Hexham Abbey’s Great Hall is something wonderful to behold. When they’re ceilidh-dancing to Hexham’s very own Village Band and consist of French and English folk in equal measure, it’s something even more magical. Hexham has just been hosting friends old and new from its twin French town Noyon in Picardy, and neither their difficult journey nor the inclement weather did anything to dampen their enthusiasm.
On the Saturday morning Hexham’s recently appointed new mayor, Bob Hull, hosted a welcome reception in the Beaumont Hotel for the French visitors. Mr. Hull, speaking in French and in English, in the presence of Mme Catherine Naour, Deputy Mayor of Noyon said: “Town twinning will be an important and relevant part of Hexham and the UK’s relations with our European friends, whatever the outcome of the BREXIT negotiations. There is a need to strengthen relations to allow both towns to become even closer and to involve young people from our respective towns more”. The visitors from Noyon had expressed a wish to visit the seaside so Sunday’s excursion to Tynemouth turned out to be a huge success. Shopping in Tynemouth’s weekend market, visiting its iconic priory and tucking into a traditional fish and chip lunch made for a perfect day for the majority. The time passed all too quickly and by Monday morning no-one wanted the visit to end. Invitations for a return visit to Noyon next year came thick and fast and a date for this will soon be fixed. |
Mayor Bob Hull, extreme left, with French visitors in Tynemouth
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Metzingen visits Hexham in September 2018
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“A wonderful weekend” was the verdict of one of Hexham’s town twinners after hosting Metzingen visitors; “a really positive experience” said another. In all, 16 people of all ages came over to Hexham from its twin town in the Schwäbische Alb region of southern Germany. Arriving on various flights to Newcastle, the group had a varied programme organised for them by Hexham Town Twinning Association and their Hexham hosts. Fortunately the visit coincided with 2 important events in the local calendar – the Hexham Abbey Festival and the Allendale Folk Festival, so there was plenty of music on offer to suit all tastes and guests were able to choose which concerts they wished to attend with their hosts. In addition, the programme included a mayor’s reception on the Saturday afternoon, a Sunday outing to Alston that included a traditional roast beef dinner and a return steam train ride to Slaggyford. The visit was rounded off with a ceilidh on Sunday evening in Hexham Community Centre.
In the group were three mothers with their daughters, ranging in age from 12 to 15 to early twenties. Some twinning relationships have been forged over time, with members returning again and again to renew contacts with their old friends. New friendships develop each time, too, however, as word of mouth draws in a younger set to enjoy twinning for the first time. Over the past year Kay Cooper from Allendale has been teaching herself German through the internet, so that she’ll be able to hold a conversation with her son’s German girlfriend. Hosting one of the mothers with her 15-year-old daughter, Chiara was a perfect opportunity for her to try out her new-found German skills, even though she found her guests very fluent in English. She and husband Andy took pride in showing off our wonderful Northumberland countryside to their guests and the weekend gave them an insight into the value of twinning, especially with BREXIT looming. Kay couldn’t believe how well matched she and Andy had been with their guests and how appreciative, helpful and curious they were about everything. “Every town should get more involved with twinning”, asserted Kay. It’s important to show that we’re not insular, that we’re still a part of Europe; we need to make up for the impact of BREXIT. One lovely feature of the visit is the way our Metzingen friends have in recent years been supporting local Hexham charities and community interest groups. On their last visit Metzingen presented a cheque to the Hextol Foundation and so it was fitting that this time round Hexham mayor Tom Gillanders should host an informal reception for both guests and hosts in the Hextol-supported Tans café. On this occasion the beneficiary of Metzingen council’s generosity was Core Music, who are just celebrating their first ten years of community-based music. Hexham Town Twinning Association has a long-standing relationship with the Hexham Village Band whose base is within Core Music and this band was very much in evidence over the weekend, some of its members involved in hosting and the band providing the music for the successful ceilidh that concluded the weekend. Metzingen’s mayor, Dr. Ulrich Fiedler, made a short but significant impact during the visit. At the reception he made an impassioned defence of the European Union’s role in maintaining peace and harmony since the second world war and he also stressed the importance of building friendships between individual citizens throughout Europe: something that is dear to the heart of all who are involved in twinning. At the ceilidh Dr. Fiedler was the recipient of a very special gift from Hexham’s youngest twinning member, Elspeth Corder. She and her mother Marianne had noticed that the German mayor wore no mayoral chain, unlike his counterpart, Tom Gillanders. They set about addressing the problem, making a very special hand-made version that they presented to the mayor, accompanied by their own very special rendition of Aretha Franklin’s Chain Chain Chain. Needless to say the words had been adapted for the occasion and included a reference to BREXIT. Hexham’s relationship with Metzingen now goes back 29 years. For those who want to get involved when Hexham visits its German twin town next year, or who fancy practising their German speaking skills in the meantime, HTTA is the organisation to join. For details phone Mon Richford on 07985 184581 or go to their website: hexhamtowntwinning.co.uk. The association has flourishing conversation groups running for both French and German, each organised by native speakers, and has an equally successful exchange with its French twin town, Noyon. |
Hexham town-twinners with their Metzingen guests at Slaggyford railway station
Kay and Andy Cooper with guest Chiara
Hexham mayor Tom Gillanders, chair of HTTA Mon Richford, Director of Core Music Mike Coleman, Metzingen mayor Dr Ulrich Fiedler at the Tans Café
Dr. Fiedler with his hand-made mayoral chain
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Noyon 2018
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Scroll down to see report on visit from Metzingen September 2016 and the visit to Noyon May 2016
Hexham Town Twinning Association forges new community links
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Hexham Town Twinning Association has just hosted another very successful visit from their German twin town, Metzingen, a town once known as a wine producer but one that today is more renowned for its designer label outlet stores, notably Hugo Boss.
Links with Metzingen go back 27 years but the passage of time has in no way diminished the enthusiasm of members in forging strong links between ordinary individuals in both towns. In fact Hexham’s co-chair, Mon Richford, emphasised how important these fundamental contacts are in the post-Brexit era; “the flame of town twinning burns as strongly as ever”, she asserted in her speech at the reception given by Hexham’s mayor, Trevor Cessford in honour of the German guests at the Beaumont Hotel on Saturday. Chair of Metzingen’s twinning association Dr Fritz Kemmler reminded guests of how bureaucratic and complicated it had once been to travel to Britain from Germany; a process none would wish to return to in this age of easy travel across Europe’s frontiers. |
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It seems that town twinning is not just about building links with Hexham’s 2 twin towns (when not exchanging with Metzingen, Hexham visits and receives guests from their French “twin” Noyon, too): it is also about creating new links within the local community here. Chris Milner, chief executive of the Hextol Foundation, had been specially invited, along with his wife Helen, its project director, to receive in person a donation from Metzingen Town Council and its Twinning Association. German speakers in Hexham’s town twinning association met for a while to practise their German in the old Hexham Tans restaurant and are now looking forward to the opportunity to try out its successor the Hextol Tans when it reopens later this month. Other invited guests included Ruth Sutton and Tim Stephenson of Hexham Brass, a group that hopes to attend a big musical event being organised in Metzingen next June.
For the German visitors the weekend offered all that could be expected of a trip to Hexham: variable weather yet a warm welcome and unbeatable hospitality. It’s no wonder that some of the visitors now know the region almost as well as the locals after their repeated trips here. The highlight of the weekend this year was a Sunday trip to Amble and the Northumberland coast: delicious fish and chips, followed by an exploration of Warkworth Castle. The rousing finale was an evening ceilidh in Hexham Community Centre, with music provided by the Hexham Village Band, another group that hopes to attend the musical event in Metzingen next year. The Village Band’s visit to Noyon in May this year has whet their appetite for future town twinning visits.
If you’re interested in finding out more about town twinning, visit: www.hexhamtowntwinning.co.uk.
For the German visitors the weekend offered all that could be expected of a trip to Hexham: variable weather yet a warm welcome and unbeatable hospitality. It’s no wonder that some of the visitors now know the region almost as well as the locals after their repeated trips here. The highlight of the weekend this year was a Sunday trip to Amble and the Northumberland coast: delicious fish and chips, followed by an exploration of Warkworth Castle. The rousing finale was an evening ceilidh in Hexham Community Centre, with music provided by the Hexham Village Band, another group that hopes to attend the musical event in Metzingen next year. The Village Band’s visit to Noyon in May this year has whet their appetite for future town twinning visits.
If you’re interested in finding out more about town twinning, visit: www.hexhamtowntwinning.co.uk.
Recent German and French Movie Screenings
Dheepan - film in French and Tamil with sub-titles June 18 2016
The Wave (Die Welle) - film in German with sub-titles June 19th 2016
L'Auberge Espagnole (Pot Luck) - film mostly in French with sub-titles September 2016
Dheepan - film in French and Tamil with sub-titles June 18 2016
The Wave (Die Welle) - film in German with sub-titles June 19th 2016
L'Auberge Espagnole (Pot Luck) - film mostly in French with sub-titles September 2016
Visit to Noyon, Picardy, France May 2016
Forty-three people from Hexham and District have just returned from Hexham’s Twin Town, Noyon, Picardy, France. This turned out to be a very musical week-end with members of Hexham Village Band playing at every opportunity, on the ferry, busking in front of Noyon’s Town Hall, at the Reception, during our visit to Compiegne, on Saturday evening by the canal and on Sunday for the dancing-‘they provided great entertainment throughout the week-end’ as sixth former, Caitlin Bell reported.
The visitors thought that their hosts were very welcoming and one member was ‘blown away by their friendliness and hospitality. Another commented on their ‘friendly, kind and generous hosts’. People felt that they ‘got on well even with the lack of English [by the French] and the lack of French [by the English].
In his welcoming speech at the Reception on the Saturday, the Mayor of Noyon, Patrick Deguise commented on our shared values and culture and hoped that our friendships would continue whatever the result of the Referendum in June. He mentioned the long-term connections and hoped that young people would get more involved. He also referred to the peace in Europe for many years. Hexham’s Mayor, Trevor Cessford, referred to the use of social media by young people and valued face to face communication. He also referred to the contacts that had been built up over the years.
Visitors commented on Noyon’s beautiful town with it’s impressive cathedral. Our visit to the Palace at Compiegne , originally a royal hunting lodge used by Louis 14th and rebuilt by Louis 15th and then Napoleon 1st and renovated by Napoleon 3rd, Much of the furniture was removed during the French Revolution and replaced by Napoleon 3rd.The Empress Marie-Louise’s bedroom and reception rooms were very sumptuous and the ballroom, with it’s crystal chandeliers, impressive.
We were entertained very well by our hosts, with convivial meals with their friends, delicious food and of course wine. Perhaps the highlight of our visit was the Ceilidh on Sunday with two bands, The Hexham Village Band and The Bog Frogs, an Irish/French/American Band. Our party were surprised when two members of our party namely the Mayor of Hexham, Trevor Cessford gave us ‘a hearty song’ and Penny Grennan sang a more soulful song. French and English joined together in the dancing instructed in French and in English by David Oliver, accompanied by Hexham Village Band.
To quote another member new to the twinning experience, ‘an amazing experience and unique in giving a brief glimpse of life in a relatively small French town. It shows the things that bind us are so much stronger then the differences of language and history’.
We hope that more people will join with us in the future to enjoy such experiences together.
The visitors thought that their hosts were very welcoming and one member was ‘blown away by their friendliness and hospitality. Another commented on their ‘friendly, kind and generous hosts’. People felt that they ‘got on well even with the lack of English [by the French] and the lack of French [by the English].
In his welcoming speech at the Reception on the Saturday, the Mayor of Noyon, Patrick Deguise commented on our shared values and culture and hoped that our friendships would continue whatever the result of the Referendum in June. He mentioned the long-term connections and hoped that young people would get more involved. He also referred to the peace in Europe for many years. Hexham’s Mayor, Trevor Cessford, referred to the use of social media by young people and valued face to face communication. He also referred to the contacts that had been built up over the years.
Visitors commented on Noyon’s beautiful town with it’s impressive cathedral. Our visit to the Palace at Compiegne , originally a royal hunting lodge used by Louis 14th and rebuilt by Louis 15th and then Napoleon 1st and renovated by Napoleon 3rd, Much of the furniture was removed during the French Revolution and replaced by Napoleon 3rd.The Empress Marie-Louise’s bedroom and reception rooms were very sumptuous and the ballroom, with it’s crystal chandeliers, impressive.
We were entertained very well by our hosts, with convivial meals with their friends, delicious food and of course wine. Perhaps the highlight of our visit was the Ceilidh on Sunday with two bands, The Hexham Village Band and The Bog Frogs, an Irish/French/American Band. Our party were surprised when two members of our party namely the Mayor of Hexham, Trevor Cessford gave us ‘a hearty song’ and Penny Grennan sang a more soulful song. French and English joined together in the dancing instructed in French and in English by David Oliver, accompanied by Hexham Village Band.
To quote another member new to the twinning experience, ‘an amazing experience and unique in giving a brief glimpse of life in a relatively small French town. It shows the things that bind us are so much stronger then the differences of language and history’.
We hope that more people will join with us in the future to enjoy such experiences together.
Visit to Metzingen 17th to 20th July 2015
We were invited by the Oberbürgermeister of Metzingen, Dr. Ulrich Fiedler, to the 25th anniversary of the promotion of Metzingen to a Großen Kreisstadt, celebrated the day before the start of their Heimatfest, [a celebration of homeland], which is now held every three years in Metzingen. A party of eleven people from Hexham and surrounding area and the Mayor of Hexham, Trevor Cessford, participated in the festivities. We joined a party from Metzingen’s twin town in Hungary, Nagykallo and many residents of Metzingen on a warm Friday evening, sitting at long tables in the Keltenplatz or market place and were welcomed by Dr. Fiedler who followed tradition by opening the first cask of beer. A brass band of young people played while we ate Rotwurst and drank German beer .
The following day, we felt priviledged to carry our Hexham Town Twinning banner, behind the Burgermeister and his Town Councillors, the mayor of Nagykallo and the Mayor of Hexham, Trevor Cessford at the head of the procession. Members of the Twinning Association, including Caitlin Bell from QEHS, also carried the Northumbrian flag. Three thousand people including two thousand two hundred children from nursery school age to secondary school age, many in fancy dress, took part in the procession round the central part of the town. All along the route were people smiling and clapping. It wasn’t until we were invited to join the Mayors on a platform erected in the market place that we became aware of the length of the procession. We were amazed at the variety and creativity of the children’s costumes.
Children who went to a first school where there was building work being carried out were dressed as workmen and carried plastic hammers and other implements and bricks. Intermittently, we were showered with water bombs by schoolchildren and sprayed with water by some gardeners with watering cans and by firemen. Even pairs of horses pulling wagons representing farming activities or charcoal burning were dressed up wearing special hats. A group of young gymnasts were very energetic, performing somersaults along the way and another group in traditional costumes were throwing large banners in the air and catching them. Every so often came along another brass band in which young people were well represented. It was a very happy occasion for the town and visitors.
The following day, Hexham Town Twinners and their hosts were taken by coach through the lovely, Schwabian countryside to Steinhausen to visit the rococo, highly decorated parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul built in 1729-30 then went to eat a hearty meal at a nearby brewery in Bad SchussenrIed We also visited another baroque church, St. Oswald’s nearby which had connections with St. Oswald’s at Heavenfield. Sadly we left our friends and the heat of Metzingen yesterday.
A very enjoyable week-end was had by all.
The following day, we felt priviledged to carry our Hexham Town Twinning banner, behind the Burgermeister and his Town Councillors, the mayor of Nagykallo and the Mayor of Hexham, Trevor Cessford at the head of the procession. Members of the Twinning Association, including Caitlin Bell from QEHS, also carried the Northumbrian flag. Three thousand people including two thousand two hundred children from nursery school age to secondary school age, many in fancy dress, took part in the procession round the central part of the town. All along the route were people smiling and clapping. It wasn’t until we were invited to join the Mayors on a platform erected in the market place that we became aware of the length of the procession. We were amazed at the variety and creativity of the children’s costumes.
Children who went to a first school where there was building work being carried out were dressed as workmen and carried plastic hammers and other implements and bricks. Intermittently, we were showered with water bombs by schoolchildren and sprayed with water by some gardeners with watering cans and by firemen. Even pairs of horses pulling wagons representing farming activities or charcoal burning were dressed up wearing special hats. A group of young gymnasts were very energetic, performing somersaults along the way and another group in traditional costumes were throwing large banners in the air and catching them. Every so often came along another brass band in which young people were well represented. It was a very happy occasion for the town and visitors.
The following day, Hexham Town Twinners and their hosts were taken by coach through the lovely, Schwabian countryside to Steinhausen to visit the rococo, highly decorated parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul built in 1729-30 then went to eat a hearty meal at a nearby brewery in Bad SchussenrIed We also visited another baroque church, St. Oswald’s nearby which had connections with St. Oswald’s at Heavenfield. Sadly we left our friends and the heat of Metzingen yesterday.
A very enjoyable week-end was had by all.
