Sleaford Twinning Anniversary Weekend

Over the weekend of the 9th - 12th May, Sleaford hosted guests from our two twin towns of Marquette-Lez-Lille in France and Fredersdorf-Vogelsdorf in Germany. 2024 was a special year for twinning as it marks the 25th anniversary of twinning with Marquette and 15 years with Fredersdorf. Both groups arrived late Thursday afternoon and after a brief welcome, were taken home by their hosts for dinner and a chance to get to know each other, or catch up with old friends. In addition to the twinners, we were joined by a group from a local youth organisation in Marquette, who had a wonderful time.

Friday started with a visit to the We'll Meet Again Museum at Frieston, which was very well received. Paul and Linda really looked after us, with the group greeted with tea and coffee on arrival. They also provided a lovely lunch for our guests. We spent several hours going around the various exhibits and were given a guided tour of the bunkers behind the museum. Several guests also had the chance to be driven in a WW2 Willis jeep. This museum really is a little gem, and a must for anyone interested in our past. With glorious weather, it was back to Sleaford for a quick break before heading to St Dennys church for a tri-lingiual celebration of our twinning anniversary. Children from the William Alvey school sang for us, and the children will be travelling to Marquette in June after a group of French children visited them recently. After the church service, we held our annual twinning dinner at the New Life Center, who provided a wonderful buffet. Once again, Kesteven Morris provided entertainment, and the enthusiasm of our guests joining in with some of the dances, speaks for itself!

Saturday, was a free day for the guests to spend time with their hosts. The youth group were taken to Lincoln for the day, but instead of returning to Sleaford at 3 pm, they stayed till much later. Others visited Lincoln, Skegness, Burleigh House, Donnington Hall, to mention just a few places. That evening, there was a bring and share gathering at the Riverside church hall, with hosts bringing food to share with each other.

Sadly, Sunday was the day to say goodbye as both groups returned home. It was good to see some new members to the twinning association, several who stated they should have become involved sooner. A great weekend was had by all, and it will be repeated in July when we all meet up again in Fredersdorf-Vogelsdorf. In October, we will travel to Marquette-Lez-Lille and continue to reinforce the bonds between our three towns. If you are interested in twinning, and would like to visit our twin towns, our contact details are on our website, www.sleafordtwinning.co.uk.