This site was produced by: LOCAL AUTHORITY PUBLISHING
Publishers for local authorities throughout Great Britain. View more Official Guides at www.officialguides.co.uk

Trowbridge is currently twinned with Charenton-le-Pont, near Paris, Leer in northern Germany and Elblag in eastern Poland.

Trowbridge French Twinning Association (TFTA)

Charenton-le-Pont lies on the south east edge of Paris. It is accessible by rail, road and air and is only 20 minutes from central Paris. It is a modern looking town with residential and commercial areas, an attractive cobbled historic quarter and traditional wine warehousing alongside the river.

Formalised by a charter in 1996, this thriving twinning group visits Charenton every two years and this is reciprocated.

There is a small subscription to join TTFA and there is a social event every month. Past activities have included French style meals, boules, filmshows and trips to France.

There are regular French conversation circles pitched at Intermediate and Fluent and Near-fluent levels.

Members receive a bimonthly newsletter, ‘Sur le Pont’.

For further information contact Membership Secretary: Mary Stacey, Telephone 01225 753 445 or email: marystacey1062@talktalk.net

Trowbridge Leer Twinning Association

Leer is in Ostfriesland, northern Germany. It has about 32,000 inhabitants and is on the River Ems about 13km east of the Dutch border. It is beautiful town with numerous historic buildings many of which have been tastefully restored.

In 1508, Leer was granted the right to hold a market. This renowned Gallimarkt takes place every October and as well as a magnificent street fair it hosts one of the biggest cattle markets in Germany. The Ostfriesland Show is held in Leer in alternate Octobers.

Social activities are regularly organized by the Association and it is keen to encourage visits between organizations and groups with similar interests.

The Association is run by elected committee, with the Mayor of Trowbridge automatically becoming the President.

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?-Do you speak German? Informal German conversation evenings are held on the 2nd Thursday of every month. Please see http://www.trowbridge.gov.uk/townsinfo.asp?id=116 for contact information and venues.

For membership details contact Membership Secretary: Joyce Sommerville, 12 Beverley Close, Frome, Somerset BA11 4EP. Tel: 01373 472 426 or email alanjoy@tiscali.co.uk

Secretary: Trish Carpenter, 7 Clarendon Road, Trowbridge, BA14 7BR. Tel: 01225 351 215 or email trishc@trowbridge.gov.uk

The West Wiltshire/Elblag Twinning Association

Elblag is in north eastern Poland and lies on the route from Gdansk to Warsaw, 50 miles from the Russian border.
Trowbridge’s sizeable Polish community decided to twin the whole of West Wiltshire with the much larger Elblag and the Charter was signed by the Mayors of the 5 West Wiltshire towns (Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury) on the 31st March 2000.

Elblag was established in 1237 by the Teutonic knights and was an important sea port. By the end of the Second World War sixty five per cent of the town had been destroyed when the Russians attacked a German garrison. After Communist rule Elblag sought to rebuild its heritage and develop new contacts with the west of Europe.

The Twinning Association was established to promote and foster friendship between Elblag and West Wiltshire. It is open to all who live and work in West Wiltshire and new members are welcomed.

Please contact: Chair: Angela Milroy, 3 Bellefield Crescent, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8SR. Telephone: (01225) 763 809, Fax: (01225) 353 971, Email: AngelaMilroy@blueyonder.co.uk Or: Mrs Sylvia Zukowska, 46 Talbot Road, Trowbridge, BA14 9JP. Telephone: (01225) 754 567.