PR249

For Immediate Release

19 September 2006

The Great Yarmouth and Rambouillet Twinning Committee is to visit the French town for four days from September 28 to continue the 50th anniversary celebrations of the towns’ association.

In April Great Yarmouth played host to 70 visitors from Rambouillet as the Anglo part of the anniversary which has seen the two towns liaise closely on cultural exchanges and providing opportunities for citizens of both to experience working in another culture.

Now a party of 60 from Great Yarmouth, including civic dignitaries, will be entertained by their French hosts.

“As with the visit here we will be staying with families in and around the town,” said Committee Chairperson Hilary Evans.

“We had a really enjoyable time with our visitors in April, with everything from a 1950s tea dance to a visit to the Easter Fair on the programme. Our visit to Rambouillet will contain many treats including taking part in a street parade wearing Edwardian costume, and lunch at the town hall.

“A horse race at the town’s Hippodrome race track to be held on the Sunday has been named in honour of the 50th Anniversary of the Twinning.

“There will also be a ceremony, like the one in Great Yarmouth, where we have a re-signing of the Twinning Charter.”

The towns became twins in 1956 to enable residents to understand each others’ cultures. In those days visits were mainly by school children. Now bi-annual trips to France by people of all ages are matched with French visitors coming to Norfolk in the alternating year.

Significant events over the years have included nine marriages which came through the twinning of the towns. People have found employment on both sides of the Channel, and in April students from a business college in Rambouillet gained work experience in Great Yarmouth.

Part of the visit to Great Yarmouth saw Gerard Larcher the French Delegate Minister for Employment, Labour and Integration of Youth Employment, on the rides at the opening of the Easter Fair.

His response is to invite some of the party to dinner at Government offices in Paris.

For further information please contact:

Laura Goodman
Mayor’s Secretary
Tel: 01493 846125

or

Hilary Evans
The Great Yarmouth and Rambouillet Twinning Committee Chairperson
Tel: 01493 393416.

Issued by:
Liz Dann
Press Officer
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
01493 846513