Our origins
Town twinning, exchanges and international friendship have been a part of Malmesbury since the 1950s. The Twinning Association is a voluntary and members’ organisation set up to assist the Town Council in this work. We aim to promote friendship between Malmesbury and its people and those of Niebüll in Germany, Gien in France, and any other town with which Malmesbury has a twinning agreement or friendship link. We also encourage and organise visits to and from our linked towns particularly by young people, and the development of contacts to broaden cultural, recreational, educational, religious and commercial links and understanding.
Activities
We organise events throughout the year but the main focus is on encouraging exchanges with our twin and friendship towns. Malmesbury School has regular exchanges with the Friedrich Paulsen School in Niebüll, and has also participated in sending students to the annual summer camp at our friendship town in Malmesbury South Africa.
We have over the years assisted with exchanges with our twin towns local organisations including fire brigades, youth football teams, tennis, bridge, choral societies, music groups, folk dancing, gymnastics, walkers and gardening clubs. We are also always available to assist any others who wish to consider joint activities with sister organisations in our twin and partnership towns. We also organise an exchange visit each year to one of our twin towns, while receiving a visit from the other. We welcome all comers to such visits, but especially representatives from other clubs and organisations interested in linking up with partners in the other towns.
Throughout the year we arrange several social activities, including fundraising events to help support the twinning exchanges. These are wholly self-funded. Our activities include quiz nights, bazaars, barbecues, boules evenings, skittles, and similar events. Everyone is invited to join in our activities whether members or not.
Our organisation
We are a members’ organisation, but because of the link with the role of the Town Council the Mayor of Malmesbury is always our President and two members of the Town Council always serve on our committee. We have individual and family members, and also organisational and corporate members. All members pay a small annual contribution towards the work of the Association. Membership is open to everyone from Malmesbury, its surrounding areas, and anyone who is interested in the development of Malmesbury’s international links. Our constitution can be seen here, as can our latest newsletter to members.
Our current officers, elected at the AGM each May, are:
| President: | Mayor of Malmesbury |
| Chair: | Julia Bowen – Email malmesburytwinning@gmail.com |
| Vice-Chair: | Sue Poole – Email malmesburytwinning@gmail.com |
| Secretary: | Julia Bowen (pro tempore) – Email malmesburytwinning@gmail.com |
| Treasurer: | Phil Exton – Email malmesburytwinning@gmail.com |
Other committee members are:
Cllr Julie Exton, Cllr Philip Exton, Jean Fitzgerald, Bryan Gale, Zofie Gale, Ray Sanderson, Robin Schofield, Stefano Vandelli and town council representative Cllr Catherine Doody.
