This year Cleethorpes and the German town of Königswinter celebrate a half-century of twinning friendship – and to mark the historic year it’s hoped that those on the first exchange visit can be re-united.
Keith Brookes, Chairman of the Cleethorpes Trustees and a North East Lincolnshire Councillor, is hoping to involve as many people who went on the first trips to Königswinter as possible. He said: “I’m looking forward to seeing the celebrations in the year ahead. This bond between our two towns is an important one that we must never forget.
“It’s exciting to hear about the first visits and we would love for any teachers or students who were part of them to come forward and tell us their story.”
Anyone who was part of the first visits to Königswinter should contact keith.brookes@nelincs.gov.uk.
The twinning began in 1974 and was officially declared following a Town Twinning ceremony at Cleethorpes Pier Pavilion in March the following year.
Following the official signing, Cleethorpes Borough Council arranged for a number of schoolchildren to visit Germany in July 1976 and for members of the Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Youth Orchestra to visit the following October.
Students and teachers from secondary schools across the borough of Cleethorpes spent four to six weeks in the German town with some fortunate enough to study with the local schools.
A number of visitors came from Germany to Cleethorpes throughout the year as well. In March, the Bürgermeister and a number of other dignitaries visited for four days, during which time, 20 schoolchildren and two teachers also came to the town.
At the beginning of April that year, seven school teachers visited Cleethorpes and worked alongside local teachers to help improve future exchanges.
