Twinning Visit to Warstein Germany

4th - 5th June 2011

Mayor Scott Trickett and David Parry (President of the Hebden Bridge International Group) attended Warstein in Germany on 4th and 5th June.

The purpose of the visit was that we recieved an invitation from Warstein Town Council with 2 main focus points

• Celebrate the recently refurbished town Square Wilkeplatz at Belecke, Warstein, and
• Celebrate and welcome the twinning between Warstein and Pietrapaola in Italy

The weekend ceremonies begain on Saturday 4th with the official twinning signing between Warstein and Pietrapaola. The ceremony itself was attended by over 200 officials, VIP's  and school children from Warstein, Pietrapaola in Italy. Also attending was twin town in France St Pol, David Parry and myself representing Hebden Royd

Speech in German during Ceremony

Opening of the new square in Warstein

Presenting Friendship gift to Pietrapaola, Italy

Mutual thanks shared between Mayors from Warstein and Hebden Royd

During the ceremony, to formally proclaim Pietrapaola as twin town to Warstein, I was also invited to speak on behalf of Hebden Royd as one of the 'Twin towns and the historical town family that we have enjoyed between Hebden Royd, Warstein and St Pol'.  This was my first mayoral speech in German. The visit was a complete success, and the Mayor of Warstein Herr Manfred Gödde, the rest of the Warstein Council and many other in the ceremony audience expressed pleasure in  hearing a speech from the first fluent German speaking Mayor of Hebden Royd, He also thanked us for the kind words I said of friendship and partnership between the towns.

I also spoke to both the mayor of St Pol and Warstein about our school twinning projects and they can see the benefits and are extremely keen to get this initiated as soon as possible. Various head teachers were also present and they are extremely keen to get these links established with our schools in Hebden Royd.

The visit has significantly strengthened the relationship between our towns

Scott Trickett