The Bracknell families keeping the spirit of Town Twinning alive

For those not in the know, Bracknell is twinned with the city of Leverkusen in Germany.

The exchange between the friends in Bracknell and the Germany city are organised by the Bracknell Twinning Association.

The group, and any Bracknell residents who wanted to take part, were meant to be heading to Leverkusen last year.

READ MORE: German man who loves Bracknell shares his passion for the town

However, the June trip had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the spirit of sharing and exchange has been kept alive by members of the Association.

Councillor Mary Temperton (Labour), chairman of the Twinning Association said: “It was all cancelled. We could not leave Britain or enter Germany. We are hoping to do something next year.

“Because it was cancelled we have video calls, which we try to set up every six weeks, we’ve done it about six times. We’re also in touch via email.

“Fortunately they speak excellent English, so its wholly done in English, but we do have members who are fluent in German.”

The people from each twinning association last met up in person in 2019, when the Germans came to Bracknell, with trips alternating between the two places each year.

Cllr Temperton remains committed to the Association. She said: “It’s been going on for 40 years, which is a long time for two towns to manage to keep their communities together.

“It’s essential to keep in communication. It’s nothing to do with councils or mayors, it’s much more about making friends and exchanging ideas, seeing what they’re doing with the environment, climate change, education, the pandemic and other issues to learn from each other and share.”

Leverkusen is perhaps best known for two things: a factory and its football club. It is the home of the Bayer pharmaceuticals, and because of its industrial pedigree, the place was bombed during World War Two.

Cllr Temperton said: “After the war many people were left with horrendous experiences, lack of food, housing and more. They suffered very badly after the war because they had no food and nowhere to live.

“Rationing went on for years and years even in Britain, and they were going through the guilt of everything as well. Well not the guilt as such, but they had lost a lot so it was very hard for them.

“But we don’t talk about that much necessarily, we talk about what’s happening now, what will happen in the future and our daily lives.”

READ MORE: Germany remembers nearly 80,000 dead in Covid-19 pandemic

The city’s football club, Bayer Leverkusen, takes its name from the Bayer pharmaceuticals company, and was initially set up by factory workers.

In the 2020-21 season, Bayer Leverkusen performed well enough to qualify for the Europa League, finishing sixth in the 18 team Bundesliga, the top flight of German football.

Cllr Temperton said: “When we go there, we get taken to the Leverkusen Japanese Garden, the football pitch, the sites in the city and neighbouring places like Cologne and Dusseldorf. Usually we stay in their houses, but next time we are going to go somewhere different. We hoping to go for a weekend to the Mosel wine making district and stay in hotels or hostels.”

The visitors go on generous trips when they come to Bracknell as well. Cllr Temperton said: “Last time we went to the Houses of Parliament, Greenwich, Hampton Court and Windsor, and trips to Brighton and Portsmouth as well.

“For me, it’s about meeting my friends  and realising that we have so much in common, and proving that I’m a real European!

“It’s the company, it’s the exchange of ideas and it’s the laughter.”

A plaque signifying the Twinning Association is located in the Town Council Offices in Brooke House. Leverkusen Road off Old Bracknell Road East is dedicated to the German city, which has named one of its streets Bracknell Strasse.

The Association is entirely voluntary with no associated fees. If you are interested in taking part for the exchange trip to Germany in 2022, please call Cllr Temperton on 01344 426191.