During the citizens group visit to Göttingen from 21-28 September 2023, the second edition of the book 13 Short Stories was launched.
At the Official Reception hosted by Petra Broistedt, Mayor of Göttingen, the author William Lewis read one of the stories and the translator Christiane Christen read it in German. The evening was attended by the visiting group from Cheltenham and many twinning supporters from Göttingen.
This bi-lingual book of 13 More Short Stories followed on from the success of the first book published in July 2022 and was once again beautifully illustrated by members of the Göttingen Kreis 34 Art Club, who were present at the reception and thanked for their excellent work.
Another fantastic example of international co-operation and collaboration stemming from the long-standing link between the two towns.
William recently launched a podcast. It’s on Spotify and is called ‘Stories at Will’. Each episode lasts about 15 minutes and has two stories. You’ll find it at https://open.spotify.com/show/6PlwNTglD1BTHnAmNDzsy1
The City of Göttingen’s International Relations Officer, Frau Karin Ropeter, was presented with a citation scroll acknowledging her dedication and unstinting commitment to the twinning link between Cheltenham and Göttingen during over 40 years of service in the International Department of Stadt Göttingen.
The Mayor of Cheltenham, Cllr Matt Babbage, presented Karin Ropeter with the framed citation during the Official Reception held in Göttingen on Sunday 24 September as part of the welcome for the group of 40 citizens from Cheltenham. Many Göttingen supporters of twinning were also present.
Mayor of Cheltenham presenting citation to Karin Ropeter
In 1980, as an Admin Apprentice with Göttingen Council, Karin was asked to help out at short notice with a large incoming group of visitors from Cheltenham, because of her good knowledge of English. In 1981 she was a permanent fixture in the International Relations Office and has since overseen numerous visits and exchanges between not only Cheltenham, but Göttingen’s other twin cities as well. In December 2023, Karin will be retiring, although she says she will always remain connected to the twinning between Cheltenham and Göttingen, as she has many friends in the English twin town.
All her friends, colleagues and Twinning Association members wish Karin a very happy and healthy retirement and thank her for her invaluable support and friendship.
Karin Ropeter with Cheltenham colleague, Annette Wight
During the citizens visit to Göttingen in September 2023, the Deputy Mayor of Göttingen (an English teacher) asked if any of the group wished to to assist her in an English lesson she would be giving at the Juvenile Detention Centre in Göttingen. Four willing volunteers stepped forward and armed with just their ID went along early one morning to assist in the hour and a half lesson to six young men aged between 19-22 years on remand there.
One of the Cheltenham guests who went along, commented:
”They had all prepared questions to ask us about ourselves. ‘How old are you?’ rather threw us, well it threw me! Of course they had to write down our answers, so sorting out how numbers are expressed in English was helpful to them. Another very interesting question was what rule do you enjoy breaking? None of us could think of one!! Some had considerably more English than others and all were fascinated at our drinking black tea without sugar.
During their break we were shown the greenhouse where they grow plants for the Municipal Gardens. I, perhaps foolishly, asked one of them what job he had done previously and he replied ‘criminal’. Well, that told me!
They were all very nice young men and one can only hope that the (very) open young offenders prison in Göttingen will be their only experience of life ‘inside’. I use my souvenir ‘prison’ mug and think of them.”
Well done to the four volunteers, who all found the experience quite fascinating and interesting and not an activity one would normally be offered on a regular trip overseas. Benefits of international twinning links!
On a lovely sunny September morning in Göttingen, the co-founder of the Cheltenham Göttingen Youth Sports Exchange was remembered with the unveiling of a plaque in his honour at the Göttingen Sports Centre’s Guest House.
Phillip Gordon ‘Jasper’ Cook founded the exchange of young sports people between the two twin towns in 1967 together with Göttingen sportsman Peter Morgenstern. Over the years they enabled the exchange of hundreds of youngsters in sporting fixtures, mainly football. Jasper visited Göttingen so many times during his life, that he called it his second home. In 2013 he was awarded a certificate of appreciation for his dedication over the years. Sadly he passed away in 2020.
Cllrs Seacome and Dobie unveil the plaque
The plaque was unveiled by Cllr Diggory Seacome (Chairman of the Twinning Committee) and also by Cllr Iain Dobie who was on that first visit in 1967, despite professing to have no football skills whatever!!
The unveiling was a poignant part of the programme for the group of Cheltenham visitors in the German twin town from 22-27 September 2023 and many of the group were present to mark the occasion.
On Thursday 21 September 2023, 38 Cheltenham twinning enthusiasts set off by coach for their twin town of Göttingen, Germany. With an overnight stop in Antwerp the group made it to Göttingen in the late afternoon the next day.
Arrival of Cheltenham Group
A programme of events had been drawn up by the German hosts, but unfortunately the discovery of 2 unexploded bombs in the centre of town, near the railway station, meant that the Goose Girl Festivities planned for the weekend had to be cancelled. Instead a steam train journey to the Brocken, the highest point in the Harz mountains was arranged, and the following day a visit to the Bergpark at Kassel, one of the UNESCO World heritage sites with its man-made cascade of water and fountains was organised, both providing spectacular views of the nearby countryside.
View from the Brocken, Harz mouuntains
View of Kassel from top of BergPark
Kassel Water Games
Having detonated and removed the bombs, Göttingen city centre was once again open to explore and the group took part in guided tours of the city and gardens; a visit to the Forum Wissen, the new science museum of Göttingen University, a walk in the Göttingen forest, the unveiling of a plaque to honour the founder of the Youth Sports Exchange and enjoyed the local cafe culture of the pedestrianised area of the town.
In Gottingen
The Cheltenham group, together with the Mayor of Cheltenham and his wife, were welcomed by the Mayor of Göttingen, Göttingen ‘twinners’, friends and host families at an evening reception, when speeches and gifts were exchanged; the bi-lingual book, 13 More Short Stories was launched and Göttingen’s Twinning Officer was presented with a citation recognising her 40 years of service.
On another evening, the Göttingen Twinning Association invited the group to a convivial social evening to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Twinning Association started in 2003. This provided a great opportunity to catch up with friends, network and make new contacts and to practice one’s German! The Syncopators Jazz band provided musical entertainment, having themselves played in Cheltenham on previous visits.
It was a very successful visit, further cementing good relations with our EU hosts, some of whom actually accommodated members of the party and have become good friends. The trip was rounded off with an overnight stop in the pretty Belgian town of Leuven and everyone arrived safely back in Cheltenham having enjoyed a stay in their German twin town that Travel Guides cannot provide.
Following on from the Weihai/Cheltenham photo competition, a number of images of Cheltenham were sent to Weihai for an exhibition held there in June 2023. Special thanks to members of the Cheltenham Camera Club for submitting images and helping with the competition.
The Mayor of Cheltenham was invited to address the opening of the exhibition.
Below are photos sent from Weihai of the exhibition.
20 young people from Germany and 10 young people from Poland will join Cheltenham youngsters for an international youth peace camp with activities based around climate change and sustainability.
Another 12 teenagers from Göttingen, Germany will be in Cheltenham staying with local families to improve their English, immerse themselves in English culture and participating in sporting and cultural activities.
The young people on the Peace camp are from Cheltenham’s twin town of Göttingen, and its twin cities of Torun in Poland and Wittenberg in former East Germany. From 6-13 August they will be staying at Cranham Scout Centre, together with Cheltenham youngsters from Brizen and Springbank youth centres. There will be workshops with members of the Planet Cheltenham Youth Group around making sustainable changes in their local community; talks from local councillors on Cheltenham’s plans for net zero; a talk by Paralympian Andy Lewis on achieving goals; as well as a day trip to London and an afternoon of Twin Town Olympics at Brizen Young People’s Centre. Special thanks to Springbank Community Centre for their support with this project, especially on the catering front – each group will plan and cook an evening meal representing their country.
The second group of young people from Göttingen will be spending 10 days in Cheltenham from 4-14 August, staying in the homes of local families and following a programme of language learning, sporting activities, day trips to Bath, London, Stratford and Clearwell Caves, as well as meeting up with the Peace camp group.
Both groups will be greeted by the Deputy Mayor of Cheltenham at a reception at the Municipal Offices.
The Peace camp was initiated by Göttingen in 1995 to mark 50 years of peace in Europe and has taken place nearly every year alternating between Göttingen’s twin towns. It brings together young people from different countries and cultures to take part in activities and projects on relevant current topics.
Cheltenham twinning is very proud of its 72 year link with Göttingen and is delighted to welcome these young people to the town.
With special thanks to UK-German Connection and Gloucestershire County Council Build Back Better for their generous financial support.
A delegation of four from our French twin town Annecy were in Cheltenham from 28-30 April 2023 to enjoy and observe Cheltenham Jazz Festival with a view to future collaboration between the festivals of both towns.
Discussions were also held about developing joint projects on climate emergency, bio-diversity, inequalities, waste and recycling, with particular focus on trying to involve young people.
A group of over 35 MA and BA Animation Film students from the University of Gloucestershire took part in a course trip to Annecy to experience and participate in the International Animated Film Festival that was held in Annecy from 11-17 June 2023.
BA Animation Course Leader, Bryan Panks, said it was one of the best EVER!
Göttingen bass clarinet player and improvisor, Ove Volquartz, teamed up with Cheltenham musician Chris Cundy and Cheltenham Improvisers Orchestra to perform as part of Cheltenham’s Jazz Festival’s Around Town programme. The combined improvised jazz concert took place at The Wilson on Thursday 27 April and highlights a true example of international artistic collaboration through music.
Cheltenham International Partnerships 