Mayor hosts twin town to mark anniversary

A party from Time Kommune in Norway paid a civic visit to Alnwick last week as part of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Twinning Charter between the two districts.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Sep 2016, 05:00 BST
The Mayor of Alnwick welcoming the civic party from Time Kommune to the Civic Reception at the Bailiffgate Museum.The Mayor of Alnwick welcoming the civic party from Time Kommune to the Civic Reception at the Bailiffgate Museum.
The Mayor of Alnwick welcoming the civic party from Time Kommune to the Civic Reception at the Bailiffgate Museum.

The civic party, led by Time’s Mayor, Reinert Kverneland, spent three days here to mark three decades since the signing, which took place on August 23, 1986.

The visit included a meeting with Alnwick Town Council to discuss a range of topics; a trip to Amble for lunch at the Pride of Northumbria followed by a tour of the Harbour Village; and a guided tour of Alnwick Castle and Garden.

The two mayors - Reinert Kverneland and Alan Symmonds - exchanging gifts at the Civic Reception.The two mayors - Reinert Kverneland and Alan Symmonds - exchanging gifts at the Civic Reception.
The two mayors - Reinert Kverneland and Alan Symmonds - exchanging gifts at the Civic Reception.
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The chief executive and Mayor of Time Kommune also accompanied the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Alnwick to the Captain’s Dinner at the Castle as part of the Tall Ships event in Blyth.

Plus, a civic reception was held last Thursday night at the Bailiffgate Museum, hosted by the Mayor of Alnwick, Alan Symmonds, and attended by around 50 people, including the Vice Norwegian Consul, Grethe Blacklock, and her husband; the civic head of Northumberland County Council, Alan Sambrook; and Alf Groome, chief executive of Alnwick District Council in 1986.

The civic party was joined at the reception by a group of eight Friends of Alnwick, from Bryne (the main town in Time Kommune), and their hosts.

The civic party returned home on Saturday morning while the Friends of Alnwick went to an event at RAF Boulmer and the Tall Ships.

Time Kommune's civic party on a trip to Alnwick Castle.Time Kommune's civic party on a trip to Alnwick Castle.
Time Kommune's civic party on a trip to Alnwick Castle.
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Coun Symmonds said: “I think for me the key phrase in the Twinning Charter was the one that talks about reciprocal links of friendship.

“Town twinning is important and has enabled young people of both towns to get involved with their counterparts from a different country. They gain self-confidence which was very evident from the first visit to Alnwick Fair by the Bryne Skulkorps to today’s visits by the Friends of Alnwick and the civic party from Time Kommune.

“They say that equally important is the shared commitment needed for town twinning to be successful. That doesn’t just mean by the local authorities, but also by the citizens. And nothing can be a truer statement of the lasting relationship that exists between the Friends of Bryne and the Friends of Alnwick.”

Related topics:MayorAlnwickNorway