Another successful young person’s exchange for Gauting and Patchway

For the fourth year since a post-covid relaunch, Patchway hosted a group of students and teachers from Realschule Gauting – Patchway’s twin town in Germany - for five days of work experience, local visits and events with young people of our town.

The group were collected from Bristol Airport on Monday 18^th May in the Patchway Minibus before a welcome buffet at the Town Council office at Callicroft House. The group met former Mayor of Patchway (2022-2026) Cllr Dayley Lawrence, the Town Clerk and council officer team.

On Tuesday, the young people started work experience at Callicroft Primary Academy, Coniston Primary School and Patchway Community School to understand more about the UK education system and share experiences of living and learning in Germany with the British students. The students spent two and a half days at the schools with a varied programme put on by each school to engage, enrich and provide invaluable experience.

All the young people headed to Patchway Community School (PCS) on Tuesday afternoon to meet the PCS students heading to Gauting in late June, and another highly competitive dodgeball match.

On Tuesday evening, the group visited Patchway Youth Centre hosted by the FACE Charity for the ‘Twilight Session’ making and sharing food with young people from Patchway. On Wednesday, the group headed to Woodhouse Park Activity Centre with another group of young people from Patchway supported by FACE for an evening of outdoor activities, hot dogs and conversation.

The group visited London on Thursday before a final morning at the schools on Friday and a farewell lunch at Snack Attacks in the Park where they met newly elected Mayor of Patchway Cllr Roger Loveridge (2026-2027). They then headed to Bristol Airport in the Patchway Minibus for the journey home.

The week has again demonstrated the importance of our young people, international friendship, mutual respect and understanding. The ease at which the young people of Patchway and Gauting were able to quickly engage with each other was refreshing and positive in a challenging world.

The week was delivered by a wonderful network of local people, schools and organisations who created the opportunities, provided the lifts, and ensured the week was successful for everyone. Thank you to:

• Everyone at Patchway Community School, Callicroft Primary Academy and Coniston Primary School

• The team at FACE Charity based at Patchway Youth Centre

• The team at Hangar61

• Andy and the team at Woodhouse Park Activity Centre

• Lucy Hamid and Alex Seabrook

• The Patchway Minibus team and Airbus drivers

• Snack Attacks in the Park

• Councillors and staff team at Patchway Town Council

• Everyone in Gauting who made it happen

23rd May 2026

© Images: Patchway Town Council