International focus on young people as Patchway hosts friends from twin town of Gauting

Patchway recently hosted a group of eight students and teachers from Realschule Gauting from our twin town of Gauting, Germany for a week of work experience, local visits and events with young people of the town.

The group arrived on Monday 12th May and were collected from Bristol Parkway station in the Patchway Minibus by local twinning member Alex Seabrook before a welcome buffet at the Town Council office at Callicroft House. The group met hosts, Mayor of Patchway Cllr Dayley Lawrence, Cllr Elaine Martin, the Town Clerk and the council team.

On Tuesday, the students set off to undertake work experience at Callicroft Primary Academy, Coniston Primary School and Patchway Community School with an aim to understand the UK education system and share their experiences of living and learning in Germany with their British student audience. The students spent four days at their schools with a varied programme put on by each school which builds upon the strong relationships re-started after covid in 2023.

Local Patchway young people are key to the success of this enriching programme that promotes better understanding and experiences across our two countries and have been deeply involved with the programme across the week.

Tuesday evening saw the group head to Patchway Youth Centre to be hosted by the FACE Charity for the ‘Twilight Session’ to make and share food with young people from Patchway there with the Mayor of Patchway Cllr Dayley Lawrence dropping in to say hello to our visitors.

On Wednesday all the students headed to Patchway Community School in the afternoon for a tour of the school, to meet the PCS students heading to Gauting in June, and for another highly competitive dodgeball match. We are not entirely sure who won the spoils this year as the teams were mixed up, so its fair to say it was a favourable draw.

To continue the sporting theme, the group then headed to the Jason Franklin 3G facility at Norman Scott Park for an evening of football and sport with another group of young people from Patchway Youth Centre supported by FACE Charity. The two groups quickly got to know each other before a cracking game of football which we’ll call another favourable draw. They then enjoyed burgers and banter at Coniston Community Centre to close off the day.

After another day of work experience on Thursday, the group headed to Woodhouse Park Activity Centre with another group of young people from Patchway supported by FACE for an evening of climbing and laser warfare before hot dogs and chat in this outdoor environment.

After their last day at their work experience the group headed to Mulligans at Cribbs Causeway for crazy golf and other fun games with their hosts before heading back to pack for the journey home via a day in London on Saturday.  

The week has again demonstrated the importance of international relationships, and specifically how our young people are key to international understanding. The week also showed how easily and simply the young people of Patchway and Gauting are able to embrace these fantastic opportunities. And maybe a bit of a pointer for those who are a little bit older.

Mayor of Patchway, Cllr Dayley Lawrence said, 'It is brilliant how this Council supported programme has brought our two towns and countries closer together with great work experience opportunities, committed hosts and partners, and the proactive approach of all the young people involved. Well done all!’.

19th May 2025