Patchway celebrates 30th Anniversary of civic partnership with Clermont L’Hérault

Patchway recently hosted a group of six guests from Patchway’s twin towns of Clermont L’Hérault, France and Gauting, Germany to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the civic agreement with Clermont signed on 1st April 1995 by Cllr Lew Gray.

The guests included representatives of the Comité de Jumelage (twinning) in Clermont; Gauting Council; and 3rd Mayor of Gauting Markus Deschler.

The group arrived from their respective towns on Saturday 7th June to a welcome at Callicroft House hosted by Mayor of Patchway Cllr Dayley Lawrence, representatives of Patchway Friends of Twinning and council officers.

On Sunday, the group were taken to Bath for a sightseeing tour of the city accompanied by Friends of Patchway Twinning representatives and Deputy Mayor Cllr Angela Morey. On Monday the group headed into Bristol for a tour around the city sights on foot and by ferry with the Patchway twinning team.

At the Civic Dinner on Monday evening, the Mayor of Patchway Cllr Dayley Lawrence reaffirmed the strength of the civic agreement and partnership with Clermont on its 30th year celebration. This sentiment was reciprocated by Corinne Torres from the Comité de Jumelage; and fully endorsed by Mayor Deschler.

On Tuesday, the group visited Patchway Community School for a tour with three of the School Ambassadors. A meeting was held with the Patchway Community School students heading to Gauting in July for work experience as part of the reciprocal youth exchange element of the international twining programme.

Associate Assistant Headteacher Ms Gemma Mills relayed the importance of the twinning programme for local Patchway students particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Following a light lunch at Callicroft House with the Mayor and Friends of Patchway Twining, the group were taken to Chew Valley Lake for a talk and tour of the reservoir site by the Environmental Manager from Bristol Water.

An Au Revoir dinner was hosted by Coniston Community Centre in the evening before visitors departed on Wednesday morning.

Mayor of Patchway, Cllr Dayley Lawrence said, ‘The importance of Patchway’s international civic partnerships is strongly engrained in the Council’s work since the drive of former Councillors such as Lew Gray many years ago. I am proud that Patchway has reached this 30th Anniversary with Clermont L’Hérault and look forward to seeing how the future really builds upon our renewed engagement between young people across all three towns’.

11th June 2025