Devizes has a number of long established international twinning and friendship links with towns across the world. Twinning in the modern sense began after World War II when there was a conscious effort by national and local governments to take steps to heal the wounds, and aim for a more peaceful world. In all forms of Twinning there is the aim of international co-operation and understanding.
On 24th May 1963 at Mayor Making of Mayor Greenaway the first part of the Twinning agreement with Mayenne (France) was signed, with 15 people from Mayenne attending.
Background
Mayenne was already twinned with Waiblingen (Germany), and in 1966 the first part of the Twinning agreement between Devizes and Waiblingen was signed. Later that year a group of volunteers formed the Devizes and District Twinning Association.
The Association has been the main body responsible for organisation and was responsible for involving large numbers of the Devizes population. It has not been restricted to civic representatives.
The three towns host in turn, an annual Twinning weekend, with a conference for delegates, and participation by various clubs and organisations such as sports, music artists and in the past Firemen, the Rifle Club, Rotary and others. There have been as many as 300 and once 500 visitors from the Twin Towns in Devizes.
Since the formation of the twinning links there have been two marriages!
Twin Towns
Devizes has a number of long established international twinning and friendship links with towns across the world. Twinning in the modern sense began after World War II when there was a conscious effort by national and local governments to take steps to heal the wounds, and aim for a more peaceful world. In all forms of Twinning there is the aim of international co-operation and understanding.
Mayenne (France) & Waiblingen (Germany)
This three way twinning link stretches back to the early 1960s when the initial link was established between Mayenne and Waiblingen.
Mayenne is situated in the Western Loire, approximately 130 miles south of Cherbourg. Mayenne has approximately 15,000 residents. For more information about Mayenne, visit www.mairie-mayenne.fr
Waiblingen is situated near Stuttgart and to the east of the Black Forest region. Waiblingen is larger than Mayenne and Devizes, with a population of over 50,000. For more information about Waiblingen visit www.waiblingen.de
Visit the Devizes and District Twinning Associations website These twinning links are managed by the Devizes and District Twinning Association.
Chairman Steven Healey contact on email
Tornio, Finland
Tornio is the capital of Finnish Lapland, located at the top of the gulf of Bothnia. It is an extraordinary landscape of great contrast – long days of summer and very long nights of winter. More information about Tornio can be found at www.tornio.fi This twinning link is managed through the Devizes-Tornio Twinning Association.
Contact Lena Mullins, secretary on email
Oamaru, New Zealand
Although a twinning link, the relationship with Oamaru is not a very active one due to the distances involved. However, the friendship between the towns is a warm one based on emails and mutual letters of introduction when people of our towns visit each others. Oamaru and the Waitaki region are very beautiful areas of New Zealand’s south island.