Bracknell Twinning Association

Bracknell originally twinned in 1973 with Opladen in Germany, a town of a similar size to itself.   During a local government re-organization the Opladen local authority was taken over by Leverkusen, a town of about 160,000 people and the home of the famous Bayer Chemical Works.   Leverkusen continued the partnership and is also twinned with several other towns across the world.   Leverkusen is just north of Cologne and has a good train service to this city.  You can read more about Leverkusen in the "Welcome to Leverkusen" guide which is available to View or Download.

Bracknell Twinning Association works with the Freundeskreis in Leverkusen to arrange regular visits to their partner towns and in particular to facilitate exchanges between local interest groups, schools and sports clubs and for work experience.   In recent years the bond of friendship between citizens of the twin towns has been re-kindled with an increasing number of exchanges and joint activities.   In 2011 the Bracknell Choral Society welcomed the Leverkusen Bach Choir to Bracknell to help them celebrate their 50th year festival with a joint performance of the Verdi Requiem.   Summer 2011 saw local Scouts camping in Leverkusen and a photographic exhibition by the Leverkusen Photographic Society at the South Hill Park Arts Centre.   Young employees from Bayer, a large employer in Leverkusen regularly spend a month in Bracknell staying with host families and undertaking work experience.

The Bracknell Twinning Association is run by a committee elected each year at its Annual General Meeting.   All its meetings are held in the Bracknell Town Council Chamber, usually on Monday evenings at about monthly intervals.   Any local resident interested in twinning is welcome to make contact and attend the meetings.   Various sports and cultural exchanges take place on a regular basis and the committee is always pleased to facilitate other exchanges for clubs or individuals.

The Association would be pleased to hear from anyone who may be able to offer accommodation to visitors from Leverkusen.

A small fee is usually paid to cover costs unless hosts wish to organise an exchange with their visitors.

In recent years the square adjacent to the Council offices at Brooke House on High Street, Bracknell has been named Leverkusen Platz, there is a Bracknell Square in Opladen.   Information boards have been placed in the squares giving a brief history of Leverkusen, of Bracknell and of twinning.

The Town Council offices are home to the Flag of Honour – formal recognition of Bracknell’s commitment to the twinning ideal, and a small library of books and information about Bracknell’s twin town.

The Town Twinning Association always welcomes new members.   For more information please contact the chairman or the Town Council office at Brooke House.

Councillor Shelagh Pile, Bracknell Town Mayor of 2006/07, was presented with the prestigious Council of Europe Flag of Honour in front of Bracknell school children and invited guests on Friday 24^th November 2006.   Dr Lale Aytaman, an Honorary Member of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, flew in from Istanbul, Turkey to present the flag.   Representatives from Bracknell’s twin town Leverkusen, Germany were also present at the ceremony.

St Michael’s Easthampstead primary school was chosen as the venue for the presentation due to its developing relationship with its partner school Die Walderschule in Leverkusen, and its interest in language teaching.

Tony Eccleston, Director of Education, Children's Services and Libraries, said: "Bracknell's schools have been developing links with schools in the twin town of Leverkusen in Germany and it is a recognition of that success that the Council of Europe award ceremony is taking place at St Michael's Easthampstead Primary School.   It promises to be a memorable day for the children and for all the invited guests."

The Council of Europe Flag of Honour is awarded to cities and municipalities which have twinning arrangements with European partners and who can demonstrate that they are involved in a range of activities to develop partnership and understanding.

Up to 25 flags are awarded each year.   Bracknell is the only town in the UK to be awarded this honour in 2006.

The blue flag, embroidered with twelve golden stars and fringed with gold is symbolic of the expression of good will of a growing number of states and peoples to work together to build peace and prosperity, in a continent where common values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law prevail.

In recognition of Bracknell’s outstanding record of partnership with European business Boehringer Ingelheim hosted an informal celebratory lunch after the award ceremony.

George Bayle, Chairman of Twinning said "Bracknell Twinning Association was honoured to have been instrumental in gaining this award for Bracknell, which recognises the close partnership that has developed with our twin town Leverkusen over the past 32 years.   This honour is for all the people of Bracknell who have helped to foster the European ideal."