Wallingford's French twin town revives relationship with an invitation (From The Oxford Times)

Wallingford's French twin town revives relationship with an invitation

12:13pm Wednesday 24th June 2009 in

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L’AMOUR is in the air again between Wallingford and its estranged French twin town.

Wallingford town councillors have been invited to France to mark an important anniversary.

Former mayor Alec Hayton revealed that he and his wife Pat, together with current mayor Dee Cripps, had been invited to Luxeuil-les-Bains in September to attend the anniversary of the liberation of the town by American forces in 1944/5.

The visit, between September 17 and 20, will be the first formal visit by Wallingford Town Council to the twin town for more than ten years.

Mr Hayton said: “I’m delighted. I’m not surprised. We’ve had an intermediary — a lady who lives not far away from here, but was born in Luxeuil — and when she read about this, she telephoned the mayor of Luxeuil and asked if she could help.

“She’s not coming on the trip, but she’s offered help if there’s any translation issues.

“I believe the mayor has really been working very hard to try to keep their local airbase, which means a huge amount to the town — rather like RAF Benson means to us. He is also a member of the French Parliament.

“Had I realised he had a very busy agenda, I probably would have understood a little better.”

Mr Hayton added: “We are going out there to mend bridges, put a bit of sticking plaster on them.”

Ms Cripps said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be going. It’s brilliant news. Of course, it will be my main objective to strengthen links with the town and I’m very glad all of this has been resolved.”

Mr Hayton recently sought to end the 30 years of twinning following what he claimed was a breakdown in relations between the towns.

He said school exchanges had not taken place for about 15 years, although former mayor Betty Atkins visited the town in eastern France in 1998.

In April, a radio interview with the deputy mayor of Luxeuil raised hopes of the two towns’ relationship being salvaged, however.

Fabienne Deloul told Radio 4’s PM programme: “For us 2009 is a year for getting back in touch with Wallingford.”

The upset triggered a flurry of twinning offers from four other French towns keen to be twinned with Wallingford. La Chapelle-Saint Mesmin, south-west of Orleans, Elbeuf, south-west of Rouen, Beaucouzé, west of Angers, and Villecresnes, south-east of Paris, are all vying to step in as Wallingford’s new partner.

Wallingford Town Council said it remained undecided on whether any of the offers would be looked into further.