Honiton Twinning Association
Honiton Twinning Association is an organisation in partnership with Honiton Town Council with the aim of promoting and fostering friendship and understanding between the people of Honiton and District, with those of our twin towns Mezidon-Canon in France and Gronau (Leine) in Germany.
Honiton has been twinned with Mezidon-Canon since June 1973 and with Gronau since September 1987. Mezidon-Canon is also twinned with Gronau. Gronau have a total of 5 twin towns – Honiton, Mezidon-Canon, Dovre (Belgium), Wermsdorf (former East Germany) and forging links in Norway.
By communication and visits between our twin towns, we hope to encourage and support personal friendships across the countries and thereby broaden the mutual understanding of our respective cultural, recreational, educational and commercial activities.
Honiton Twinning Association meets regularly and organises fund raising and social events which we enjoy. We also try to encourage our own development in the communications between our twinning partners by having informal language evenings and themed events throughout the year. We also participate in the Devon Twinning Circle, which has a large membership of twinning organisations, many of whom are twinned with towns in Normandy in the region of Mezidon-Canon.
Our current officers of the Association are: Lindsay Hyslop (Chairman), John Williamson ( Vice Chairman), Roger Sleeman (Hon. Secretary), Elizabeth Hayler (Treasurer).
Supported by: Michael Hind (Press Officer) and members of the association for separate liaison with Mezidon & Gronau
Recent activity has included a visit to from Gronau in July 2007 which coincided with the first Market Charter Celebrations – Market 750, to Gronau in August 2008, where the 20 years’ anniversary of our twinning partnership was celebrated and to Mezidon-Canon in May 2009, where they were proud to invite us to the opening of their new community centre. We welcomed a group of visitors from Mezidon in May 2010 which resulted in a good programme of events. We also welcomed a group of visitors from Gronau in July 2012. In recent years visiting groups have been smaller but we maintain contacts with private visits in both directions to and from France and Germany.
New members or those who would like to meet us at a meeting or social event please contact Roger Sleeman on 01404 43310 or via rogersleeman@rocketmail.com
May 2010 visit from Mezidon Canon
In May 2010 a group of 9 visitors from Mezidon Canon arrived for a 4 day visit. Starting with a reception at the Boston Tea Party attended by members of the Council with Mayor Elect Peter Fleming welcoming the party. Here a new link with the Honiton Community College was forged between Miriam Theeten of the Modern Languages Dept. There was a day out in Mid Devon with guided visit of Fursdon House, followed by lunch in Thorverton and an “English Wine Tasting” at the Yearlstone Vineyard. A group dinner was held at The Holt in Honiton. A visit to Exeter took place with a guided redcoat tour of the historical centre.
We have been invited to return to Mezidon Canon in 2011.
Photographs of our twin towns Mezidon-Canon in France (visit 2009) and Gronau (Leine) in Germany (Visit to Gronau 2008 pictures)
Visits: to Gronau in July 2007 which coincided with the first Market Charter Celebrations – Market 750, to Gronau in August 2008, where the 20 years’ anniversary of our twinning partnership was celebrated and to Mezidon-Canon in May 2009, where they were proud to invite us to the opening of their new community centre. Visitors from Mezidon in May 2010. Visit to Gronau 2008, Visit 2009 D Day Beaches