WESTBURY is set to welcome a French delegation to the town this weekend – in a visit that will coincide with the Royal Wedding.
Westbury is twinned with the French town Château du Loir, and a delegation of 42 adults and three children will be visiting the town between the 28th April and 1st May.
The Westbury and District French Twinning Association has been busy organising accommodation, events, and activities for the visitors.
This year, the delegation will enjoy a reception from the town council soon after they arrive. On the day of the Royal Wedding the visitors will have the chance to watch the event at The Duke in Bratton, with food and entertainment throughout the afternoon. That evening they will share a celebratory meal.
There will also be a day free for hosts to show their visitors their favourite sights in the area.
A French delegation visits the town every second year, while a delegation from Westbury returns the visit in the years in between.
This will be the eleventh year of exchanges. Jean Dew, chair of Westbury and District Twinning Association, explained why the visits are valued. “It’s about friendship,” she said. “They get to come to England, we go to France and when we do, we see the real France. We live in their homes, eat what they eat, do what they do and even hopefully learn a little of the language – and the same works both ways.”
The organisation is independent of the town council, and the committee plans the activities and fundraises so they can pay the expenses of the visitors while they are here.
Westbury’s twin town, Château du Loir, is situated between Le Mans and Tours in the region of Sarthe. A busy main road runs through the centre, it has an important railway junction, is in a beautiful rural area, and is about the same size as Westbury. The town does not have a château and is not on the Loir but there are lots of interesting places close by to visit and the châteaux of the Loire are only an hour away.
