This site is under construction. If you wish to add or include any content, please contact info@kota.org.uk. Last Updated September 2008
WHAT IS TWINNING?
Twinning is a special relationship between two countries, which is sealed by the signing of a charter. This concept was extended after the Second World War when a conscious effort was made to rebuild friendships especially in Europe.
Devon is twinned with the Calvados region of Normandy in France and in 1979 Kingsteignton was twinned with Orbec, a lovely medieval town.
The aim of Twinning is to broaden a mutual understanding of the cultural, recreational, educational and commercial activities of each other’s communities. It offers a unique and personal experience of living, for a few days, in the same house as people whose ways are just a little bit different to ours. So many things across Europe are now the same but within the home and family there are still many fascinating differences. What do they have for breakfast? How do they furnish their homes? What shape are their pillows? Most importantly, we meet people as they really are. They open their homes to welcome us, as we do them, initially as strangers who soon become friends. By doing this we can promote and foster friendship and understanding between the people of Kingsteignton and those of Orbec.
Each year we have one official contact with Orbec. One year we visit them and the next year they come to us. We have social events here at home to get to know each other and to raise funds as the association is self-supporting.
Twinning is open to everyone, individuals, couples and families. The age of our members ranges from 1 year to 80+! It is not necessary to speak French although it can be fun trying!
VISIT TO KINGSTEIGNTON 12th - 15th APRIL 2008
In April a group of 40 of our friends from Orbec, in the Calvados region of Normandy, visited Kingsteignton for a few days. We were very fortunate to have good weather as it had snowed the previous weekend and poured with rain the weekend after their visit!
They arrived mid-morning on Saturday 12th April at the Community Hall in Rydon Road where they were welcomed by Cllr. Len Holland, Chairman of the Parish Council. After coffee and biscuits and much excited chatter and introductions for new people, we took our visitors home for lunch. The afternoon was free to do as we wished so most of us visited places not far from Kingsteignton as our friends had travelled on the overnight ferry to Portsmouth and were feeling somewhat tired.
We were delighted when Sunday morning greeted us with sunshine as we had been invited by Devon Historic Buildings Trust to go to the Haldon Belvedere Tower for a tour and morning coffee. Penny, our chairman, had translated the history of the Tower into French for our visitors and we all found it extremely interesting. The views from the roof of the Tower are stunning and we were able to see for miles in all directions. We then all went off to the nearby Lord Haldon Hotel for an excellent lunch and afterwards had great fun trying to pair up the photos of us all as toddlers with the ones of us as we are now! We returned home via the coast or various routes across the moors and then got together in each other's homes for the evening.
On Monday morning we visited the National Marine Aquarium at Plymouth which was much enjoyed by all, especially the children. We followed the visit with lunch at the Aquarium café and then there was some free time to explore the Barbican and the Hoe. No doubt the teenagers were pleased to have the chance of doing some retail therapy in Drakes Circus! After returning to Kingsteignton some of us met up at home in the evening.
Tuesday came around too quickly and before we knew it we were saying goodbye to our friends, old and new, for another year. We waved them off at midday for their journey to Poole and the ferry back to France, having spent a wonderful, if tiring, few days with our “twins” from across the channel.
Come and join us!
Anyone living or working in and around Kingsteignton can join KOTA. Come along to any of our advertised events to see if it's your sort of thing. Membership of KOTA costs £10 a year per adult. Children join for free.
Links
Orbec Web site (in French)
Contact info@kota.org.uk for all KOTA enquiries