Trowbridge Town Council

Leer is a town of about 32,000 inhabitants situated in Ostfriesland on the River Ems, about 13km east of the border with the

Netherlands

. It is a beautiful town with many historic buildings, a number of which have been tastefully restored in recent years.

Leer is the cultural centre of Ostfriesland and offers a wide range of events, including concerts and performances by visiting orchestras and soloists of international repute.

While the economy of the area around Leer is based mainly on agriculture, Leer itself has a varied industrial base.

A valuable source of income for the town is shipping, with 25% of German shipping being registered in the town.

The Gallimarkt

In 1508, Leer was granted the right to hold a market. The famous Gallimarkt takes place every year in October, and as well as incorporating a fair it is one of the biggest cattle markets in

Germany

. The Ostfriesland Show is also held in Leer in October every second year. This is a very big and well-established business show, which attracts a large number of visitors and has been running for over 60 years.

The Trowbridge/Leer Twinning Association

The twinning charter between the 2 towns was signed in Trowbridge by the then Chairman and the Burgermeister (Mayor) in Leer on June 30, 1989. The Trowbridge/Leer Twinning Association encourages links with the people of Leer. Informal links with Leer before the signing of the charter go back more than 30 years.

The President is an honorary position, held by the serving Mayor of Trowbridge.

The Chairman is Councillor Nick Blakemore.

Exchange visits have taken place between Trowbridge and Leer for many years. Trowbridge Amateur Swimming Club and The Poseidon Swimming Club (Leer) arrange exchange visits annually.

The Ostfriesland show is held bi-annually and is very similar to our former West Wilts Show.

Several members of the Twinning Association and Town Council officials have a stand at this show at which a typical English pub is recreated and English beer is sold.

Margret Schenzer - a member of the German-English Arbeitskreis - joins Councillor Bob Brice and Doug Ross at the English Pub - along with Trowbridge Town Crier, Trevor Heeks and Kerstin Henschel, a regular assistant!

In 2008 Leer celebrated the 500th anniversary of the 1st Gallimarkt. This event was attended by the then Mayor of Trowbridge, Councillor John Knight, along with a number of members of the twinning association. Visitors were invited to take part in a full itinerary during their stay which included a tour of Leer and the surrounding villages, and culminated in a musical evening on the river Ems, aboard the MS Warsteiner.

In July 2009 Trowbridge welcomed an official delegation from Leer to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Twinning Charter. A tree was planted to commemorate the event and a celebratory Charter Dinner held at the Civic Hall, which was attended by over 100 British and German guests.

The then, Mayor, Councillor Clive Blackmore, along with his wife Nicola, made his first visit to Leer, to join in the festivities of the 502nd Gallimarkt. During their stay they were invited to a tea ceremony with the Mayor of Leer, Wolfgang Kellner. Official gifts were exchanged, which this year included the presentation of the Trowbridge Flag to Stadt Leer.

Would you like to join the Trowbridge/Leer Twinning Association?

Membership of the Association is as follows:-

Single £5 per annum

Family £7.50 per annum

Corporate £10 per annum

We are keen to encourage visits between organisations and groups with similar interests. Wherever possible we are happy to help with arrangements for visits to and from Leer. If you belong to a sporting or cultural group and would like to create a link with a similar group in Leer please contact

Molly Hopkins.

For more information you can contact any of the following:
Chairman: Councillor Nick Blakemore Tel. 01225 753110
Secretary: Molly Hopkins Tel. 01225 752564 - email mollyhopkins@hotmail.co.uk

Membership Secretary: Natasha Owen Tel. 01225 777006

Events

Each year we organise or take part in a number of events and social activities. For information on Leer Twinning events please contact the Membership Secretary, Natasha Owen on 01225 777006.

Charenton le Pont in France

Where is Charenton le Pont?

Charenton-le-Pont is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris and is Trowbridge's twin town in France.

Oujda in Morrocco

Where is Oujda?

Oujda is a city situated near the Moroccan-Algerian border and is Trowbridge's twin town in Morrocco.

Elblag in Poland

Where is Elblag?

Elblag is a city, Warmińsko-Mazurskie województwo (province) and is Trowbridge's twin town in Poland.