New Milton Twinning Association celebrates 25th anniversary with trip to Canteleu in France

A CROSS-channel friendship linking two towns has celebrated its 25th anniversary.

New Milton Twinning Association representatives, including its founder, town councillor Neil Tungate, fellow councillor Bob Murrow and town clerk Graham Flexman visited Canteleu for the festivities.

The 50th and 20th anniversaries of twinning for Buchholz in Germany and Wolow in Poland respectively were also celebrated.

As the visit coincided with the VE80 commemorations, it got under way with a ceremony at the Canteleu town hall war memorial.

Wreaths provided by the local council for each town representative were laid before an event on the town square, with stands, food and entertainment.

That evening there was a dinner and dance at a local venue, where the twinning associations exchanged gifts.

The next day an event at the town hall saw town representatives exchange gifts and make speeches.

New Milton presented the other towns with framed copies of a photograph Cllr Tungate had taken of Blackwater Bridge in Rhinefield, along with a copy of his very limited edition 2020 book of photography.

Cllr Murrow told a recent New Milton Town Council meeting: “The [Canteleu] mayor was so pleased with Graham and Neil being there.

“The way we were treated was great.”