Surrey Heath Borough Council marked its long-standing international friendships with a special town twinning celebration held on Friday 17 April at Surrey Heath House.
The event was hosted by The Mayor of Surrey Heath, Councillor Louise Ashbery, and celebrated the borough’s twinning with Sucy-en-Brie in France and Bietigheim-Bissingen in Germany. This event and the following weekend itinerary were principally sponsored by Places Leisure Camberley supported by Glendale.
Councillor Louise Ashbery was joined by Surrey Heath councillors, council officers, and dignitaries from both twin towns for the formal ceremony, which recognised the enduring value of town twinning in fostering international friendship and cooperation.
Town twinning became particularly popular across Europe following the Second World War, with the aim of promoting peace, reconciliation and greater cultural understanding. Today, these partnerships continue to bring tangible benefits, creating opportunities for cultural exchange, education, tourism, and community collaboration.
Sucy-en-Brie is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, approximately 15 kilometres from the city centre. The commune lies within the Val-de-Marne department in the Île-de-France region and overlooks the Marne Valley.
Bietigheim-Bissingen is situated in the Baden-Württemberg region of south-west Germany, around 19 kilometres north of Stuttgart. The town is known for its well-preserved historic centre and its position in the central Neckar Valley, close to the Enz and Metter rivers.
The Mayor of Surrey Heath, Councillor Louise Ashbery, said; “Our town twinning relationships are a powerful reminder of the importance of friendship, understanding and cooperation beyond borders. It was a pleasure to welcome our international partners to Surrey Heath and celebrate the strong ties that connect our communities.
"I would also like to thank Gill Riding from Surrey Heath Museum for such an interesting talk on the history of Surrey Heath’s town twinning and our sponsors, Places Leisure Camberley and Glendale whose support has enabled these celebrations to take place.”
Jurgen Kessing, Lord Mayor of Bietigheim-Bissingen added; “I want to thank Mayor Ashbery and the Councillors of Surrey Heath for the invitation and the warm welcome that I received. It has been a great pleasure and an honour to be here and to celebrate more than 55 years of official town twinning between Surrey Heath and Bietigheim-Bissingen. In a time of global tensions, it becomes ever more important that Europeans stand together and be united to defend the values of democracy and most importantly – friendship! I am looking forward to many more encounters with our friends from Surrey Heath.”
Councillor Richard Brie, Sucy-en-Brie said, “It was truly wonderful to finally have the opportunity to discover Surrey Heath and meet its residents—so welcoming, and many incredibly talented—during this exceptional weekend.
"We feel both fortunate and deeply grateful to share a twinning relationship with Surrey Heath Borough, and we very much look forward to developing future projects. I sincerely hope these will bring the people of our two towns closer together, fostering meaningful encounters, exchanges, and shared experiences. Above all, they will help strengthen our common vision and reinforce the broader importance of our joint mission: to build a new European identity together.”
After the reception our guests enjoyed a busy weekend visiting local business, Gordon Murray, a celebration dinner at Robertson House in Camberley, part of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst estate, and watching the Surrey Heath Stars final at Camberley Theatre.
Surrey Heath Borough Council supports town twinning links which provide opportunities for residents to engage with different cultures and build international friendships.
- Surrey Heath is twinned with Sucy-en-Brie, France, and Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany.
- Town twinning arrangements are voluntary partnerships that encourage cultural, educational and community exchanges between towns in different countries.
- Places Leisure Camberley is a state-of-the-art leisure facility in Camberley, with a gym and group exercises classes, swimming pool, Clip n Climb climbing wall, soft play and Costa. Find out more on their website - https://www.placesleisure.org/centres/places-leisure-camberley/
- Glendale is a multi-award winning grounds maintenance contractor offering landscapes & green space management for private & public sector. https://www.glendale-services.co.uk/
- Surrey Heath Museum is located in The Square shopping centre in Camberley, and tells the stories of the area's past - covering the Stone Age, Iron Age, Roman times, Medieval Surrey Heath, Early Transportation, Highwayman, Coaching Inns, The Royal Military College, the area's agricultural and horticultural past, the development of Camberley and much more. https://www.surreyheathmuseum.com/