Chris
7/30/2024 5:51:23 AM
4 mins read
Celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the twinning between Königswinter and Cleethorpes have continued following a visit from the German town officials.
The twinning began in 1974 and was officially declared following a Town Twinning ceremony at Cleethorpes Pier Pavilion in March the following year. Since then, the two have worked closely together in various ways, like foreign exchanges with local schools, choirs and sports clubs as well as constant meetings throughout the decades.
To mark the prestigious anniversary, Königswinter’s Bürgermeister, Mr. Lutz Wagner, and other dignitaries visited The Worshipful Mayor of the Borough, the Cleethorpes Charter trustees and others at Cleethorpes Town Hall on Friday, 12 July.
As part of the visit, Mr. Wagner visited Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway where a locomotive was renamed in honour of the German town. For Mayor Cllr Steve Beasant, this was a great experience.
“The best part of the whole thing was taking Mr. Wagner and the delegation to the railway. As someone who has always loved steam trains, it was amazing to be there with them and to show off some of the great things we’ve got going on in Cleethorpes.”
Additionally, a service was held at Corpus Christi Church in Cleethorpes and a Reaffirmation Ceremony at Cleethorpes Town Hall in honour of the relationship between the two.
“Having celebrated the 50th anniversary, we now need to think about how we celebrate the next 50 and keep this friendship going,” said Councillor Beasant.
“Meeting the Bürgermeister was great, and I can’t wait to meet him again when we travel to Konigswinter to continue this bond between the two towns.”
Also celebrating it’s 50th anniversary is the Cleethorpes coat of arms. Originally formed in 1936, the crest was changed in 1974 to incorporate the amalgamation of Grimsby Rural District Council and the former Cleethorpes Borough Council.
The main alteration to the crest is the addition of an ancient ship to represent the ancient ports of Grimsby and Immingham. The other major change is to the motto which reads “vigilant in faith and industry”, a combination of the former Cleethorpes motto, Vigilantes, and the Grimsby Rural District Council’s, By Faith and Industry.
