A group of 25 visitors from Burnham-On-Sea’s twin town in Germany have been formally welcomed to the town by the Mayor this week — the first visit for five years due to the pandemic.
Cllr Lesley Millard and her deputy Cllr Sharon Perry met the group from Fritzlar at a Mayor’s reception held at The Princess Theatre on Tuesday evening (May 9th).
The group are staying with host families across Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge in coming days, visiting several attractions including Wells, Street and the local area.
There will be also a formal dinner at the Batch Country Hotel in Lympsham before they head back to Germany.
The twinning society’s secretary Gillian Lyne said the visits every two years prior to the pandemic had been going for over 30 years.
She told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The exchange visits between Burnham and Fritzlar began in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down and so many friendships have been formed in the years since. It’s wonderful to welcome our Fritzlar friends back again.”
Marlies Heer, the leader of the Fritzlar group, added: “We are delighted to be back in Burnham for the first time since 2018 due to the pandemic. We always get such a warm welcome and love Burnham and the surrounding area.”
Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard, who welcomed the group in German, said she is “thrilled to welcome the group back to the town,” and added that she looks forward to visiting the town in Germany on a return visit next year.
A German flag is flying in their honour this week on Burnham’s main flag pole next to the fountain in Old Station Approach, pictured above. Fritzlar is a historic town in the German region of Hessen.
