Town Twinning

Town twinning has been part of the life of Gravesham for over 25 years. Families that have met through Gravesham Town Twinning Association are now firm friends - both in Europe and, more recently, across the Atlantic in Virginia, USA. Schools arrange annual exchanges; sports clubs join in each others competitions and in various ways each town has become a part of each other.

Gravesham is twinned with Neumunster in Germany, Cambrai in France and, since 2005, Chesterfield County in Virginia, USA. Before coming to England in 1616, Pocahontas lived with her husband John Rolfe at the English settlement in Henricus in what is now Chesterfield County.

Copies of the Charters signifying these twinning links are kept in the Civic Centre as well as in the Council offices of the three twin towns. However, Twinning flourishes through the involvement of people.

Gravesham Town Twinning Association is a group of people committed to seeing the links between peoples continue to flourish and grow. The Association raises its funds through membership subscriptions and receives a grant and secretarial help from Gravesham Borough Council. There is a Committee of people of all ages who have personally been involved in exchanges and two major meetings of members and a Christmas event as well as other socials are held each year in addition to the visits that take place.

Direct contact with each town is made each year with either a group travelling from Gravesham or groups from the towns coming here. There is usually so much twinning going on that it is hard for the Association itself to keep up with, especially as travel is getting easier all the time.

The intention is for everyone involved to realise that we belong to a global village - but often the best way of achieving this is to stay family to family and enjoy the experience of meeting and visiting.

You do not have to know a language to be able to enjoy twinning. It does help and there is the courtesy of using the person's language in their country. But you will usually find that your hosts have enough English to make you welcome - and you will be able to understand enough German or French in the case of our European twins, to make them welcome in return.

If you live locally and are interested in participating in Town Twinning then there are opportunities through our links with partners in Cambrai (France), Neumunster (Germany) and Chesterfield (Virginia, USA).
The links at the top right of this page will offer more details about our twinned locations.

For information on becoming a member of the Gravesham Town Twinning Association, please contact Barry Rowbotham, Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 1AU. Call Gravesend (01474) 33 73 02.