THE Taunton’s Civic Twinning Link welcomed the visiting party from Lisieux yesterday (April 21).

Nick O’Donnell, Mayor of Taunton and president of the Taunton-Lisieux Civic Twinning Link, “was delighted” to officially welcomed visitors from the French town.

A message on the town council’s website read: “The Taunton – Lisieux Civic Twinning Link are a long-running civic twinning project between Taunton and the town of Lisieux in Normandy, France.

Somerset County Gazette: Mayor Cllr Nick O'Donnell welcomed the visitors from Lisieux yesterday (April 21)Mayor Cllr Nick O'Donnell welcomed the visitors from Lisieux yesterday (April 21) (Image: Taunton Town Council)

“The relationship between the two towns began in 1949 when a group of young people from Lisieux came with their teachers/youth leaders and camped in Vivary Park.

“When the civic party from Taunton was in Lisieux in May 2019, they celebrated the 70th anniversary of this first initiative.

“A formal Civic Twinning Charter was signed by the mayors of the two towns in 1955 and 2020 marked the 65th anniversary of this signing.

“It is one of the oldest continuously running civic twinning arrangements in Europe.”

A spokesperson for the town council said: “The Mayor of Taunton and president of the Taunton-Lisieux CivicTwinning Link, was delighted to officially welcome the visiting party from Lisieux as they arrived in Taunton this morning. Visit our website to learn more about Taunton’s twinning links.”