Oakham's 40-year German Twinning set for revival
People from Oakham and Barmstedt met at Oakham Castle to discuss the revival
Over 60 guests were in attendance at Oakham castle to discuss the almost 40-year-old twinning between the Rutland town and their German partner.
Barmstedt is a town situated above Hamburg, while it is similar in size to Oakham.
The twinning has remained in place since its inception in 1987, though in recent years visits haven't been as frequent.
Plans set out in the meeting will see bi-annual trips to Germany, with the families then travelling here to Oakham in between.
At the meeting in Oakham was Dr Sarah Furness, Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland.
She says that the revival of the twinning will provide great opportunities for the people of Oakham, saying, "When we get to know people as real people as individuals and you make a you make a relationship, you get to understand people and see things in a different way.
"Of course, you know, we're always unaware of our own sort of cultural and national blinkers.
"And so if we step outside and see things our own environment from, from their point of view and and somewhere completely different, it just makes us sort of look at things in a different way."
While exact dates for these trips are yet to be arranged, Dr Sarah Furness says that volunteers will be needed to take part in the exchanges.
She says that the experience could lead to more, saying, "It's not just the two visits or the visit one year and the other visit another year.
"But it's also, you know, the pen friendships and the contacts that you maintain as well. So we have some real friendships there."