RESIDENTS from Huntingdon and Godmanchester have been getting to know their continental counterparts better with a series of events marking a twinning milestone.

On Saturday, trees were planted in the Riverside Park in Huntingdon, and at the recreation ground in Godmanchester, close to the Chinese Bridge, to celebrate 30 years of the towns’ twinning with Wertheim in Germany.

And on Monday, a group of young people from Germany, France and Italy arrived to attend a four day music festival, which will culminate in a concert tomorrow evening (Thursday, September 29).

Malcolm Lyons, chairman of the Huntingdon and Godmanchester Twinning Association said: “The leaves of the newly planted trees will symbolise the young people from our communities, working together in Europe.

“And the music festival is a chance for the young people to have fun and fellowship and understand their cultural differences.”

Dignitaries attending the two tree planting ceremonies included the mayors of Huntingdon and Godmanchester, Councillors Alan Mackender-Lawrence and Alan Welton.

The Oberburgermeister of Wertheim Stephan Mikulicz was also there, along with mayors from the twin towns of Szentendre in Hungary; Salon de Provence in France; and the mayor of the friendship town Gubbio in Italy.

Students from Wertheim, Salon de Provence, and Gubbio took part in a Youth Together in Harmony festival at Grafham Water this week.

The teenagers joined with students from Hinchingbrooke School and St Peter’s School to learn music from each other’s cultures.

Members of the public are invited to attend their concert tonight at the Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre from 7.30pm. Huntingdon Male Voice Choir will also perform.