Ce'st magnifique! pupils forge links with French twin town

For the past three years, Edwinstowe has been informally twinned with the French Village Robiac-Rochessadoule and earlier this year pupils from St Mary’s School and students there have become pen pals.

The idea was put forward by Jane Churly, a former Edwinstowe resident who lives in the village. She said: “Our Mayor, Henri Chalvidan expressed an enthusiasm to twin with a town in Britain and asked me to explore any opportunities. I made contact with parish councillor Celia Brooks and together we decided that there were clear links between our communities.

“The Mayor and his wife were invited to visit Edwinstowe, which coincided with the Robin Hood Festival, and it proved to be very encouraging.”

A return visit from Edwinstowe by Wendy Marsh and her partnert last year initiated links between St Mary’s C of E school and the French children, with pupils swapping letters and Christmas decorations.

There is an display at Edwinstow Library on the twinning.

Robiac Rochessadoule is an ex-mining community in the Cevennes National Park set amongst the The Cevennes Mountains where some of France’s earliest coal mines were established.

Since the closure of the mines, the community has returned to its rural roots.

Councillor Brooks said: “As the children of our villages led the way in getting to know each other, it would be great if these links extened further into our community.”

For information, visit the group’s Facebook page (search under Edwinstowe, Robiac-Rochessadoule or “jumelage”)