Every two years Bromley Town Twinning Association take a trip to the borough’s twin town of Neuwied on the Rhine in Germany.

And each time they take a present – but this time it was a very unusual one. It was a British street road sign but on it were the words “Bromley 641 km.” That’s 398 miles or a day’s drive. Commented association chairman Peter Brown: “So getting back from the Rhineland wine country to our borough has been made that bit easier.” Neuwied already has a red British post box and telephone kiosk in its town centre and the sign will join them in pride of place.

Some 50 people made the trip from Bromley to Neuwied by coach and car for a long weekend. They included the tennis team from The Parklangley Club out to play a friendly return match against Tennis Club Neuwied.

Highlights of the trip included a boat ride along the wine valley of the River Mosel complete with castles, baronial halls and witches’ towers.

And there was a special award for three of the Bromley party for their services to friendship between the twin towns.

Lynne and David Noble and Alan Roberts were awarded the Bromley Shield of Honour, which had been given by Bromley to the Neuwied association for them to award to individuals or groups who have given outstanding service to our twinning. This was the fourth time in the 27 years of civic and festival links between the two towns that Bromley people have been honoured by Neuwied.

Just a few weeks earlier, members had been to Germany to commemorate a special day in the Rhineland’s town’s life. Neuwied hosted the annual festival of the German state of Rheinland Pfalz (Rhineland Palatinate). The last time they played hosts was in 1993. The festival is a massive one involving 29 localities including the major cities of Mainz and Ludwigshafen and includes a procession lasting two hours.

Among the members of the Bromley Town Twinning Association attending were the Ravensbourne Morris Men and the Beckenham Concert Band and they took pride of place in the procession as well as performing separately in the town by the banks of the Rhine.

For the Beckenham Concert Band, the two hours procession provided an unusual challenge. They are a “sitdown” band in England but had to be a marching ban in Germany for two hours in the procession. Joining them in pride of place in the procession were the Ravensbourne Morris Men.

Based on information supplied by Richard Redden.