LEEK/ESTE TWINNING NEWS

REPORT ON REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND IN LEEK, NOVEMBER 2009

In November 2006 a group of British Legion members, scouts and citizens from Leek went to Este for their Veterans Day, which is the same as our Remembrance Day here in Leek. After the success of this visit it was agreed that in November 2007 we would invite similar groups from Este to come and join with us for Remembrance Sunday. This exchange has since been a regular date in the Leek/Este twinning calendar. So November 2009 saw a delegation of veterans and citizens come to Leek from Este.

Leek Twinning Committee started planning for their visit early in 2009. Invitations were also sent to two of Este's other twin towns, Bad Windsheim in Germany and Pertuis in France. Preliminary discussions had taken place in Este during Eurofest 2008, as friendships from previous Eurofests were renewed with the delegations from these towns, and it was felt this was another way of strengthening and cementing our ties within Europe.

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A timetable and programme of events was drawn up by May 2009 and people were asked if they would be prepared to host our friends from Este, Bad Windsheim and Pertuis over the weekend. As this is an exchange within the European Economic Community, we are encouraged to include certain themes and follow various guidelines within the programme.

Unfortunately we had heard that there would be no delegation from Pertuis, as they had previously accepted an invitation to another Remembrance Service, from their English twin town of Alton, Hampshire. We met our friends from Bad Windsheim again in Este at the beginning of October 2009 and within ten days they confirmed they would be sending a small delegation of one teacher and four students from Georg-Wilhelm-Steller-Gymnasium, Friedensweg, Bad Windsheim. Our programme and preparations were now complete.

On Thursday 5 November the group of twenty-eight people from Este, led by the mayor, Giancarlo Piva and Giovanni Comisso, chair of Este Twinning, military personnel, veterans and citizens arrived in Leek at 7.30 pm. This year our remembrance service in Leek coincided with the remembrance service in Este, so were extremely honoured that the mayor of Este felt it fitting to join us here in Leek rather than attend the service in Este. The group from Bad Windsheim arrived separately and on a late evening flight. All the guests were met and introduced to their hosts for the weekend, who then took them away for dinner.

On Friday 6 November the first part of the programme was the welcoming ceremony which took place in the Churnet Room at Moorlands House. The delegations from Este and Bad Windsheim were welcomed by the mayor of Leek, Councillor John Povey and the Chair of SMDC, Councillor Mike Worthington. The mayor of Este and Edith Schneider, from Bad Windsheim, replied by saying how honoured they were to have received invitations to come to Leek this weekend for this important occasion.

After the opening ceremony all the guests, Leek Twinning Committee officials and some hosts were transported to Westwood College where an educational question and answer session took place between, Italian Veterans, German Delegates, British Legion members, Westwood College and Leek High Specialist Technology School students on World War memories and the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

In accordance with the EU theme of the twentieth anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, five Germans from Este's twin town, of which four were students, met with six sixth form students from Leek High School and six students from Westwood College, Leek. This was chaired by the Assistant Head from Leek High School. All students had prepared in advance for this discussion on the impact and significance of this historic event.

The rest of the group were split into two, with two representatives from the Leek British Legion, fifteen representatives from Este's veterans and fifteen sixth form students from Westwood College in each group. The two groups were chaired by Westwood College History Staff. Each group had primed questions from the students who wanted to know about the Italian way of remembering the fallen of war with opportunities for both British Legion and Italian veterans to relate their memories of the Second World War and its aftermath.

Paul Baxter, vice chair of Leek Twinning Committee, said that in his group four students from Bad Windsheim in Bavaria joined eleven senior students from Leek High School to engage in a discussion relating to the existence, fall and the implication of the fall of the Berlin wall. They were assisted in their discussion by two adults one of whom was a senior member of the teaching staff and present in Berlin at the time. Their approach to the subject seen by a much older observer was both mature and very refreshing. Their knowledge of the subject was good and it was noted that, irrespective of their country, the students regarded the events simply as recent history. A digression from this viewpoint was in relation to the question regarding any differences which may still exist between the East and West German peoples after such a long period of time. The senior teacher present is quoted as saying that it was fascinating to get a German perspective on the Berlin wall since they never experienced a divided country. As a result of this debate it was hoped that a formal link between the school in Bad Windsheim and one of the two Leek schools involved would be established.

John Fisher, Leek Twinning Committee member, said that the group he sat in on, heard an account from a Leek British Legion member of his days as an engineer, whose job was to service the engines of bombers in East Anglia. We also heard from a younger soldier from Este who had served in more recent conflicts. But the lasting memory of this group was to hear from Giovanni Comisso, chair of the Este Twinning Committee. He recalled vividly, as a boy of seven years, the day before the armistice was declared. He saw Germans attempting to cross the River Po and the efforts of the Partisans to kill the Germans in the River. He also on the same day recounted how an English bomber came over his house and dropped a bomb which crashed into his home killing his young brother who was only a year old. Shrapnel also paralysed his Mother for the rest of her life. He said this in a most moving way which captured the imagination of especially the English Sixth form students.

Virginia Kent-Baguley, who was hosting one of our guests from Este, said that the session in her room began with a power point presentation by David Williamson and Amelia Castille, two A.S.Level students, who as part of their GCSE History course last year had visited Ypres, in Belgium, with a school group in order to see the cemeteries and lay wreaths at the memorials. They showed us the Newfoundland Memorial and the Thiepal memorial, as well as the German cemetery at Langemark, it was a very well delivered piece of work, clearly explained and executed and also very moving.

This was followed by a question and answer session about the effects of war on the veterans, responses from the Italians included personal family loss and total devastation of towns and populations where the civilians were stuck in the middle between the Nazi and Fascist forces. The economy was destroyed, there was literally no money, and barter was the only way to get food. It took 15 to 20 years to recover. Then just as they were getting back onto their feet, the natural disaster of the flooding of the River Po in 1951 drove many Italians to emigrate to France, Switzerland, America, Canada and the UK. Seeing these English students actively taking part in the discussions with the Italians who had experienced it at first hand was a very special history lesson for me and a privilege to be there.

After lunch we all attended the opening, by Leek Town mayor, Councillor John Povey, of a joint World War memorabilia exhibition staged at England's Art Gallery.

At 3 pm all guests met at Leek Tourist Information Centre, where they were given a guided tour of Leek, by local historian, Cathryn Walton. The tour finished at the Nicholson War Memorial Monument and guests were able to go inside the tower and were given a talk about its history and workings of the clock by Alan Blundrett.

On the Saturday there was free time for hosts to entertain their guests.There were visits to Jodrell Bank, RAF Cosford and Liverpool, as well as the surrounding areas of the Staffordshire countryside.

In the evening there was a buffet at Leek High School, for all guests and their hosts, as well as other invited guests, organised by Leek Twinning Committee. The Rode Hall Silver Band provided the music.

Remembrance Sunday duly arrived and all had to be on parade in the Silk Street car park at 8.45 am. We were all placed in our correct position in the parade by Geoff Robinson, of the British Legion and marched to St Edwards Church for the Remembrance Sunday service led by Reverend Matthew Parker. An added touch this year was that the programme of the service was produced in Italian for our guests from Este and the mayor of Este, Giancarlo Piva, read the first bible reading in Italian. After the service at St Edwards the parade reformed for the march to the Nicholson War Memorial Monument in Derby Street for the dedication and wreath laying ceremony.? Amongst the wreathes laid were those from our twin town of Este and also one by the students from Bad Windsheim. The parade then walked down Derby Street for the Royal Salute. Este guests were then invited by A H Brooks to go to the Cock Inn for a buffet.

At 1 pm the programme moved to the Ball Haye Green Club in preparation for a service of dedication. The parade reformed outside the club and marched to the Haregate Recreation Ground where the service, led by Reverend Roger Woods, from St Lukes and St Pauls, assisted by Father Michael Bonaccorsi, from St Marys, took place. The service also included readings by local people. After the wreath laying ceremony at the memorial outside the ground, the service moved inside, where a rose planting ceremony took place to commemorate old and new friendships that exist between Leek, Este and Bad Windsheim. The parade reformed and returned to Ball Haye Green Club.

John Fisher made a most important observation about our Remembrance Day service this year:

The German delegation, from Bad Windsheim, attended on Sunday the services of remembrance in Leek. This is the first time to my knowledge that Germans have attended this event and after sixty four years it was high time to remember the fallen together! Perhaps both Leek and Bad Windsheim are somewhat parochial in their attitudes which reflects the time it has taken for former enemies to share this act of reconciliation together.

Sunday concluded with a dinner and presentation evening for hosts, guests and civic representatives at the Rudyard Lake Hotel.

A frosty, but very sunny Monday morning arrived as our guests prepared for their journey home. The mayor of Este had already left Leek to catch a 6.45 am flight back to Italy as he had important council business to attend to that afternoon. However there was time for the rest of our visitors to do some last minute shopping, walk along the canal or make trips into the countryside around Leek.

At 2 pm the coach arrived at Bridgend Garage to take our guests from Este to Liverpool airport. Old friendships had been renewed and new friendships had been made. Tears were the order of the day as goodbyes were exchanged, after what had turned out to be a most memorable Remembrance weekend. Our guests from Bad Windsheim were taken by car to Manchester airport.

New hosts in particular had very much enjoyed their first experience of looking after their guests.? One of our new hosts, Virginia Kent-Baguley, commented I have enjoyed the experience, my guest was very easy to host and the back-up provided by Leek Twinning Committee was second to none. Please may we host again. Another host, Barbara Wood, said We had a most wonderful Remembrance weekend. Our visitor from Este was a real gentleman. The organisation was top notch once again. Congratulations to all the people who made all this happen.

Edith Schneider, from Bad Windsheim, sent us an e-mail and said We have to Thank You It cannot be repeated often enough. You gave us such a warm welcome and always took good care of us. Everything was so well planned. Due to your attention and organisational talent the weekend was a great success and we will always remember this special Remembrance Day in Leek.

Giovanni Comisso, chair of Este Twinning Committee, sent us an e-mail saying I must thank you all for the welcome and warm hospitality that was extended to us all. Everything went very well and for many it was a new and beautiful experience. We returned home more enriched by having participated, as it is not always easy to take part in these ceremonies, but we feel that all members of the public should be represented.

We look forward to their return visit to Leek for Remembrance Sunday 2011.