Published on 9th March 2017

gottingen statue

Local residents are being asked to host a 5-day homestay experience for friends from Göttingen, our German twin town, when they visit Cheltenham in July.

The trip follows a successful visit in 2013 and our reciprocal visit in 2015 when over 100 Cheltenham residents visited Göttingen.

The visit, from 22 July to 27 July 2017, will be fully organised to ensure an interesting and enjoyable stay and hosts are invited to join in with the trips and attend events on the programme. Instead of payment for hosting our friends from Göttingen, it’s hoped residents will offer accommodation with a view to receiving reciprocal hospitality in Göttingen in the future.  Hosts are asked to provide bed and breakfast and some evening meals, depending on the programme and their guests’ involvement.

Visitors will arrive late afternoon on Saturday 22 July. On Sunday 23 July guests will be given a welcome reception with time for families to get to know their hosts and explore Cheltenham. A full programme of events will include: a tour of Cheltenham, a day trip to Bath, as well as visits to wider Cotswolds destinations.

Annette Wight, the council’s twinning officer, said: “This visit is open to all Cheltenham residents, to be able to offer a unique and memorable visit to our friends from Göttingen. There is a whole variety of people requesting homestays, from young to the more advanced in years and single people to couples and those with families. I very much hope that many Cheltenham residents will consider hosting and participating in this twinning visit as Göttingen will openly welcome hosts for reciprocal hospitality.”

Councillor Garth Barnes, chairman of the twinning association, added: ‘’Large scale trips such as these only happen every four years and they provide the perfect opportunity to get to know Cheltenham’s German twin town.

“Göttingen visitors are hospitable and friendly. Cheltenham is in a unique position to show visitors about the Cheltenham way of life, make new friends and develop cultural links between clubs, societies and various interest groups. The trip is also a great opportunity to develop business links and professional contacts.’’

For further details about the visit, please contact Annette Wight, 01242 264311, [email protected]

For media enquiries contact: Laura Carter, communications officer 01242 264154 or [email protected]

Notes: Cheltenham has been twinned with the town of Göttingen since 1951.