Cockermouth and Marvejols celebrate 40 years of friendships

Cockermouth hosted 50 Marvejols residents and laid on lots of events, to entertain them and celebrate four decades of twinning.

A civic reception was held at Christ Church (Image: Supplied)

The visitors stayed with host families for a week and were treated to days out in Grasmere, Rydal, Windermere, Keswick and Newcastle.

They also planted daffodils on Main Street.

A civic reception was held in Christ Church. Later in the week, a 40th Anniversary dinner took place at Hundith Hill Hotel. A quiz night was held on the final night.

The French friends enjoyed visiting Rydal Caves (Image: Supplied)

Town mayor Julie Laidlow said: "They all had a fantastic week. It was so refreshing to see so many younger ones, they were really enjoying themselves.

"The anniversary dinner was a really good night, we had ceilidh band Travelling Light and had a good old dance."

The town council is hoping to set up a twinning committee in the hope of involving younger people here and keeping the twinning going, said Cllr Laidlow.

Mayor julie Laidlow presented Marthe Charrier with an award in recognition of her twinning work (Image: Supplied)

"Forty years is such an achievement, we would not have expected it to last 40 years. A lot of these things die out but actually our links have got stronger.

"Some Cockermouth people have brought properties in Marvejols and stay there regularly. It's fantastic.

"Fingers crossed it will last another 40 years."