STUDENTS from a school in Tunbridge Wells’ twin town, Wiesbaden, in Germany, were given a royal welcome on their trip to England last week as they visited the town amid the Coronation celebrations.
Twenty-nine students and three teachers from the Hermann-Ehlers-Schule Secondary School paid a visit to Tunbridge Wells on May 9 as part of their five-day trip to England which, fittingly, took place on Europe Day.
During their visit, Professor Michael Holman, President of the Twinning Association, gave the students a guided tour of the Amelia Scott, including the Georgian Room with its ‘augmented reality’ display, and the library with its public piano that can be played by visitors.
“The students had never seen a piano in a library, let alone one that could be played by casual visitors. In German libraries, one has to be quiet, but two students were brave enough to give an impromptu concert,” Professor Holman said.
The group also attended a lunch in the Green Room, hosted by the Twinning Association, which was attended by the Borough’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr Hugh Patterson.
Students were impressed to see the stainless steel cycle stands from their home town and the rejuvenated Chalybeate Spring.
Christina, the leader of the student group, said: “It was lovely to have such a warm welcome from Tunbridge Wells, especially from our friends in the Twinning Association.
“We will be returning home with many happy memories, fired up with enthusiasm to continue and develop the link.”
“I greatly enjoyed and learned much chatting over our sandwich lunch with the students. Especially with Adrian, Blevis and Dimo about multi-cultural Europe.
“Their parents are, respectively, from Bosnia, Albania and Bulgaria. Their common language is now German. And if they keep coming to Tunbridge Wells, it could one day be English too!’
Tunbridge Wells was twinned with the spa town of Wiesbaden after a Twinning Charter was signed in 1989.
