What is a typical twinning weekend like?

More precise details of our next hosting weekend are to be finalised but this will give you a good idea of what to expect

Friday
Guests arrive in Willingham at teatime
Reception in the Village Hall with wine, soft drinks and nibbles.
Guests introduced to their hosts and all are given a copy of the itinerary
Guests to host houses for a light meal
After the meal, enjoy each others company or head to the pub for a beer
 
Saturday
Breakfast with hosts
Day trip using the visitors buses. Hosts will generally provide packed lunches
They have included in the past visits – Lincoln Castle, Lincoln Cathedral, Boat trips on the Fossdyke, Mablethorpe for free time and beach games, York Castle and Museums, Lincoln City Centre for shopping.
 
Saturday Evening
Event in the Village Hall attended by visitors and hosts
Sometimes this could be on the playing field
Food is provided by the Committee (From funds) and at least some of the drinks.
Food might include a barbecue or hog roast
Entertainment is usually a singer/group

Sunday
Breakfast with hosts followed by free time to go to church or wander around the village
There will be a short meeting during the morning between the committees to look ahead to the following year and hopefully come up with a possible date.
In the afternoon we have inter-country sports on the field with a cup that goes back with winning team and handed on from year to year.

Sunday Evening
5 / 6 families volunteer to use their own homes/gardens to host an evening which will include three or four other families. A gathering of 12/14 is quite normal. This will be arranged to assure a mixture of nationalities and children. All local families going to the host family for the evening will contribute to the food/drink
 
Monday
Guests depart the village at about 8.30 after breakfast. Hosts arrange pack ups.

What about the language ?
Needless to say, many of our foreign friends have a reasonable command of the English language. Google Translate in the middle of the table is helpful and if all else fails, conversing in a "Charades" kind of way is great fun. Always remember, they might be struggling with language as much as you, so brief moments of silence is never a problem.

For more information about our weekends, please click the link below
 
 
Following a Willingham hosting weekend, for the next two years we visit France and the Czech Republic. The weekend itinerary is similar but you don’t have to organise anything and the only cost to you is your travel.

For more information contact:
Dave Bussey, Chairman, Willingham Twinning Association

01427 788425
Email - dave@bussey.co.uk