A group of 22 residents of Royston and district have visited German twin town Großalmerode, sampling the variety of culture in the region.
The group - which included six children - said they were made to feel very welcome and had an itinerary of events and excursions to keep them busy throughout last week's trip.
The first was to SinnesGänge - or 'Sensory Transitions' - an installation in a disused brickworks in Kaufungen, where the senses are captivated and
challenged by a variety of remarkable exhibits.
This was followed by an afternoon of Laser Tac in nearby Helsa for the younger members of the group and those young at heart.
In the evening there was a formal civic reception at the Rathaus, where members of Royston Town Band played a selection of traditional and popular tunes alongside Musikzug, the Großalmerode town band.
Visitors were also treated to performances from a classical guitar duo and the recently formed Youth Marching Band. Greetings were exchanged between Royston's mayor, Councillor Rob Inwood, and the mayor of Großalmerode.
On Sunday, a town tour for those who had not visited before included climbing to the top of the church bell tower, a short walk in the rain to
Roystonplatz, a terraced and wooded area just off the town centre, and a candlelit descent into the cellar of the Rathaus.
Meanwhile, three young Roystonians attended the Jugend Parlament, a council of students aged 12 to 20 years, who represent their peers and bid
for facilities in their town.
This was with a view to creating links with Royston Town Council. In the afternoon there was a rainy walk through the countryside to a traditional hostelry in the woods.
The Hessen area is famous as the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm and one can easily imagine mythical creatures inhabiting the forests.
Monday saw a fascinating guided tour of the B. Braun factory in Melsungen where cannulation packs are manufactured in sterile conditions for use
throughout Europe. This was followed by a visit to the historic town centre.
Royston Town Twinning Association's Alix Cooper said: "The trip was highly successful and Royston & District Twinning look forward to hosting our German friends in October 2020."
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