Links with twin towns should not be broken

They have been quietly pro-European at a time when several right-wing newspapers have consistently spewed Eurosceptic bile.

International friendships have been made through two-way visits and that, to my simple mind, is a good thing.

Those who think we should “get out of Europe” often fail to appreciate the links and improved understandings achieved by ordinary people.

Unfortunately, awareness of Bolton’s twinning tradition seems to have been a little dimmed in recent years. I suspect there are a lot of people in town who do not know about important connections involving counterparts in Le Mans and Paderborn. A trip to Le Mans with the Wingates Temperance Band around 1974 was a great experience for me.

There was an initial shock for the locals when they saw that the lads liked a beer or several — the local newspaper had told readers in advance that “temperance”

translated as “reformed drunkards”.

But the performances during the day at a big industrial exhibition were enormously popular.

So much so that sales of their latest LP were brisk and those who bought it wanted signatures from members of the band.

To my everlasting shame, some of those new fans left with a record sleeve that also included the Calvert name.

Although I cannot play any instrument (thrown out of the primary school band for incompetence on the triangle) it seemed only polite to add my scribble as I sat with the bandsmen after their performance.

I now read with interest that Barbara Ronson, a former Mayor of Bolton and Council Leader when the Liberal Democrats were in charge, has taken over as chairman of Bolton Twinning Association.

“In these difficult times it is important to find innovative ways of working to keep town twinning alive and thriving,” she says.

Some will agree, others will disagree and, as in all things, the majority will not care much either way.

I wish Barbara every success with her new challenge.