In March, 1995, the Sevenoaks Town Council was approached about forming a friendship link. Rheinbach was already twinned with Villeneuve lez Avignon in France, and had a friendship link with Deinze in Belgium. That September, the Sevenoaks Town Council hosted an open meeting, and a Steering Group for 'Friends of Rheinbach' was formed: we were in business.

Since then, significant group, family and individual visits have taken place, in either direction. We have introduced cricket to Rheinbach! A school exchange is up and running. We have also been able to arrange work experience for a few students each year, and this has proved very successful.

Our last visit featured a trip to the famous German Christmas Markets and we exchanged Christmas cakes with our German hosts.
So, what and where is Rheinbach?

Rheinbach is a small, pleasant modern town with some earlier features - the attractive inner town has many striking half-timbered buildings and the remains of a castle. It is a commuter town for Bonn and Cologne. It lies in agricultural environs but includes, on its outskirts, significant and growing industrial and commercial areas. Its population, taking into account the surrounding villages, is about 30,000.

Rheinbach has three grammar schools, a music school, a College of Technology and a superb sport and swimming centre. It is well-known for its glass industry, including a major training facility - glassmakers from Bohemia relocated in Rheinbach in 1945.

Rheinbach is within easy reach of Sevenoaks whatever your mode of transport. Budget airlines from Gatwick offer flights to Cologne / Bonn Airport (Less than one hour from Rheinbach); fast rail links using Eurostar, with changes in Brussels and Cologne or under eight hours if driving using the Tunnel link.

The connection with Rheinbach is open-ended. You don't need to speak German - quite a proportion of our membership has very little, or none at all. But if you want linguistic, educational, cultural, social, sporting, commercial, craft, - whatever! - links with Germany, come and join us, and let's see what we can do together!

For further information ring the Secretary, Chris Sutton on 01959 523320 or email chris.sutton@aseuro.co.uk