A SPECIAL Jubilee Jumelage over three days will celebrate 50 years of Mossley being twinned with the town of Hem in France.
To mark this milestone Mossley Town Council and the Mossley Twinning Committee are producing a series of creative responses and projects under the theme of twinning, alongside a variety of events.
The celebrations – named ‘Jubilee Jumelage which means twinning in French – will take place from Friday, September 23 to Sunday, September 25.
The project includes projects from artists based in Mossley, collaborating with others based in Hem.
Among those involved are Mossley Writers, GW Theatre, Born and Bred Dance Theatre, ReCreate Mossley, Ushiku Crisafulli, Diana Terry, Judith Alsop Miles and Odyssey Studios who will deliver projects involving dance, music, drama, hip hop, painting, mono-printing, writing, poetry and film.
Get involved by taking part in free arts workshops or enjoy one of the many events on offer.
There will also be a visit of delegates from Hem, staying with local hosts and attending the events.
Town Twinning was established as part of the post-war drive to bring greater understanding between communities in Europe. There are hundreds of towns now twinned, many with two or more partners.
Olivia Peers, Jubilee Jumelage Project Manager, said: “Today, many people are unaware of twinning or feel that it isn’t really a significant part of their lives.
“Now more than ever, bringing greater understanding between communities seems incredibly important.”
Paul Dowthwaite said: “The Twinning Committee is delighted to be celebrating its Golden Jubilee in the same year as the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee.
“The Jubilee Dinner on Saturday, September 25 is a celebration of both and we hope many townsfolk will attend.
“The Twinning Jubilee is an important event for the whole town. The links with Hem go back further than 50 years.
“Soldiers from this area helped to liberate Hem in the First World War. In the economic depression of the 1930s it was a French businessman from Hem who came and set up a wool textile business to use Mossley’s empty mills and to employ workers, 40 per cent of whom were unemployed and their families were relying on soup kitchens.
“The Twinning Committee hopes the jubilee and all the related events being organised by the Town Council will provide a catalyst for more interest and involvement in twinning. “