Past Welcome Messages from Chairperson

2024 – 2025

Councillor Stewart Matthews
Chairperson 2024-2025

“Firstly, I wish to welcome members and potential members to the Friends of Bruchsal Society Website, hoping that you will enjoy, reading about Cwmbran’s twinning with Bruchsal in Germany, our twinning activities have been ongoing since the 1970’s with the aim of friendship between our two communities, incorporating visits, exchanges and cultural links between our towns.”

“After a lull in activities, during the past few years, due to the pandemic (Covid 19) , I am pleased to say that twining is alive and well in 2024, with a visit to Cwmbran in November by the Bruchsal Police choir, who will be holding a two concert’s one with the Cwmbran Harmonize Choir and another with the Croesyceiliog Male Voice Choir.”

“Also visiting Cwmbran will be representatives of Bruchsal Council, including its Lord Mayor Frau Cornelia Petzold-Schick in connection with the choir, Cwmbran New Towns 75th Anniversary and the 45th Anniversary of Twinning between our two towns.”

“I wish them all the very best on their visit and hope they will enjoy their stay in Cwmbran and visit us again in the future.”

“Our aim is also to increase the number of society members, and I will extend a warm welcome to anybody wishing to join.”

2023 – 2024

Friends of Bruchsal Society David Williams

Councillor David Williams
Chairperson 2023-2024

“Cwmbran and Bruchsal have had a long and happy partnership over many years , with connections at both civic and individual levels. It is the positive interactions between people that have meant that this relationship has grown and thrived. Over recent years – with the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic – those connections have been in abeyance.”

“Exchanges between groups – whether schools, or sports teams, councillors or choirs have fostered these good relations – and the Friends of Bruchsal look forward to seeing these resume. The re-launch of a new Friends of Bruchsal website is an important step to go ahead, and combined with on-line exchanges earlier in 2023, we look to a positive future of partnership between the communities of Bruchsal and Cwmbran in the years ahead.”

2022 – 2023

Friends of Bruchsal Society Chairman Anthony Bird

Councillor Anthony Bird
Chairperson 2022-2023

“From the outset the reasons for twinning between Cwmbran and Bruchsal seem obvious, both are industrial towns, both have a comparable population size and similar demographics, but what may not be so apparent is the friendships that this pairing has engendered. I can’t begin to describe the sheer number of stories and anecdotes I’ve been regaled with by residents of Cwmbran who have nothing but the fondest memories of their time in Bruchsal or when our German counterparts came to visit. Memories of choir concerts, school exchanges, sporting events and bus tours, great memories of sightseeing and good food, good friends and fun times.”

“As we move forward with the Friends of Bruchsal Society, this is what we want to create again for whole new generations of people here in Cwmbran, we want to be creating memories that last a lifetime, we want to see rugby and football matches across the continent, we want to send out bands and choirs across the sea to sing their hearts out in the true Welsh style, and we want our friends in Germany to always feel welcome in our valley. “

“And that really is what the society is all about; about reaching out across borders, across languages, across cultures, building on similarities and embracing each other’s differences in the hope building a truly lasting of friendship.”

Friends of Bruchsal Society

Tel: 01633 860668
Email: secretary@friendsofbruchsal.co.uk