TWINNING ASSOCIATION OF MUMBLES (TAM)
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TWINNING ASSOCIATION OF MUMBLES (TAM)
Slide 1
What is twinning? What is it all about? And is it important?
Watch the following slides (6 in total) to find out more
TAM is a voluntary organisation committed to encouraging links of all kinds – cultural, educational, sporting etc – with Mumbles’ twin town, Hennebont, a historic market town of some 15,000 people near the city of Lorient in Brittany, with which our village has been twinned since 2004.
Since September 2019, Mumbles has had a second twin town in Havre de Grace, a historic coastal town in Maryland, USA, which also has a population of about 15,000.
Slide 2
By bringing people together from different parts of Europe, North America etc., twinning offers opportunities to share problems, exchange views and understand different viewpoints on any issue where two communities have a shared interest or concern.
It can enable young people to get involved with counterparts from a different country and to gain self-confidence.
Importantly, it can help everyone to better understand what Europe is and means in today’s world – and where the future may lead us in our relationships with the rest of the world.
Slide 3
Twinning provides many opportunities to make new friends, both in your own community and your twinned community, improve language skills, share interests, travel and learn.
And twinning is a wonderfully flexible instrument. It can take place between small villages, towns, counties or big cities. It can focus on a range of issues common to both – or several – partners and can involve people from all backgrounds in the twinned communities.
Slide 4
Usually, twinning between two towns involves four partners: the two elected local authorities, and a voluntary organisation of citizens in each town. There can be no meaningful twinning without the active participation of two sets of citizens.
The two partners from Mumbles are Mumbles Community Council (MCC: the local authority) and the Twinning Association of Mumbles (TAM: the voluntary organisation). Our twin towns Hennebont and Havre de Grace operate in exactly the same way.
Slide 5
TAM is fully self-supporting and receives no revenue support from MCC.
Occasionally, like all local organisations, it may apply for small grants to develop specific projects that will benefit Mumbles.
Slide 6
We are always looking out for new members: individuals, families, clubs or associations of all kinds. Annual subscriptions are very modest (see below) and members’ meetings are collaborative and informal. We welcome people of all ages, particularly families.
It costs just £10 a year to join (£16 for a family). Children and students are free. Contact Sarah Lever on john.lever@btinternet.com
Or click here to go to the ‘Contact us’ page where you’ll find a link to a membership form to download or print.
Julian Smith
12 December 1941–19 June 2020
Future TAM events
- 10.30 am Monday 14 December: French discussion group on Zoom. Topic = A festive recipe; or the history of a festive food
- Please note that pétanque and socially distanced mince pies at Southend Gardens at 11 am on Sunday 13 December has been CANCELLED due to expected bad weather. REARRANGED INSTEAD as an online pre-Christmas get-together on Zoom at 12.00 noon, Sunday 20 December. Everyone will have a chance to contribute a wee turn: song, poem, joke, play a tune, whatever. Look out for an email to follow soon with the link and more details about the event.
Mumbles twinned with
Hennebont (Brittany, France) in 2004 and
Havre de Grace (Maryland, USA)
in 2019
