France/ Cerizay. One twinning replaces another

After 41 years of strong, sincere friendship, life circumstances with the death of certain key players, the Covid period as well as Brexit meant that the twinning with the English town of Ongar gradually withered away.

Despite an absence of school exchanges since 2012, the Twinning Committee is actively working to recreate a link between Cerizay's middle schools and the new college in Ongar.

It worked

However, this didn't seem to fuel the association's desire for action, so it came up with the idea of twinning with a French town, and turned to the commune of Val-au-Perche, 250 km from Cerizay. The first video meeting in 2023, without the language barrier, was an instant hit. So much so that, in September 2023, a delegation was welcomed to Cerizay, before the Cerizéens went to discover the living environment of their counterparts in June 2024.

While relations and exchanges with our friends in Ongar will continue, this new twinning marks the start of a rich adventure that will enable us to exchange sporting and cultural experiences and build new friendships. The first collaborations were initiated between hikers, firefighters and footballers. Next May, pupils from the Pérochon school will spend a day with a class from the Val-au-Perche school in the Marais Poitevin.

Source: www.ouest-france.fr/