Bicester & District Twinning Association
Weekend in France
Would you like to spend a long weekend with a French family in May?
Our friends in Essarts-en-Bocage will be celebrating Europe week with a programme of entertainment and activities from 8-10 May. Two of our committee members are already lined up as Bicester representatives, but the French group would also love to welcome a few more visitors from our area, who would all be hosted and looked after like a member of their family.
All you’d need to do is make your own travel arrangements (and, if you’re not already a member, join our twinning association). For more details of this generous invitation contact us here.
At the invitation of the Mayor of Neunkirchen-Seelscheid three delegates from Bicester joined in the Advent Celebrations for the weekend of 12-15 December, viz. Bicester’s Mayor Alisa Russell, Deputy Mayor Paul Wheatley and BDTA Chairman Val Pearce. Discussions included the future of our twinning. Photos from the weekend here.
We were very pleased to welcome representatives from all three of our twin towns for the Remembrance Weekend in Bicester to honour and remember those who gave their lives in the service of their countries. Their show of solidarity was much appreciated. The mayors and deputies of Czernichów, Essarts-en-Bocage and Neunkirchen-Seelscheid were among those laying wreaths together with our Chairman. You can read more by clicking here.
On the 19th November we held a hugely fun and very successful Quiz evening at The Shakespeare pub in west Bicester. There were nine teams racking their collective brains to try to answer questions on topics as varied as cartoon characters, American literature and assorted dingbats. We are enormously grateful to Paul the landlord for providing the venue and a prize for the winning team, Steve who did a grand job as quizmaster, having had to drive all the way back from Manchester to get there, and Debbie Pickford for organising the event. Huge thanks also to all who provided a variety of raffle prizes, especially local companies BRITA Water Filters and Ravensburger Jigsaw Puzzles. (Please support them.) And last but not least, thank you to all who came and took part in this event.
On Saturday 6th September 2025 we held a very enjoyable and successful Garden Party Lunch with a Polish theme. You can read more here.
In mid-July Val, Brian, Damien and Paul travelled to Essarts-en-Bocage to take part in the Bastille Day celebrations. Read more here.
In early July Debbie and Nick travelled to Czernichów to represent Bicester at their Festival of the Sea. Read more here.
Town twinning offers numerous benefits by fostering cultural exchange, economic collaboration, and international friendship. These partnerships encourage communities to share knowledge, traditions, and experiences, leading to greater mutual understanding and respect between different cultures. By engaging in student exchanges, arts and cultural programs, and joint events, twinned towns can strengthen international ties and promote tolerance, making the world a more interconnected and harmonious place.
Bicester is proud to be twinned with three charming European towns and communes:
Neunkirchen-Seelscheid – a municipality in the Rhein-Sieg District of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany.
Essarts-en-Bocage – a commune in the Vendée Department in the Pays de la Loire region of western France.
Czernichów – a commune in Żywiec County of the Silesian Voivodeship in southernmost Poland.
Our twinning association would be delighted to welcome new members interested in supporting us and taking part in our cultural exchanges. If you would like to become involved, we would love to hear from you. Annual membership fees are £10 for an individual, £20 for a family, £30 for a company or organisation. Please feel free to email us from our contact page.
