Solihull Twinning Association (STA) exists so that the people of Solihull can participate in, or simply support, exchanges with Cholet (France), and Main-Taunus-Kreis (Germany) and consequently not only establish friendships in these places but also gain a deeper understanding of European culture. As the members of STA will testify, the resulting friendships are both hugely enjoyable and extremely rewarding, irrespective of the value of cultural exchange.
Formal Twinning Partnerships between Solihull, Cholet and Main-Taunus-Kreis (MTK) were drawn up in 1999 and 1992 respectively, but links between the areas pre-date these agreements by many years, in cases going back to the late 1970s.
The Mayor of Solihull is designated as the President of STA. In addition to the two annual exchanges, STA members take part in a social programme which runs throughout the year. This programme results in STA members forming friendships within Solihull and helps raise funds to entertain visiting groups - STA being responsible for generating its own funds.
The exchanges, social programme and fundraising activities are all organised by a small committee of members. It would be wrong to assume that all STA members speak French and/or German.
There are some members who have an interest, or some level of proficiency, in these languages, but many long-term members have extremely limited foreign language skills. Language rarely seems to be a barrier to the enjoyment of the exchange visits. Clearly, if you have some German or French, the exchanges provide the perfect opportunity to brush up your skills!
Membership is open to anyone who supports the aims of the Association. A modest membership subscription is payable annually. So, being a member of STA gives you the opportunity to have a truly authentic experience when visiting France and/or Germany whilst staying with host families, and as a bonus, allows you to meet more like-minded individuals in and around Solihull.
To find out more, please look at what else there is on this website, and then if you are still interested, contact us by filling in the contact form.
