Aberystwyth Mayor Emlyn Jones and ex-Mayor, Councillor Kerry Ferguson are set to travel to the French town of Saint-Brieuc this week as part of the town’s twinning programme. The trip, approved through standard procedures, includes meetings with civic, cultural, and sporting partners. The council says it marks a new chapter in rebuilding community links following a period of inactivity in the Saint-Brieuc Aberystwyth partnership.
In response to our request for comment, Aberystwyth Town Council replied with the following statement:
“The Town Council is a central part in the twinning relationships that have been built between Aberystwyth and our international friends. Beyond providing an official avenue to solidify and codify relationships, we are able to support our grassroots community groups, such as the Aberystwyth-Kronberg Twinning Association, schools, and sports clubs, with funding to continue building these links.
Aberystwyth has, in this council term, hosted partners from 4 of our 5 twin towns; the Mayors of Arklow, Kronberg, Saint-Brieuc, and Yosano; twinning association members from the same, and numerous cultural exchanges involving young people, bands, and similar. These links not only add to the economy of our town, but give opportunities for our residents that would be otherwise unavailable.
The twinning relationship between Aberystwyth and Saint Brieuc started over 50 years ago and was once very popular and active, especially in the 1980s when up to three bus loads of young swimmers and footballers would visit Saint Brieuc to compete each year, and return visits by young people from Saint Brieuc taking place the year after. The upcoming Mayoral visit to Saint Brieuc is part of an ongoing exchange aimed at rekindling the connections between our two towns following a spell of quiet, since the twinning association was dissolved in 2020, with the ultimate aim of restarting an Aberystwyth Saint-Brieuc Twinning Association, a grassroots community group that will be supported by the Town Council to deepen twinning and foster further exchanges. During their time, the Mayor and Consort will be meeting with civic, cultural, and sporting partners, helping to arrange trips and exchanges for clubs and bands on both sides of the channel.”
You can find out more about the official visit on town’s website: https://aberystwyth.gov.uk/2025/07/08/aberystwyth-mayor-to-visit-saint-brieuc-as-town-twinning-enters-new-chapter/
