Burntisland to celebrate 70 years of twinning this summer

Plans are underway to mark the occasion with a youth exchange and a visit from a group led by the Mayor of the twin town of Flekkefjord in Norway to mark the milestone in the friendship between the two towns.

Events will run from July 8-19 and will include the Burntisland Highland Games as part of the programme, while young people will stay with local families.

The event will be marked on June 6, when four men from Burntisland Sailing Club will sail across the North Sea to Flekkefjord to take the invitation to the youth of the town and also to the Mayor to join them in Burntisland in July.

On the weekend of the Highland Games there will be a big band competition on the Links and the Provost of Fife will welcome the Norwegian guests.

There will be a series of events including a barbecue and ceildh, as well as a civic dinner to mark the occasion, and in 2017 young people from Burntisland will return to Norway to experience life in an Norwegian town.

Councillor George Kay, chairman of the twinning committee said: “This is an imprtantant step in the friendship which has existed between out towns for 70 years. I know that the people of Burntisland will make our visitors welcome and I hope that they will join in the celebrations around our Games weekend.

“Twinning offers a unique insight into living in another country, and the young people will meet and make many new friends. Hundreds of young people have done so since 1946 and many still keep in touch with their fellow twinners.”