In August 1976 the first Envoy from Derby, Lynne Atkin, started her year of duty in Osnabrück. The first German Envoy, Karin Faenger, started her job in August 1979.

Since then the cities each appoint an Envoy every year who spends twelve months in his or her city's "twin". The Envoy's role is varied, but encompasses areas such as promoting exchange of ideas between the two cities, as well as acting as an educational and general information officer to promote awareness of the twinning scheme. They can help in all sorts of ways – by translating, giving talks to local societies and schools, finding pen friends and short term host families during work placements. And by working in day to day contact they can assist groups who want to get involved in twinning by identifying their counterparts and making the first approach.

The exchange of Envoys between the two cities is particularly unusual in Britain. For whilst Osnabrück has several Envoys from its twin cities (Angers in France, Haarlem in the Netherlands, Tver in Russia and Çanakkale in Turkey), in Britain Wigan (twinned with Angers in France) is the only other town which adopts the scheme. You can visit the Wigan Council website.

The current Envoys are Alison Copeland in Osnabrück and Lea Arlt in Derby.

Alison Copeland
Stadt Osnabrück
Städtepartnerschaftsbüro
Bierstraβe 28
49074 Osnabrück
Germany

tel: 0049 541 323 2192
fax: 0049 541 323 2741
email: botschafterin-gb@osnabrueck.de

Lea Arlt
Derby City Council
Corporate and Adult Services Department
Corporation Street
Derby DE1 2ZL

tel: (01332) 255816
fax: (01332) 256232
email: lea.arlt@derby.gov.uk

If you are interested in your twin city, would like to invite the Envoy in your town for a Twinning Talk, need help with the translation of a letter or if we can help you in any other way, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would like to hear from you and get your views and suggestions.