In honor of 80 years of friendship between Alkmaar and Bath, the Alkmaar Exchange Committee has donated 24,000 Tulip and crocus bulbs to the English partner city. These bulbs arrived in Bath at the end of november and were distributed with volunteers from the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association to the schools, the parks in Bath, such as Orange Grove and Victoria Park, the city farm, the allotment gardening associations, the care homes and the hospital.
Alkmaar has an urban connection with Bath in England, a connection that dates back to March 1945. To mark this 80-year-old urban bond, the Alkmaars Exchange Committee donated 24,000 spring bulbs to Bath. The urban organization Bath in Bloom, in cooperation with the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association, ensured that the bulbs were distributed to local organizations. Chairman Stephen Brook of Bath in Bloom said: "24,000 is a lot of bulbs! But we are pleased with the interest of so many people to join in and celebrate the city's special bond with the Netherlands. Next spring we can all enjoy the tulips and crocuses that are in bloom in the city. It must be a stunning sight.”
"Alkmaar mix”
The bulbs are a special "Alkmaar mix", grown by one of the leading bulb suppliers in the Netherlands: red tulips and white crocuses, which reflect the red and white of the Alkmaar flag and are planted in public locations. The distribution of the Spheres was handled by the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association (BATA), which encourages exchanges and contacts between both cities. Bata chairman, Chris Davies: "thanks to the generosity of our friends in the Netherlands and the enthusiasm of Bath in Bloom and their supporters, we will have a beautiful memory of this special International City Band next spring.”
Adoption
It was on 25 March 1945 that the city of Bath formally “adopted”Alkmaar. On that day, the Alkmaar appeal was launched, an appeal to the inhabitants of Bath to help the people in Alkmaar who were affected by The ‘Hunger Winter’. In July 1945, the first Alkmaar Week was held, including a surprise visit from the restored Mayor of Kinschot of Alkmaar, who had been given a special military pass to attend.
Exchange of children
The first Alkmaar children, all severely affected by the war and famine, came to Bath in October 1945. The inhabitants of Alkmaar were so moved that the following year 100 young people from Bath were invited to spend their first real summer holiday in the Dutch city since the end of the war. Since 1945, many thousands of people have traveled back and forth between the two cities, not as tourists, but as guests and friends.
Have you officially visited Bath from Alkmaar? The AUC collects memories of Alkmaarders ' visits to Bath over the past 80 years. Share your memories by sending an email to info@alkmaarauc.nl
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