A VALE of Clwyd town is to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its twinning with a French community.

To mark 20 years of the relationship between Ruthin and Briec, Ruthin Town Council is planning to give a gift.

Briec de l'Odet is a small town in Finisterre, Brittany and nearby sharing in the twinning, are the villages of Edern, Langolen, Landrevarzec and Landudal.

Together with Briec they form 'La Communauté de Communes du Pays Glazik'
“We want to buy a gift for Briec from the people of Ruthin,” town councillor Elizabeth
Culshaw told a meeting of Ruthin Town Council.

“As a town council we would pay for the gift on behalf of the people of Ruthin.”

The council is considering buying a present from Anwil Pottery in Llanrhaeadr and agreed to spend up to £250, which would come from the civic fund.

“We’re celebrating 20 years of being twinned with Briec so it would be appropriate that we give them a gift,” said Ruthin mayor and councillor Emrys Wynne.

Briec has a number of industries, some of which reflect old Breton traditions such as the manufacture of 'Galettes', the famous biscuits. A waste disposal plant
serving a large area generates income for the town and like Ruthin, it is in an agricultural area.

Since the relationship between the two towns was established various trips have been made by the towns’ residents to see each other.

In 2003, to celebrate 10 years of friendship between the two towns, a tree was symbolically planted in each of Briec (pictured above)Landudal, Edern, Landrevarzec and Langolen.

These trees, Black Poplars, were donated by Coleg Llysfasi, near Ruthin.

Briec has also named one of its squares'Place de Ruthin' and in this square is a sundial, handmade in Ruthin and donated to Briec.

Ruthin has responded by the naming of the principal roundabout in town as the 'Briec Roundabout' and on display in Ruthin Library is a ceramic based on dancers from the Briec region, a gift from Briec to Ruthin.

“I think it’s important to support something like this, a lot of things have happened in the last 20 years,” said town councillor Robert Owen-Ellis.

Cllr Simeon Jones added: “It’s a matter of civic pride giving the gift to another community.

“It would be nice to give them something that would grace their town rather than be put at the back of the cupboard.”