Bath Alkmaar

Eight decades of international friendship

Twinning Association

Latest News

By reading our news articles on a regular basis, you can stay up to date of our twinning activities and everything that revolves around the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association. A summary of the news can be found here.

Upcoming events!

Alkmaar Cafe

06/12/2023

Bath IceRink

More info

Going Dutch this Christmas

GOING DUTCH THIS CHRISTMAS Bath’s Christmas Market will develop a Dutch flavour this weekend (2nd to 4th December), as goods from Holland go on sale on a special stall set up by the city’s Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association. Following a successful inaugural stall last...

Officials from Alkmaar Council visit Bath

Officials from Alkmaar Council visited Bath   In late November 2022, three officials from Alkmaar Council visited Bath to meet their counterparts in Bath and North East Somerset Council working in the field of sustainability.  The teams exchanged information,...

Celebrating Alkmaar Ontzet

A Special Alkmaar Cafe to celebrate Alkmaar Ontzet At our October Alkmaar Cafe we made a special effort to celebrate Ontzet 450 (although we are a little early).  The Mayor herself paid us a visit  and we were also joined by special guests, Anthony and Elizabeth from...

Unveiling of the Jewish Names Monument in Alkmaar

On the 10th of September 2023, mayor Anja Schouten and councillor John van der Rhee, unveiled the Jewish Names Monument at Alkmaar railway station. The monument is in memory of the 173 Jewish people of Alkmaar who were murdered during the Second World War. The Names...

75th Anniversary of the Alkmaar link

We finally celebrated the 75th Anniversary of our link with Alkmaar, albeit two years late! Eight decades of international friendship between the cities of Bath and Alkmaar in the Netherlands were celebrated in the Guildhall by members and supporters of the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association (BATA), and the Rotary Club of Bath.

Bath and Alkmaar are two historic cities, linked for over 75 years. In that time, thousands of our citizens have travelled back and forth, making friends, working on projects and activities together, and finding out about each others’ country. 

We celebrate and enjoy the opportunities our link creates by supporting friendship, fun and fellowship between our two cities, and more broadly between the UK and the Netherlands.

Our counterparts in the Alkmaar Twinning organisation, the AUC, hosted an online launch of the Dutch edition of Aletta Stevens’ book, “The Remarkable Journey of Mr Prins”.  This book tells the story behind the events which first linked our two cities together, more than 75 years ago.  
After many years of hoping for this memorable story to be properly told, it is pleasing to see it becoming available not just in English, but also in Dutch. The video is largely in Dutch, with partial subtitles, and includes some English contributions.

Our role

We encourage links between people in our two cities, enriching both communities. Through local social activities we act as meeting point for all Dutch people who have made their home in and around Bath, and for anyone locally who has an interest in the Netherlands.

Why Bath & Alkmaar? 

The story behind the Bath – Alkmaar link is inspiring (click here for the full story). We work closely with our Dutch equivalent, the Alkmaars Uitwisselings Comité.

Get involved and support us!

We are entirely voluntary: become a supporter-member and help grow our activities.

How the friendship between the two cities started

The Remarkable Journey of Mr Prins: WWII, Jewish Refugees and the Bath-Alkmaar Friendship. 

The barrelorgan has arrived in Bath

After 75 years the Barrel Organ has returned to Bath from Alkmaar and the BBC was present. Read more and watch the BBC evening news item on the Barrel Organ!

Official launch

 Bath 70 week

Youth Orchestra in Bath

 Alkmaar 70

Farewell in Prior Park

 

Alkmaar 70

Big Bath Cheese Trail

 

Alkmaar 70

Future events

BATA News

Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association Newsletter

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