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Our latest news articles
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...
Designer of the plaque travels to Bath
After Chris Freijser seen a photo of the unveiling of the plaque in Bath, which took place in May 2023, he travelled to Bath and made this photo. He is the designer of the commemoritive plaque in both Alkmaar and Bath and was proud to see his work ‘eternalized’ in...
The unveiling of a new commemorative stone
Visitors from Bath’s Dutch twin city of Alkmaar joined the Mayor of Bath and members of the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association to unveil a new commemorative stone in the city centre, marking 75 years of the link between the two communities. The engraved stone, a...
The boy who fell of his bicycle
We were sad to hear that one of the last remaining Dutch children who came to Bath in 1945 has passed away. Albert van de Kamer has a particular place in the story of our link, due to an unfortunate accident he had very soon after arriving. Riding a British bicycle...
BATA Christmas market stall
The last day of our Bath Christmas Market Stall. We are situated in a chalet backing on to the Guildhall, overlooking the Orange Grove/Alkmaar Garden. Do come and find us on the stall: we will still be there today (8/12), selling authentic Dutch Christmas goods,...
BATH RADIO INTERVIEW WITH ALETTA STEVENS
Our twinning association was put in the spotlight recently when our committee member, Aletta Stevens, author of ‘The Remarkable Journey of Mr Prins’, was interviewed on Bath Radio. In their weekly, one-hour Bath Arts slot, she talked with Mike Stevenson, or Mike on...
Books from Bath enrich the Alkmaar library collection
Dutch press release (English translation below) Boeken uit Bath verrijken collectie bibliotheek Op 11 oktober heeft Erna Winters, directeur ABC Huis (fusie Artiance en Bibliotheek Kennemerwaard) boeken uit Bath ontvangen van Dick Jan Braaij, voorzitter Alkmaars...
Minerva Rowing Club Host Alkmaar Rowers
Fifteen Alkmaar Rowing Club members visited Bath in late September 2022 to race, socialise and spend time exploring our city. Prior to various lockdowns caused by the pandemic during 2020 and 2021, this trip happened annually, with Minerva Rowing Club travelling to...
The AUC and members of Alkmaar op de kaart visiting Bath
Last week we welcomed some special visitors from Alkmaar: our counterparts in the Alkmaar Twinning organisation, the AUC, together with members of the committee of 'Alkmaarders op de Kaart', who create wonderful illustrated guided tour maps of their city, highlighting...
The barrel organ has returned to its home in the Town Hall in Alkmaar
The Mayor of Alkmaar, Anja Schouten, hosted a small reception to toast for the return of the little barrel organ. On the videos below you can watch the barrel organ being played (faster, faster....) and a speech given by Dick Braay chairman of the AUC (in Dutch).
CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS OF ANGLO-DUTCH FRIENDSHIP IN ALKMAAR
75 years of the link between Bath and Alkmaar Celebrated in person in May 2022, despite two years of delay because of COVID restrictions. A 20-strong delegation from Bath, consisting of members of the Rotary Club and the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning committee, visited the...
Museum of Truus’ children in Alkmaar
Pop-up Museum Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer An exhibition about the life of Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer has opened in the former Oilily building on Waagplein in Alkmaar. Here the special story is told about this woman who was born and raised in Alkmaar, who saved the lives of...
Return of the Barrel Organ to Alkmaar
The Bath-Alkmaar barrel organ (yes, as we repeatedly say, it's really a barrel piano) is on its return home to Alkmaar. It was unexpectedly rather poignant. Richard and Tom Dean, from Dean Organ Builders, who helped us two years ago unpack the instrument, and then...
75th Anniversary of our link with Alkmaar
We finally celebrated the 75th Anniversary of our link with Alkmaar, albeit two years late! 75 YEARS OF ANGLO-DUTCH FRIENDSHIP CELEBRATED Eight decades of international friendship between the cities of Bath and Alkmaar in the Netherlands were celebrated in the...
Alkmaarders on the map
Alkmaarders on the Map’s the tenth edition is dedicated to Eli Prins and therefore also has a international link with Bath.
75 Years Bath Alkmaar
City link Bath Alkmaar The city link between Alkmaar and the English city of Bath celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. To mark this anniversary, a meeting will take place in Theater de Vest in Alkmaar, on Friday afternoon the 28th of May, from 14:00 to 16:00....
Historic Barrel Organ comes back to Bath
An historic barrel organ, last seen on the streets of Bath in 1945, has returned from the City’s twin town of Alkmaar in the Netherlands to mark 75 years of friendship.
WWII, Jewish Refugees and the Bath-Alkmaar Friendship
We are delighted to share with you the following exciting news from author, and BATA committee member, Aletta Stevens, whose wonderful book on the origins of the link with Alkmaar is now available.
Alkmaar 70 Newsletter 4
Three months to go to Alkmaar 70 Week! Details of the programme are below – and already many other activities are underway as we move through our special Anniversary year.
Alkmaar 70 Newsletter 3
Momentum is picking up as we go into 2017! Below is an update on the activities of the first few weeks of our special celebration year, and plans for the next few months. Update on our launch appeal for “lost” Alkmaar children Back in September we launched Alkmaar 70...
Alkmaar 70 Newsletter 2
Our 'Alkmaar 70' celebration year begins officially on September 1st, 70 years since the first trip to Alkmaar by Bath schoolchildren. Here’s an update on what’s been happening recently. The Launch: searching for the “lost” Alkmaar children We are marking the launch...
Alkmaar 70 Newsletter 1
Plans for what we are now calling our 'Alkmaar 70' celebration year (from September 2016 to August 2017) are now well underway. This September the 1st will mark 70 years since the first trip to Alkmaar by Bath schoolchildren, completing the circle of friendship which...