Twin Town

For many years there has been a friendship link between Folkestone and Etaples in France.

A group left Folkestone in June each year to join the people of Etaples for their Remembrance Service at the British Military Cemetery, while in November representatives made the return journey to Folkestone for the Remembrance Service at the War Memorial at the top of the Road of Remembrance.

Early in 2009 it was agreed that Folkestone and Etaples should formally twin at a ceremony held in Folkestone in August of that year and then repeated at Etaples in January 2010.

In 2010 friends from Etaples joined the commemorative march down the Road of Remembrance in the summer and began discussions on how the Step Short project could be replicated and supported across the Channel.

Etaples has a particular significance within the Step Short project as it was the site of a huge area of land used for training troops and was also the site of the first hospitals set up to treat the war wounded.

The Etaples representatives agreed to discuss the possibility of setting up a similar project in France and to host a meeting next year at which the idea of a linked approach will be discussed.