IN 1983, Droitwich Spa signed a twinning charter with the people of Bad Ems, and since then families from the two towns have visited each other every year.

The charter has led to more than two decades of international friendship between some people and the link has even been cemented with a wedding between a Droitwich man and a Bad Ems woman.

Back in 1983, though, it was touch and go as to whether the friendship would get off the ground.

Droitwich council had applied to the Government for places that were a good demographic match with the town and had chosen Bad Ems, a spa town in the Lahn Valley close to Koblenz, as its preferred twin.

However, there was a nervous wait as the people of Bad Ems weighed up the pros and cons of Droitwich and rival twin possibility Daventry.

Rob Jacobs, a member for 21 years, said: "Apparently, they sent a delegation to Daventry and Droitwich to see if they wanted to twin with us.

"It was funny because our minibus broke down on the way to fetch them and they had to call for help.

"There was a civic reception and by the time they got there everyone was a bit merry. Whether that had anything to do with it I don't know but they chose us over Daventry."

The towns have similarities as both are spa towns and Bad actually means Bath.

Since the early years, the towns have exchanged gifts, with Bad Ems giving Droitwich a yellow German postbox to display in its post office and Droitwich donating a traditional British red phone box which sits in the German town's Platz der Partnerschaften or Place of Twinning.

Over the years, dozens of families have travelled the 550 miles between the towns to stay with local hosts, usually the same people each year, who become lifelong friends.

Mr Jacobs said: "We exchange every other year.

"One year they come to us and the other we go to them.

"We now have about 54 but in the past we've taken up to 150 people."

The Droitwich Spa Twinning Association is now independent from the council and self-funding.

The football club, tennis club and Droitwich High School also have links with the German town and the judo club has just joined.

Much has changed in the last quarter of a century but Mr Jacobs said the friendship continued to thrive with Bad Ems people generously donating money to help the town shops during flooding last year. He said: "On the original visit we tried to get Droitwich shops involved and there was a lot of opposition because they were German but now we don't have any problems at all."

He believes the visits have helped to remove some stereotypes, with the traditional view of the German visitor who refuses to queue turning out to be wrong.

Mr Jacobs added: "Everybody also sees Germans as very organised but I think we are better organised than they are!"

Mr Jacobs said the association was made up of people who wanted to meet others and exchange ideas and cultures and described how he first became involved.

He said: "I was working hard and one of my neighbours who was involved was running a coach and said, Why don't you have a break and come?'"

Mr Jacobs and his family were matched with Wolfgang Heuser and his family, and the two families soon realised they shared many of the same interests.

He added: "The language wasn't really a barrier although they tend to speak a lot more English than we do German."

Mr Jacobs did, however, learn German at night school after joining the association.

Over the years, Mr Jacobs has enjoyed trips to Bad Ems, in particular at its famous flower festival, the Blumenkorso, where Droitwich visitors have previously joined a float dressed as Romans.

This year, the association will celebrate its anniversary year with a series of social events and a five-day visit from Bad Ems visitors in June, including a celebration meal with fireworks, a day trip to Cardiff, a civic reception and a typical English afternoon tea.

Mr Jacobs appealed for past members and prospective new ones to help with the celebrations and to keep the friendship alive in the future.

He admitted the association would like to attract more younger members and said: "We are certain that we will be looking for additional help and accommodation and would welcome any offers of assistance."

Anyone interested in joining the association or attending its social events should call Mr Jacobs on 01905 796243 or visit www.droitwich-twinning.freeservers.com