FOR PAGE 11 MONDAY BIENVENUE, Willkommen and Sveiki – Worcester is preparing to welcome friends from across the continent.

Residents of Le Vesinet in France, Kleve in Germany, and Ukmerge in Lithuania will visit the city next weekend for the ever-popular annual Victorian Christmas fair.

The French and German towns, which are twinned with Worcester, will have stalls and sell authentic produce including crepes and stollen.

The Europeans have been involved in the festive street market – which runs from Thursday to Sunday – for more than 10 years.

Vivien Greenow, Le Vesinet’s liaison officer for the Worcester Twinning Association, said they had become established traders.

She said: “A group of 12 are coming over this year.

“They will be serving crepes and will sell cheese and wines.

“They always insist on bringing their own ingredients and prepare the pancakes at their host’s house. It’s hard work and a long weekend, but they all enjoy it.”

In December, a group from Worcester will drive to Le Vesinet, 10 miles from Paris, to take part in their annual twinning market and sell British treats like mince pies, Christmas cake, marmalade and lemon curd.

Kleve’s stall at the Worcester Christmas Fayre will be next to Le Vesinet’s stand, selling gluhwein (mulled wine) and stollen (fruitcake).

A delegation from Lithuania, led by Ukmerge’s mayor Algirdas Kopustas, will be in Worcester at the same time touring the cathedral, Worcester Porcelain, Tudor House and the magistrates court, before heading to the fair.

The trip has been organised by the association and the Consul for Lithuania, Keith Stokes-Smith, who lives in Worcestershire.

Terry Coles, from the twinning association said: “We see the mayor’s visit as the next step in establishing a formal twinning between Ukmerge and Worcester.

“We are so glad to have the opportunity of reciprocating some of the overwhelming hospitality that we received in Ukmerge when we visited them in May.”

Next year marks 15 years of Worcester’s twinning with Le Vesinet.

For more information, go to worcester-international-link. org.uk. Alternatively, visit the twinning association, in the Guildhall, High Street, Worcester.

For information about the Christmas fair, go to visit worcester.com.