Current Partnerships

Können Sie Deutsch sprechen? Parlez-vous français?

Listed below are many Richmond clubs & associations which have partners in Konstanz & Fontainebleau. However first you might like to improve your German or French.

Uni_Konstanz_2007
The University of Konstanz enjoys an idyllic setting on the banks of the Bodensee, overlooking the garden island of Mainau

The Richmond in Europe Association works closely with the Tandem-Büro, based at the University of Konstanz, which brings together native speakers to learn one another’s language. All you need to do is to register (free of charge) & the Büro will find you a partner in your chosen language. All levels are catered for from absolute beginners to fluent speakers. You can communicate by email or Skype as often as you like or meet each other in Richmond or Konstanz.

Ingo - Version 2
Ingo Seyfried at the Rhine Falls near Konstanz

About 1500 people are registered with the Tandem-Büro, but there are very few native English speakers, who are much in demand. Most Germans learn English from other Germans which is not as good as learning from a native speaker. Ingo Seyfried wanted to converse with a native English speaker so he enrolled with the Tandem-Büro.

To read about his experience please click on the following link.

A unique and unforgettable experience

To register with the Tandem-Büro free of charge or to find out more information  please click on the following link.

Tandem-Büro Information

Humboldt-Institut

humboldt institut

You can also learn German at the Humboldt-Institut in Konstanz. There is a range of residential courses for students over 18 & mature adults. For further information please click on the following links.

Konstanz Courses

A film about the Humboldt Institut in Konstanz.

Richmond clubs, associations & schools with partners in Fontainebleau & Konstanz.

The Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court, has a partnership with Le Cercle du Jeu de Paume de Fontainebleau.

Michael Day, chairman of the Royal Tennis Court, (left) & Thierry Bernard-Tambour signed the agreement.

The latest new partnership between the Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court & le Cercle du Jeu de Paume de Fontainebleau was confirmed at a ceremony in the château de Fontainebleau in June 2022. It was also agreed that the two clubs will compete each year for la Trophée du Drap d’Or, alternating the venue between the two countries.

The ceremony had originally been scheduled for 2020, to mark the 500th anniversary of the Field of Cloth of Gold, but it had to be postponed because of the pandemic.

For further details about the Royal Tennis Court please click on the following link:

Royal Tennis Court

For details about the Jeu de Paume please click on this link.

Jeu de Paume

The Konstanzer Feuerwehr has a partnership with the London Fire Brigade in Richmond. 

Peter Renker (left) with REA chairman, Alan Mockford, and the Konstanzer Feuerwehr.

For further details please contact Peter Renker in Konstanz

peter@renker-kn.de

or Mark Nunan

mark.nunan@london-fire.gov.uk

The Palewell Common Boules & Pétanque Club has a partnership with Le Club de Boules de Fontainebleau-Avon.

Pétanque group
Palewell Common members in Fontainebleau in 2018

Boules BadgeFor further details about pétanque in Richmond please contact Len Griffiths on 0208 878 6865 or 07904 119521

lenjgriffiths@gmail.com

For further details about boules or pétanque in France please contact Lorna Guerin.

lorna.guerin@orange.fr

St. Mary’s Tennis Club, Isleworth, has a partnership with Konstanz Tennis Club.

St. Mary’s Tennis Club website

Konstanz Tennis Club website

tc-konstanz
Konstanz Tennis Club boasts 10 outdoor clay courts
Alan & the Konstanz men's team in the Tennishalle. (Ahim on right)
The Tennishalle also has 3 indoor clay courts.

For further information about tennis please contact Alan Mockford 

alan.mockford@sky.com

The Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club has links with both Konstanz & Fontainebleau Golf Clubs.

Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club website

Golfers from the three clubs in Fontainebleau in July 2022.

Golf de Fontainebleau website

Golf Club Konstanz website

For further information about golf please contact

Simon Fowler on 0208 940 1894

membership@rmsgc.co.uk

Bu’sen Martial Arts School, Twickenham has links with both Konstanz & Fontainebleau.

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Bu’sen Martial Arts School website

For further information contact Shelly Perry on 0208 892 3338

info@bu-sen.co.uk

The Richmond Music Trust has close links with the the conservatoire de musique in Fontainebleau

Conservatoire de Musique

& the Musikschule Konstanz

Musikschule Konstanz

Dieter & Alan
Musikschule Konstanz Schulleiter, Dieter Dörrenbächer with REA chairman, Alan Mockford. February 2020.

Contact for the Musikschule Konstanz is Schulleiter Dieter Dörrenbächer 

dieter.doerrenbaecher@mskn.org

Musikschule
The musicians of the Musikschule perform regularly in Konstanz

The European Youth Orchestra comprises musicians from all 3 towns plus Lodi in Italy.

Chris Cull
The European Youth Orchestra performing at the Live Room , Twickenham Stadium on 8th October 2017

Richmond Music Trust website

For further information about the Richmond Music Trust please contact Caroline Peirson on:

0208 538 3866

carolinepeirson@richmondmusictrust.org.uk

Thames Philharmonic Choir is twinned with Sinfonischer Chor in Konstanz

The two choirs perform joint concerts in both Richmond & Konstanz.

The two choirs received a rapturous ovation after a performance in the Stefanskirche in Konstanz in May 2023.
Thames Philharmonic Choir with one of the landmarks of Konstanz.

For further information about Thames Philharmonic Choir please contact Sandra Macniven

s.macniven@btinternet.com

or click on the following link:

Thames Philharmonic Choir

For information about the Sinfonischer Chor please click on the following link:

Sinfonischer Chor

St. Margaret’s Elastic Band is linked with Union Musicale de Fontainebleau & has performed on many occasions in all 3 towns.

Elastic Band website

St. Margaret’s Elastic Band performing on 5th November 2021 at the unveiling of the new fingerpost sign outside York House.

To see & hear the band playing at the above ceremony please click on the following link.

Hear the band

To see a short film of St. Margaret’s Elastic Band & others performing at the reaffirmation in Fontainebleau in 2015 please click on the following link.

Fontainebleau Reaffirmation 2015

For further information about St. Margaret’s Elastic Band please contact Antony Ellman on 0208 878 5882

antony@ellman.org.uk

Richmond Art Society is twinned with Art Fontainebleau.

Evelyne Wenzel (left) & Paul Douglas with French artists in Fontainebleau in May 2022.

For further information about Richmond Art Society please contact Paul Douglas on:

0208 780 9465

pdouglasart@googlemail.com

or click on the following link:

Richmond Art Society

For Art Fontainebleau please contact Evelyne Wenzel at

wenzel.france@orange.fr  


Teddington School has a annual exchange with the Geschwister-Scholl-Schule in Konstanz.

teddington school in konstanz
Teddington schoolchildren in Konstanz    July 2018

Hampton & Lady Eleanor Holles Schools have an annual exchange with Ellenrieder Gymnasium in Konstanz.

Bild - Gastschüler der Lady Eleanor Holles und Hampton School
Students from Hampton & Lady Eleanor Holles schools in the courtyard of the town hall in Konstanz.   July 2018

For up to date (2022) guidance on the rules & regulations regarding school exchanges please click on the following link:

School Exchange Guidance

St. Mary’s University, Strawberry Hill, was linked with the University of Konstanz through the Erasmus+ programme.

Unfortunately in 2021 the British government withdrew the UK from the Erasmus scheme as a result of Brexit. Sadly British students will no longer be entitled to participate in the scheme unless they are entitled to EU citizenship by virtual of dual nationality. (e.g. An Irish grandparent etc.)

Uni_Konstanz_2007

The University of Konstanz enjoys an idyllic location

University Cafeteria
The view from the university refectory.

Students with EU citizenship will however continue to enjoy the benefits. For further details please contact Melanie Hochstätter in Konstanz.

erasmus.humanities@uni-konstanz.de

Melanie & Iris
Melanie Hochstätter (right) with her colleague Iris Bräuning

davKatharina Land from the University of Konstanz studied English at St. Mary’s in 2018.  During her time in Richmond she wrote, ” I decided to spend a semester at St. Mary’s because of its proximity to London & its reputation of having a familiar & welcoming community. So far I am enjoying my life in England very much & I start my days excited to see which opportunities are going to arise for me. I love to explore London’s museums & attractions and I often read in the beautiful Richmond Park. I know that this Erasmus semester allows me to meet amazing people, develop my English and grow as a person in many ways and I am very thankful for all of that.

tinaAnother young woman from Konstanz, Tina Merzan, also studied English at St. Mary’s. During her stay she wrote, “I decided to study in Twickenham because it is so close to London. The exciting capital offers many opportunities for people who are interested in culture, art, literature & the theatre. I’m enjoying being close to a foreign culture and exploring all its uniqueness & differences. My favourite places are Camden Town by night & Bushy Park. London is a melting point for exciting foreign cultures and there is always something new to explore. The first time I went to Richmond I was fascinated by its cosy cafes & bars. Richmond Park is definitely the highlight of the borough. I’m glad that I have got the chance to study in such great a country as England.”

MontanaTwinemMontana Twinem (22) from Konstanz also read English & Media Studies at St. Mary’s through the Erasmus programme. She says, “The urge to expand my horizon is what led me to study at St. Mary’s. Situated in a peaceful suburban area, yet close to the centre of London, it enjoys a perfect location. However it is not only the social & cultural experience which makes my time here so special. Equally important was the great course choice. With fantastic & demanding lecturers, my classes in English & film/media studies have challenged me to go the extra mile & seize any potential I might have. The people I have met & the things I have learned will stay with me forever and I can only recommend Erasmus & St. Mary’s to anyone who is thinking about a change of scenery.”

MarieMarie Herbert is another student from the University of Konstanz who recently studied at St. Mary’s as part of the Erasmus scheme. She writes,”I am very glad that the Erasmus programme has made it possible for me to study here for a semester. This has enabled me to improve my English & to learn about different cultures & people. I am studying media arts & creative writing, which fit in with the programme in my home university, but at the same time they offer different aspects and a more practice-oriented way of learning. The small size of the St. Mary’s campus made it easy for me to find my way around & there are several places to explore in the vicinity, like Teddington, Richmond & Kingston, which otherwise I probably would not have visited. And of course it is easy to get to the vibrant city centre of London. In addition, St. Mary’s offers a huge range of sports, which gave me the possibility to stay fit during my time away from my team sport at home. My time in England & at St. Mary’s has gifted me with a lot of new experiences & adventures & new friends to enjoy them with.”

Many of Britain’s top athletes, like Mo Farah, train at St. Mary’s.

 The Friends of Richmond Park are linked with Les Amis de la Forêt de Fontainebleau.

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Friends of Richmond Park website

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Click on this link to see a short film by David Attenborough about Richmond Park.

TETE-1

Les Amis de la Forêt de Fontainebleau website

For further information please contact Ron Crompton  on 0208 876 1123

ron.crompton@frp.org.uk

Richmond Bridge Club has links with the Bridge Club de Fontainebleau & Bridge Club Konstanz

Richmond Bridge Club website

Bridge Club de Fontainebleau website

Bridge Club Konstanz

For further information please contact Richard Banbury on 07753 239830

manager@richmondbridgeclub.com

If you would like to link your club or association with one in Konstanz or Fontainebleau please contact:

richmondineurope@hotmail.com

or phone Carol Wain on 07833 890462

REA is also linked with

Cercle Français de Richmond

cedric

which welcomes francophones & francophiles from the Richmond area. For further details please click on the above link or telephone Cedric Marx on 07942 999943

and

The Barnes Community Association

which is partnered with

Les Amis de Barnes

in Le Pecq

A bird’s eye view of Le Pecq which lies on the Seine 19 km west of Paris.

For further information please contact Helen Edward via

helen@barnes-ca.org 

or go to

https://www.barnes-ca.org

The British-German Association

Link to the British German Association website

The Guildford Twinning Association

freiburg-looking-up
Freiburg

Guildford is twinned with Freiburg, which is also in Baden-Württemberg & not too far from Konstanz. For more information about the Guildford Twinning Association please click on the following link.

Guildford Twinning Association

plus

The Rushmoor International Association

oberursel-germany-0-1000x663
Oberursel

Rushmoor is twinned with Oberursel in Germany & Meudon in France

For further information please click on the following link.

Rushmoor International Association

&

The Baldock Town Twinning Association

Baldock has been twinned with Eisenberg in Germany since 1988 & Sanvignes in France since 1998.

For further information please click on the following link:

Baldock Town Twinning Association

The York House Society

A recent visitor from Konstanz, who was invited by the Mayor to tea at York House, was enormously impressed
The then Duke & Duchess of York with the baby Princess Elizabeth in 1926.

The Richmond in Europe Association is also partnered with the York House Society. The historic York House in Twickenham has been owned at various times by members of the exiled French aristocracy. It became the town hall for Twickenham Borough Council in 1926. The Queen’s parents and King Manuel of Portugal attended the official opening.

You can see a short one minute film of their visit if you click on the following link:

Visit of the Duke & Duchess of York in 1926

York House is now the town hall for the borough of Richmond Upon Thames. A magnificent building with beautiful gardens extending to the Thames, it was once described by a visiting German ambassador as the most beautiful town hall she had ever seen. For further information about the York House Society please click on the following link:

York House Society

The Naked Ladies’ Cascade in the gardens of York House