Below is a brief history of our twinning weekends with Heerlen, a city in the Netherlands. We first visited in 2000, and since then, we have tried to alternate visits between Shaftesbury and Heerlen.

2000 – Heerlen – First visit of Geoff Pipe and two other Rotarians to Heerlen

2001 – Shaftesbury – Carnival, wine tasting, flooding in Fontmell Magna

2002 – Heerlen – Nekum Winery, Roldus Industrion, Steam Train, Kasteel Oost Valkenburg

2003 – Shaftesbury – Boat trip to Bath, Italian restaurant, Swanage visit

2004 – Heerlen – Sunday Market Liege, Monschau

2005 – Shaftesbury – Boat trip to Poole

2006 – Heerlen – Kruisherenhotel Maastricht, Garden guy, boat trip to Thorn, Caverne Geulhem

2007 – Shaftesbury – Salisbury Cathedral, pig racing,, Kingston Lacy

2008 – Postponed – Due to fire in Eurotunnel

2009 – Heerlen – Tongeren (B), Winery Genoelselderen (B), Vaals

2010 – Shaftesbury – Wells Cathedral

2011 – Heerlen – C-mine Genk, Arresthotel Roermond

2012 – Shaftesbury – Furleigh Estate Winery, Fish & chips at Philip’s house, Stourhead

2012 – Heerlen – Gaiazoo, Concert in Heerlen, Aachen Cathedral

2014 – Shaftesbury – Great Dorset Steam Fair, Shelley Theatre (Red Arrows Talk), Bournemouth Air Show

2016 – Heerlen – local brewery, castle and modern art exhibition and children’s school funded by Ronald McDonald

2017 – Shaftesbury – SS Great Britain, Clifton suspension bridge, Haines Motor Museum

2018 – Heerlen – Buffet welcome meal, Monastic Vineyard Wine tasting

2019 – Shaftesbury – Somerset Cider Company tour, Yeovilton Fleet Air Arm Museum, Hauser and Wirth gallery, Godminster Cheese Shop.

2020 – Visit to Heerlen postponed due to Coronavirus pandemic

2021 – Cancelled due to Covid.

2022 – Heerlen – Meerssen, GloArt, Hoensbroek Castle, Heerlen town development

2023 – Shaftesbury – The Nest and Roman villa, Messums

2024 – Heerlen – planned for autumn

For more information on the Heerlen Rotary Club, please click this link: RC Heerlen (rotary.nl)