I've just been reading a thread about Sheffields twin towns and it just struck me that it might be a good idea to twin with a town destroyed by the Asian tsunamis. Lets face it the towns we are twinned with at the moment don't really need our help.

Apart from anything else it would give Sheffield people somewhere to identify with and not just think our money would disappear in a black hole.

If enough of us agree I'll try and raise it with the Council.

Have a look on The Star's website (www.sheffieldtoday.net) - they are raising funds to help a village, Sorake Beach in Indonesia which has been affected. They've chosen this village because an Sheffield girl is married to a local man there.

http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=912390

Thanks Andy - don't take the Star so wasn't aware of that.

What I was thinking of was something far more permanent lasting several years until the town didn't need our support.

Maybe you should contact the Sheffield International Linking Committee (SILC) - they look after twinning. Details here :

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/facts-figures/twinning-links/silc

Sheffield International Linking Committee (SILC) exists to extend and promote the city's international links, fostering friendship and encouraging economic activity. It aims to raise the profile of the city and develop understanding between different cultures.

Sheffield is twinned with the cities of Anshan in China, Bochum in Germany, Donetsk in the Ukraine and Esteli in Nicaragua.

The city also enjoys friendship links with Kitwe in Zambia, Kawasaki in Japan, Pittsburgh in the USA and Kotli in Kashmir.

An important aspect of Sheffield's links to the rest of the world is the presence in the city of the Consulate of the Republic of Poland.

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I wonder if the friendship links to Japan include discounted motorbikes for people in Sheffield ? :P

Sounds like an EXCELLENT idea to me - go for it chaps!

This is a very good idea.....

I suppose it's not so much twinning as buddying up for a while, but I do like the long term aspect of this sort of thing. The Friendship link idea is probably the one that would work best.

The Donetsk, Bochum and Esteli links have been in place for years - is the idea of twinning still pushed as hard by the powers that be as it used to be?

OK...volunteers....who's going to contact these SILC people? ;)

Dunno about free motorbikes, but some good sushi would be appreciated...:) Although if it had to come all the way from Japan it might be a little off by the time it gets here!

This place is ful of excellent ideas today!

Joe

Thanks to everybody who has added to this thread. Some excellent ideas put forward and I will be following them up.

What we now need are some more postings on this subject to show the Council how strongly we agree.

That is an excellent idea. If there is one positive (I won't say 'good') thing to come out of all this, it's the way that it has drawn the world together more.

They need all the help they can get.

By the way, Joe. Just noticed you are now a moderator. Well done.

great idea. Maybe if a colection (clothes etc) was organised and was donated directly to the twin town/village that would be good.

Afteral the Wednesday Shop is full of lots of rubbish that we could easily spare :heyhey:

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
That is an excellent idea. If there is one positive (I won't say 'good') thing to come out of all this, it's the way that it has drawn the world together more.

They need all the help they can get.

By the way, Joe. Just noticed you are now a moderator. Well done.

Cheers my man!

I'm still learning the ropes and trying hard not to upset too many people too much of teh time!

:)

I'm sure you'll cope very well.

This is an excellent idea, who knows anyone in power at the City Council who can make things happen? Phan? is this up your street ? come on guys let's make it happen, these people are going to be in need of hlep for a long time, not just this week and next week.

I'm very disappointed with the number of replies I've had to this thread.

What I wanted to do was to contact the Council and say '400 people on the Sheffield Forum looked at this subject and more than half of them agreed with me'.

All I can say at the moment is 1 in 40 agreed with me - hardly has the same impact does it?

Anyway I'm not taking my bat home - I'll contact them without mentioning Sheffield Forum.