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Sedbergh's Twin Town - Zreče
Sedbergh, in Cumbria, is an historic Market Town (the first Market charter was granted in 1251) and largest settlement in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and yet only 20 miles from the heart of the Lake District National Park. Perhaps this was what drew the BBC2 to Sedbergh when they chose to make a televison series about an English town attempting to find its Twin Town.
As is common with small towns like Sedbergh, there is an abundance of individual local characters, stunning scenery and more than enough dramas to fill 12 x 30 minute episodes that was first screened in January 2005.
Sedbergh received four visits from European towns - Eymet, in France; Athienou, in Cyprus; Zreče, in Slovenia and Seefeld, in Austria.
The people of Sedbergh were not told who would be visiting them until right before they arrived. The locals got to watch a video filmed in each country respectively, and the visitors were introduced to them.
The visitors from each town stayed for a week and worked alongside their local counterpart eg/ an estate agent with an estate agent, chef with a chef etc... It was far from a conventional town twinning process, but it was all in the name of good television.
Each town tried to impress the residents of Sedbergh, but in the end, at the final vote, it was Zreče, in Slovenia that won the vote of the Sedbergh people. It has proved a good choice. As is often the case with these televised events, after the fuss dies down, it's barely thought of again. With Zreče and Sedbergh however, the link between the two towns still holds strong.
The towns of Eymet and Sedbergh bond over food and wine.
The Cypriots got everyone dancing in the traditional way.
Even some of the students had a twin from Slovenia.
The Austrians and the people of Sedbergh.