Broadstairs & St Peter’s is twinned with the town of Wattignies, in Northern France.
Wattignies is a community of around 15,000 residents and is situated near the conurbation of Lille in the department of Nord Pas de Calais. The town is only a 75 minute drive from Calais and a warm welcome always awaits visitors from Broadstairs and St.Peter's.
On 21st December 1981, the Mayor of Wattignies, M. R. Delefosse, Deputy Mayor Jean Pierre Lambert and the Town Clerk of Wattignies came to a meeting in Broadstairs.
The Mayor of Wattignies had been invited to take the chair as it was his deputy, M. Lambert, a friend of the Broadstairs Wimsett family since boyhood, who first proposed the idea of twinning the two towns.
The official twinning took place in 1982, when the then Mayor of Broadstairs Mr F. Shutler and his french counterpart M. R. Delefosse signed a charter. The pledges are renewed every two years when the Mayor and Chairman of both towns sign to reaffirm the friendship that exists between them.
Since the twinning’s inception, a number of groups and schools have visited Wattignies. Many lasting friendships have been forged during regular formal and social events that are part of reciprocal visits.
If you wish to find out more about the Twinning Association, please contact:
Mr Peter Wearing, Treasurer on 01843 862002 or email Broadstairstwinning@gmail.com
Ideas for social events from Members are always welcome
For information regarding Wattignies, visit their website at