The Wimborne-Ochsenfurt Twinning Association

The Association was founded in 1989, although the Ochsenfurt region has had a unique connection with Wimborne Minster since 740 when nuns from the monastery in Wimborne were sent as missionaries to that part of Germany (Franconia) after St Boniface wrote to ask for help in his work to convert the pagan tribes of Germany to Christianity. They are remembered to this day as Patron Saints of towns and villages there.

We aim to promote and foster friendship and understanding between the people of the Wimborne Minster area and of Ochsenfurt and to encourage visits to and from the towns and to broaden the mutual understanding of the cultural, recreational and commercial activities. Membership is open to anyone interested in making friends in our twin town and experiencing something of German culture. You don’t need to be able to speak German or live in Wimborne Minster.

Visits to and from Ochsenfurt take place in alternate years. This enables members to stay with a family and get to know people, the town and the surrounding area. Sometimes the visits to Ochsenfurt are at the time of the Ochsenfest, the traditional local Harvest-time festival when oxen are spit roasted in various locations through the town, and a carnival atmosphere prevails through the streets.

You can see some information on Ochsenfurt and what we got up to on the 2017, 2018 and 2019 exchange visits and our 30th anniversary celebrations. To contact us or to join the Association go to Membership and Contacts. More information on Wimborne Minster is available on the Town Council website. You might be interested in other twinning organisations in Dorset, in particular the Wimborne-Valognes Twinning Association. German speakers might like to look at the Ochsenfurt twinning website and the Useful Websites page provides some links that you might find helpful if travelling in Germany or studying the German language.

Details of the current programme are given in newsletters that are circulated to members. Items for the newsletter or queries about the programme should be addressed to Anthea Cross.