THE strong bonds between Callington and its two twin communities were well and truly confirmed when the town hosted over 40 visitors from Guipavas in Brittany and the north German town of Barsbüttel. As part of this 'entente cordiale', Callington Town Council hosted a civic ceremony at the town hall to officially welcome the visitors. Following the four anthems, from France, Germany, Britain and the Cornish anthem 'Trelawney' played by the Town Band, the newly elected mayor of Guipavas, Alain Queffelec, thanked the people of Callington for the many years of friendship and stated that the twinning associations were showing politicians how people from different nations across Europe can co-exist in friendship. His thoughts were echoed by Cllr Hendrik Schlatermund, town council representative from Barsbüttel, who thanked the host families and the weekend organisers from the Callington and District Twinning Association for their help and comradeship. Commenting on the weekend, Portreeve and town mayor Denise Winfindale said she was pleased to be able to greet friends, both old and new, to Callington: 'Forging links between our three communities is vital and deserves the full support of the town council,' she said. The reception was part of a full weekend's activities for the groups and their host families, including visits to Exeter, Buckfast Abbey, Princetown, The Lost Gardens of Heligan and the north Cornish coast, before the foreign visitors made their way home by coach, plane and boat.