A TWIN town association trip to France will be celebrated at a cheese and wine evening to be held this month to encourage new members to join the group.

The French trip, in June, organised by Borehamwood and Elstree Twin Town Association (BETTA), aimed to give a cultural and educational experience to residents.

The aim of the association is to form connections with the area's twin towns including French town Fontenay-aux-Roses on the outskirts of Paris, and of Offenburg in south-west Germany near Strasbourg.

Chairman Martine Eni took more than eighty people on the trip to Fontenay-aux-Roses.

She said: “We will be reminiscing about our trip but it would also be good to have new people coming along to see what we are all about.

“The group has been developing and we want to do even more things.”

The group has organised a trip to Christmas markets in Germany with 40 places available. Mrs Eni secured more than £4,000 in funding from councillors for the French trip to secure the ticket price as £100.

The trip was attended by town mayor, Councillor Anne Mitchell, and included travel, bed and breakfast and entrance to either the Louvre or a trip to Versailles.

Mrs Eni said: “This time the ticket price will be a little more, at £280, as we will be going by a different mode of transport but will include bed and breakfast.

“Any funding from either the borough or county councillors would be welcome and we can then do more when we are there.

“We have already had people book tickets so they will no doubt be sold out fast.”

The cheese and wine evening will be held at Fairway Hall, in Brook Road, Borehamwood, on Wednesday, August 18. Entrance will be £3.

The trip will be held between Friday, December 3, and Monday, December 6.

Contact 020 8381 5222 or email bettagroup@hotmail.com for more details. Log on to the website at www.betta.org.uk