1995

    March

Nigel Keen visits Sevenoaks to explore the possibility of a twinning with Rheinbach

    August

John and Judith Spurway visit Rheinbach and report back to the Town Council

    September

Steering group formed

    November

First committee meeting, Gillian Theaker elected first Chairman

1996

    February

Sevenoaks Mayor Tony Clayton visits Rheinbach

    April

Sevenoaks group visit to Rheinbach

Winetasting and meal in Mayschoss, Ahr Valley

    June

First group visit from Rheinbach to Sevenoaks for an introduction to the town

Dinner at The White Hart, Sundridge

    September

Second Rheinbach group visit

    November

AGM

1997

    March

Buergermeister Hans Schellenberg and Town Clerk Gerhard Martini visit Sevenoaks

    May

Sevenoaks group visit to Rheinbach for the May Fair

Sankt Martin Madrigal Choir sing at St. Mary’s Kippington

    July

Two Sevenoaks students from Walthamstow Hall undertake work experience in Rheinbach

    October

Fidelia Concert Band from Wormersdorf perform at Sevenoaks School and Walthamstow Hall

    November

AGM

1998

    January

New Year dinner at The Bullfinch, Riverhead

    February

Choir of Bromley High School for Girls performs at the Palotti Church in Rheinbach  

    May

A group from Rheinbach travels to Sevenoaks to visit Knole and Hever  

Dinner at The Bullfinch, Riverhead  

    August

Sevenoaks members and The Lydian Orchestra travel to Rheinbach for British Week

    October

Nigel Keen organises a music and poetry recital at Walthamstow Hall in Sevenoaks

    November

AGM  

1999

    January

New Year dinner.

First Rheinbach student travels to Sevenoaks for work experience at Age Concern

    February

  Sevenoaks group visits Rheinbach to celebrate ‘Karneval’  

    March

Second Rheinbach student visits Sevenoaks for work experience.

    June

A delegation from Sevenoaks, led by Mayor Anne Dawson, travels to Rheinbach to participate in the town’s 700th anniversary celebrations.

    November

AGM

    December

Both town councils approve a formal twinning.

2000

    January

New Year dinner .

Miriam Weiss travels to Sevenoaks for 2 weeks’ work experience  

    June

Official twinning ceremony at the Vine, Sevenoaks, followed by a celebratory dinner at St. Julians and a church service at St. Mary’s, Kippington  

    July

Nadine Warzel spends 3 months working in Sevenoaks  

    November

AGM

2001

    January

New Year dinner  

    May

Official twinning ceremony in Rheinbach  

Charters signed at the Himmeroder Hof before an official dinner  

Sunday service at the Palotti Church before an afternoon cricket match and BBQ  

    October

First annual school exchange between Walthamstow Hall and Sankt  Josef  Gymnasium  

    November

AGM - Warwick Richardson becomes interim Chairman  

2002

    January

New Year dinner at The Plough, Ivy Hatch  

Exhibition in library to mark Europe Day  

    May

First Spring Walk organised by Chris Ide  

    July

Return cricket match in Sevenoaks  

    November

German group attends Guy Fawkes celebrations on Duke’s Meadow  

Dinner at St. Julians  

Valerie Partridge elected Chairman at the AGM  

2003

    January

New Year dinner  

    April

Spring walk  

    May

Sevenoaks group travels to Rheinbach and visits the Bundestag in Bonn and the Adenauerhaus in Rhoenbach, followed by a dinner in Bad Muenstereifel  

    November

AGM  

2004

    January

New Year dinner  

    Spring

walk  

The Friends of Rheinbach join the British German Association  

    December

A Sevenoaks group visits the German Christmas markets

2005

    January

New Year dinner  

    February

Seven Walthamstow Hall pupils travel to Rheinbach for work experience  

Spring walk  

    June

Group visit from Rheinbach, taking in Sissinghurst, Hever Castle and the Sevenoaks  Festival, ending with a Murder Mystery Evening and meal at the Community Centre.  

    September

A Rheinbach student does 4 weeks’ teaching practice in Sevenoaks  

    November

Chris Ide elected Chairman at the AGM  

2006

    January

New Year dinner  

    February

A group of students from Rheinbach undertake work experience in Sevenoaks  

    Spring

walk  

    May

Sevenoaks members travel to Rheinbach over the May Day weekend for the opening of the Sevenoaks roundabout and a tour of the Bonn Botanical Gardens

The Friends of Sevenoaks present their German counterparts with an oak tree to be planted in the grounds of the Glasfachschule  

    November

AGM  

2007

    January

 New Year dinner at Donnington Manor  

    Spring

walk  

    September

German group arrives for the opening of the Rheinbach Gardens and presents the  town with two iron bollards '

Visits to Canterbury and Tudeley and dinner at Donnington Manor  

    November

AGM  

2008

    January

New Year dinner  

    Spring

walk  

    June

Nine members of Rheinbach Cycling Club, including Buergermeister Stefan Raetz, ride to Sevenoaks in time to meet  Mayor Pam Walshe for the opening of the town  fair and present her with a signpost for the Rheinbach Gardens.  

    August

Sevenoaks members fly to Germany . A cruise on the Rhine is followed by a visit to Marksburg Castle and dinner at the  Glasfachschule  

    November

 AGM  

2009

    January

New Year dinner at St. Julians  

    May

A German group arrives for the May Day weekend and visits Tunbridge Wells and  Penshurst Place.

Joint spring walk, starting in Shoreham .

Dinner at Donnington Manor.  

    September

Sackville Singers perform ‘Romney Marsh’ by Peter Young at the Rheinbach Choir Festival.  

    November

 Chris Sutton elected Chairman at AGM  

2010

    January

New Year dinner  

    Spring

walk  

    June

 Nine cyclists from Sevenoaks make the reciprocal journey to Rheinbach, starting  from the Rheinbach Gardens and meeting up with the Sevenoaks visitors at the Glassfachschule.  

A Sevenoaks signpost is presented to the Mayor  

Group visit to Schloss Buerresheim, followed by lunch in Beilstein on the Mosel and  free time in Cochem .

Evening meal at the Glasfachschule.  

    November

AGM  

2011

    January

New Year dinner  

    September

Rheinbach members travel to Sevenoaks, together with 20 students from the Glasfachschule, welcomed by Sevenoaks Youth Council and looked after by Knole Academy.

Visit to Chatham Dockyard and Rochester, dinner at Knole Academy.

    October

Knole Academy students visit Rheinbach  

    November

AGM  

2012

    January

New Year Dinner at the Council Chamber  

    June

Sevenoaks group, including cyclists again, visits Rheinbach.

Tour of the Kuchenheim Textile Museum,followed by lunch at the Steinbachsperre.  

Dinner at the Glasfachschule  

    October

Friends of Rheinbach host a performance of the Wuppertal Boys’ Choir at St. Nicholas Church  

    November

AGM  

2013

    January

 New Year dinner at the Council Chamber  

    Spring

walk  

    May

Friends of Sevenoaks arrive for a visit to Arundel.  

Dinner at Knole Academy  

    November

AGM  

2014

    January

New Year dinner at the Council Chamber  

    Spring

walk  

    July

Sevenoaks visit Rheinbach for the Classic Car Weekend.  

Wine tasting, Flammkuchen and a walk in the Ahr Valley  

Dinner at the Waldhotel  

     November

AGM, Gillian Theaker elected as Chairperson.

2015  

January

New Year dinner at the Council Chamber.  

    Spring

walk

    June

Rheinbach group travels to Sevenoaks to celebrate our 20th anniversary.  

Visit to Wisley and the Sevenoaks Festival.

Dinner at Ightham Mote.  

    July

Lydian Orchestra performs again in The Palotti Church  

    September

Social evening with contributions from the Lydian Orchestra and former work experience students.

    November

Peter Young elected Chairman at the AGM  

    December

Choir and Orchestra from Rheinbach Gymnasium visit Knole Academy. Evening concert with choirs from both schools and Voces8.  

2016  

    May

Spring Walk

This year’s spring walk took place on Sunday May 15th in the Godden Green area. Members followed a winding path through the woods and enjoyed the pastoral scenes in good weather. At one point they were amazed to see a young owl fast asleep on the branch of a tree. The walk was followed by a good lunch at the Buck’s Head.  

    July

Group visit to Rheinbach This year’s visit took place from the 7th to 10th of July. After a later than planned arrival all members enjoyed the customary generous array of cake at the Town Hall before an evening spent with hosts. Next morning we set off in the coach again at 10am for a tour of the historic Roman Aquaduct in the Eiffel and our excellent guides provided a comprehensive explanation of Roman ingenuity, although one location proved quite a challenge for the driver! After a leisurely lunch in Eiserfey we finished the day with a visit to the Stiftskirche in Bad Muenstereiffel and a walk around the town. Saturday was reserved for a guided tour of Rheinbach for those new to our twin town, while others chose to join their hosts in various other activities. The visit concluded all too soon with the usual farewell dinner, held this time at the Coach House. An earlier than normal 8 o’clock departure the next morning failed to avoid a long wait at customs in Calais, but it would take more than that to dampen spirits. Special mention goes to Amanda Eyre who, after an unfortunate fall on arrival, still managed to enjoy her first experience of Rheinbach!  

 November

The 2016 AGM took place on November 22nd at Knole Academy. The academy has developed a flourishing relationshp with a school in Rheinbach. Our meeting was preceeded by a concert from the Academys "Minstrels" and a slide show report of their recent visit to Rheinbach.

Peter Young was re elected as chairperson at the agm.

2017  

    February

The 2017 New Year Dinner took place on February 3rd at the "Mange Tout" restaurant in Knole academy.

The following day a team from Friends of Rheinbach competed in the Mayors annual charity quiz.

    April

The 2017 Spring Walk was on April 23rd and led by Barbara Ide. The walk was followed by a lunch at the "Little Brown Jug" Chiddingstone Causeway where the walkers were joined by other members of FoR.

    June

The visit from our friends in Rheinbach took place between June 22nd and June 25th.

The arrival reception was at the Sevenoaks Town council offices. The following day a trip  to Brighton was enjoyed by all. The planned venue of Greenwich had to be abandoned at the last moment.

The farewell dinner was held at the Vine Baptist Church.

 November

The 2017 AGM took place on November 29th at Knole Academy. Our meeting was preceeded by a most interesting talk from Mary Boyle the head of the academy, she recountted some of the tribulations, responsibilities and rewards of her role at the Academy.

Steve Miles was elected as a comittee member, whilst Reg Oakley resigned from the comitee.

2018  

 January

The New Year dinner was held this year on January 27th at the Community Centre, Cramptons Road.

 April

The spring walk on April 22nd was led by Di Outram, followed by lunch in the Three Horseshoes, Knockholt.

 June

Our group visit to Rheinbach took place from 7th to 10th June, beginning with the usual generous welcome at the Himmeroder Hof. On the Friday morning hosts and guests set off by coach for a guided tour of the Open Air Museum in Kommern, followed by a typical Rheinland lunch. New members were given a guided tour of Rheinbach on Saturday morning, while others took advantage of a chance to walk along the Rhine before a farewell evening dinner in the Coach Museum.

 November

The AGM for 2018 once again took place in Knole Academy on 28th November. Before the meeting there was a short recital by Naoko Hibino (violin) and Peter Young (piano), followed by a presentation by Humphrey Pring detailing the work of ‘Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees’.