Felixstowe is twinned with Wesel — a historic city of around 60,000 people on the Lower Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The formal twinning was established in 1974, and the two towns have now maintained their friendship for more than fifty years.
How the twinning began
The connection between Felixstowe and Wesel did not begin in a council chamber. It began with a fire service.
After the Second World War, a Felixstowe man named Mike Yetton Ward — who was Chairman of the then Felixstowe Urban District Council — had been posted to Wesel to help re-establish the town's fire service. Wesel had been devastated: in February and March 1945, RAF and USAF bombing and Allied artillery fire destroyed 97% of the town, as the area had been chosen as the crossing point for the British, Canadian and American armies' final assault across the Rhine. Ward formed close friendships with officers, men, and young people in the Wesel Fire Cadet unit, and those friendships endured.
In time, the Suffolk and Ipswich Fire Service invited the Wesel Fire Service to visit Felixstowe. The visit was warmly received. Links quickly formed between the Felixstowe Rifle Club, Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club, and many private individuals. Local authorities on both sides became involved, and in 1974 formal town twinning ceremonies took place in both Felixstowe and Wesel.
About Wesel
Wesel sits at the confluence of the Rhine and the Lippe rivers. Its name derives from the Old German "Wisele" — interpreted as "manor in the meadows." The town received its city charter in 1277 and by 1407 had become a member of the Hanseatic League, the medieval trading alliance that also connected it to the wider North Sea world. The Willibrordi Cathedral, which survived the wartime bombing and has been painstakingly restored, remains the centrepiece of the rebuilt town.
Wesel has long described itself as "Vesalia hospitalis" — hospitable Wesel — a title earned over centuries of welcoming refugees, dissidents, and people from across Europe. Today it is the administrative centre of the wider Wesel district and sits in one of Germany's most densely populated regions.
Fifty years and counting
The twinning has been marked at regular intervals by civic visits, cultural exchanges, and joint events. In April 2024, the 50th anniversary was celebrated with a weekend of events in Felixstowe attended by around 45 guests from Wesel. A reception at Harvest House brought together approximately 120 people, with speeches from the mayors of both towns. Further events were held at Fish Dish restaurant, on the Triangle — where musicians played and residents learned about Wesel and the twinning — and at Sea You, with a buffet and dancing attended by 77 people. A farewell Sunday lunch at the Alex restaurant drew 74 guests. The events were organised by the Felixstowe Wesel Association, with particular credit given to Francis Cotterell for coordinating the social programme.
In September 2024, a civic delegation from Felixstowe travelled to Wesel for a further round of anniversary celebrations. Mayor of Felixstowe Councillor David Rowe and Deputy Mayor Councillor Corrine Franklin attended an official ceremony at Wesel Town Hall, where the Mayor of Felixstowe and Bürgermeisterin Ulrike Westkamp signed a charter commemorating the 50-year milestone. A sand painting depicting key moments in the twinning's history was performed by artist Elena Handel. Five trees were planted to symbolise growth and continuity, and Bürgermeisterin Westkamp unveiled a civic mural at the Citadel dedicated to the shared journey.
Mayor Rowe said of the visit: "It was an honour and a privilege to explore Wesel, Felixstowe's twin town, and immerse in its rich culture and warm community. Celebrating 50 years of town twinning is a joyous occasion, and I hope this weekend marks not only the continuation of a strong bond but also the beginning of many more fruitful years ahead."
In April 2025, Bürgermeisterin Westkamp led a further civic delegation to Felixstowe, this time to mark her own 20 years of dedicated service as Bürgermeisterin. A civic reception at Felixstowe Town Hall was attended by twelve former Mayors of Felixstowe. The delegation also visited the Houses of Parliament in London, facilitated by Suffolk Coastal MP Jenny Riddell Carpenter.
The Felixstowe Wesel Association
The Felixstowe Wesel Association is an independent, non-party-political organisation that coordinates activities and visits between the two communities. It organises and supports exchanges involving schools, sports clubs, civic groups, and individuals, and relies on fundraising, membership subscriptions, and grants from Felixstowe Town Council to fund its programme.
Anyone interested in getting involved — whether through attending events, hosting visitors, or joining an exchange — can find more information at felixwesel.onesuffolk.net.
