Forthcoming

6–9 December 2024 (Friday to Monday), Christmas Tree Festival

St John’s Church in Epping organises a Christmas Tree Festival in early December each year. This year it is taking place on the following dates:
Friday 6 December 1 pm–6 pm; Saturday 7 December 10 am–5 pm; Sunday 8 December 11.30 am–4 pm; Monday 9 December 10 am–2 pm.
It includes musical performances, Christmas items for sale, and refreshments. Many local organisations participate, each decorating their own tree – the twinning association’s tree has its usual German theme. This year it was decorated by Barbara Lane and Joy Eldridge, using home-made gingerbread men, wooden German decorations, and other items made by Lies Palm in Eppingen. It also features a traditional German Christmas poem, courtesy of the Eppingen committee, translated by Nigel Cooper.

30 December 2024 (Monday lunchtime), Stammtisch – pub get-together

We thought it would be nice to have a Stammtisch during the quiet period between Christmas and New Year. Details have been circulated to members. The venue needs to know the number attending, so you will need to book in advance even if you don’t intend to order food. Please note the change of date (originally scheduled for 27 December).

1 February 2025 (Saturday), Quiz Night

Details will be circulated nearer the time.

5 February 2025 (Wednesday) 20.00 German time, international Zoom meeting (provisional date)

Further details and passcode are emailed to members in advance.

13–20 May 2025, Language Course in Epping

This will be an informal course in English for our visitors from Eppingen, together with the usual excursions. Further details nearer the time.

26–27 July 2025, Eppingen Altstadtfest (Old Town Festival)

This weekend event takes place every other year in Eppingen, and is attended by twinners from Eppingen’s other partnerships in France and Hungary as well as members of the Epping association. Further details nearer the time.

September 2025, weekend visit to Eppingen

This is expected to take place in late September – dates to be finalised. Further details to follow.

Recent events

27 November 2024 (Wednesday) 7 pm UK time, international Zoom meeting

This was the pre-Christmas online get together between twinners from Epping and Eppingen.

23 November 2024 (Saturday), Annual General Meeting and Social Event

This took place in the United Reformed Church hall in Epping. Following the routine AGM business, there was a social event for members and guests. This consisted of a hot supper provided by the usual stalwart volunteers, followed by short talks by four of our long-standing members.

Nigel Ericson,  David Hart, founder member Chris Harriss, and our president Humphrey Wheeler all gave entertaining and informative accounts of their experiences in the early years of the association and the relationships that were forged during this period. These were illustrated with a photo montage of key events.

Barbara Lane, who has stood down after 25 years as the association’s secretary, received a presentation and vote of thanks in recognition of her service in this role.

24 October 2024 (Thursday) lunchtime, Stammtisch – pub get-together

This increasingly popular event was attended by 18 members, the largest number so far. This one took place at the Bull in Theydon Bois. Most people had lunch at the pub, but a few came just for a drink and a chat. It is always a good opportunity for members of the association – old and new – to catch up with news and to get to know one another better.

27–30 September 2024, Visit to Epping by members of the Eppingen association

Click here for a full description of this visit with photos.

29 August 2024 (Thursday), 6 pm, Stammtisch

Thirteen members attended our monthly pub get-together.

24 July 2024 (Wednesday), 12 noon, Stammtisch

Eleven of us attended this event, including a new member of the association. These lunchtime and evening get-togethers are proving to be a good way for members to keep in touch over a drink and a bite to eat, in between our main local and international activities.

7 July 2024 (Sunday 11 am to 5 pm), Epping Town Show

As usual, the Epping twinners had one of the many stands round the arena at this year’s Town Show. There were a few logistical problems on this occasion – not least, strong wind and heavy rain. So we’d like to thank all the helpers who braved the elements to make this another successful event in spite of the challenges. The prize competition, this time featuring a map of Germany, had 20 participants. And importantly, a number of visitors were interested in the twinning – including a couple from the USA who are researching their family roots in southern Germany, and a local person who joined us for our next Stammtisch. We look forward to better weather this time next year!

3 July 2024 (Wednesday) at 7 pm UK time, Zoom meeting

This was the regular online meeting between members of the Epping and Eppingen associations.

27 June 2024, early evening, Stammtisch

This was the second get-together in a local pub, and it gave the dozen or so members who attended an opportunity to catch up with one another over a meal and a drink. Those who had been on the recent language course in Eppingen shared their very positive impressions of this event, and we looked forward to the next activity in Epping which is the Town Show. Future Stammtisch events will alternate between lunchtime and evening, to suit the differing needs of members.

4–11 June 2024, Language Course in Eppingen

This was a German language course held in Eppingen for members of the Epping association. For more details and photos, click here.

19 May 2024, ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’

Around 25 people attended our Coffee and Cakes event on a beautiful Sunday afternoon outside ‘Julie’s Cafe’ in Stonards Hill Recreation ground. This is a favourite occasion in the Epping association’s calendar, and it offers members and friends an opportunity to catch up and meet new people in a relaxed atmosphere. Home-made cakes and pastries were supplied by members of the association, and a good time was had by all.

2 May 2024, Zoom meeting

This was the regular online meeting between members of the Epping and Eppingen associations.

26 April 2024, Epping Community Award

The Epping Twinning Association was honoured to be presented with the town’s Community Award for 2024 at the mayor’s Civic Reception held on 26 April. This award is presented annually to a voluntary organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to the local community. Humphrey Wheeler, Barbara Scruton and Barbara Lane were invited to attend and to receive the award on behalf of the association.

At the same event, our current chairperson Barbara Scruton was made a Freeman of Epping, in recognition of her many years of service to the town.

For more details and photos, click here.

19 April 2024, ‘Stammtisch’

This was our first informal get-together in a local pub. Ten members of the Epping association met for convivial conversation and a bite of lunch at The Bull in Theydon Bois, near Epping. The event was very successful, and we plan to hold more of them on a regular basis. The time and venue may vary to suit members’ wishes – details will appear on this page and be circulated by email.

29 February 2024, Zoom meeting

Members in Epping and Eppingen made good use of their four-yearly bonus day by attending a joint Zoom meeting.

3 February 2024, Quiz Night with Fish & Chips

This event was held at Theydon Bois village hall rather than in Epping itself, and was attended by about 80 people from the association and the local community. There was a break from all the brainwork in the form of a delicious fish & chip supper supplied by a local chippy. The winning team were presented with prizes, and there was a raffle which raised a record sum for association funds. With thanks to everyone who helped organise this event and to compile and present the quiz.

2023 Zoom meetings

Online meetings between members of the Epping and Eppingen associations began during the Covid pandemic, and these have now become a tradition. During 2023, these meetings took place at 7 p.m. UK time on the following dates: 1 March; 10 May; 8 November; 20 December (featuring an informal Christmas quiz).

1–4 December 2023, Epping Christmas Tree Festival

The festival takes place each year at St John’s Church. It includes musical performances, items for sale, and refreshments. Each of the many trees is decorated by a different community group or enterprise. The Epping twinners’ tree always has a German theme, and their presence showcases our partnership. The theme this year was the German Christmas carol ‘O Tannenbaum’ (‘O Christmas Tree’).
www.eppinganglicans.org.uk/christmas-tree-festival

25 November 2023, Annual General Meeting and Social Event

Following the routine AGM business, there was a home-cooked meal prepared by members of the association.
To close the evening, there was a talk by Keith Wenden on William Morris (1834–1896), well known as an artist, designer, author and social activist. We heard about his wealthy background, his unusual upbringing, and his links (romantic as well as artistic) with the Pre-Raphaelites. And of course his astonishing creative output as the leading figure of the Arts & Crafts movement – textiles, furniture, wallpaper, book illustration, stained glass and more. William Morris has many local connections – his childhood home was what is now the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, where Keith is a voluntary guide. This award-winning Gallery houses the world’s largest collection of Morris’s work.
https://wmgallery.org.uk (in English)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morris (in German)

26 September–3 October 2023, English Language Course in Epping

Ten visitors from Eppingen took part in this year’s language course. For more details and photos, click here.

22–23 July 2023, Eppingen Altstadtfest (Old Town Festival)

Some members from Epping travelled to Eppingen to participate once again in this two-yearly festival, together with visitors from Eppingen’s other twin towns in France and Hungary.

2 July 2023, Epping Town Show

This annual event at Stonards Hill Recreation Ground is organised by Epping Town Council. It features entertainment, displays and stalls representing local businesses and organisations. The Epping twinners had an Eppingen-themed stall as usual. It featured a photo display of traditional German foods; members of the public were invited to choose a food they fancied, and there was a prize for the one who chose the ‘lucky photo’. There were also books about Eppingen for members of the public to browse. The stall team spent an enjoyable day raising awareness about their much-loved twin town.

16–19 June 2023, 40th Anniversary Celebrations in Eppingen

A large group from Epping attended this event to mark the ‘40th+1’ anniversary, mirroring the celebrations that took place in Epping in 2022. For more details and photos, click here.

21 May 2023, ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’

Kaffee und Kuchen – Coffee and Cakes, in keeping with the German tradition – is a popular event in Epping. This one took place on a warm Sunday afternoon outside ‚Julie’s at Stonards‘ cafe in Stonard’s Hill Recreation Ground, with cakes and pastries supplied by members.

11 March 2023, Supper Evening

This took place at the Epping United Reformed Church hall, with catering provided as usual by members. There followed a talk by one of our members on the differences between British and German culture and her experience as someone from Germany of living in the UK.