The Mayor of Redditch spoke at events celebrating 800 years of freedoms in Auxerre, France.

Cllr Salman Akbar gave a speech at the official reception of twin town delegations in Auxerre, during a weekend of events marking the Burgundy city’s release from feudal serfdom in 1223.

He was part of a delegation from Redditch’s Friends of Auxerre group, who went at the invitation of city Mayor Crescent Marault.

Cllr Akbar said: “The Friends of Auxerre were honoured to be invited to celebrate the eight hundredth anniversary of Auxerre’s emancipation. It brought together dignitaries and friends not just from England but from Poland, Germany, and elsewhere.

“While the weekend was mostly about celebrating heritage and history, Auxerre is also gearing up for their role in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games so it was my pleasure to also share our experience of the impact of the London 2012 Olympic Games in Redditch.

“My thanks to Mayor Marault and everyone who made the Friends of Redditch so welcome in Burgundy once again, in the continuing spirit of our civic friendship.”

The celebrations were held over the European Heritage Days weekend of September 15-17 and saw archaeological and heritage site visits in Auxerre, as well as medieval-themed events.

Auxerre became Redditch’s first twin town in 1956, and an iconic British red phone box gifted from Redditch in the 1980s can be found in the city’s Petit Square de Redditch.

Redditch also maintains civic friendships with four other twin towns, Gruchet-le-Valasse, also in France, Mtwara in Tanzania, St Elizabeth in Jamaica, and Gujar Khan in Pakistan.

Pictured above: Friends of Auxerre (L-R) Peter Allnutt, Sue Allnutt, and the Mayor of Redditch got into the medieval spirit during the heritage events.

Pictured above: Auxerre’s iconic phone box was a gift from Redditch in the 1980s.