Chesterfield and Tsumeb have had an official municipal twinning link since 1993. Municipal links have focused on capacity-building for Chesterfield Borough Council staff and for Tsumeb Municipal Council staff and councillors. Drainage, sports training for children, and the improvement of Tsumeb's market have been the main areas of activity. The Commonwealth Local Government Forum funded the market development project, and financial assistance has also been received from the Local Government International Bureau.
Both towns have also developed community-based links. Teachers have exchanged visits, and are working on linking schools. Churches in Chesterfield sponsor Tsumeb's Old Age Home. The Chesterfield Rotary Club and Scouts are fund-raising for Tsumeb's new youth centre. Direct links are being developed between Chesterfield women's organisations and the Tsumeb Women and Children's Centre. Chesterfield Dance Teams took morris-dancing to Tsumeb, and now sponsor children in Tsumeb's SOS Children's Village. Efforts are being made to develop other links: between trade unions, Chambers of Commerce, students, and doctors for example.
The main aim of the link is to develop mutual understanding between the people of two towns. Both towns were formerly dependent on mining, but are now diversifying their economies. It is not primarily a fund-raising link, although we have set up the Chesterfield Tsumeb Trust Fund as a registered charity, for any donations we do receive for work with Tsumeb.
For further information contact Mary Stead at Chesterfield Borough Council mary.stead@chesterfield.gov.uk