Did you know Biddulph has a twin town in Europe?

It is a luxury for some towns to be twinned with one another - and we are lucky to have one of them.

Often for locales that existed during the Second World War and suffered badly, the idea to pair places together across the continent was hoped to boost relationships after the deadliest human conflict in history.

For example, you may know that Stoke-on-Trent was twinned with the Bavarian city of Erlangen. Biddulph's nearest city was twinned with the German place in 1989.

Biddulph's twin town: The church of the Suffragio in Fusignano, Italy. (Image - Public Domain Lalupa)

And we are lucky as one of the few Staffordshire towns who are paired with a European partner.

The Italian town of Fusignano is best pals with Biddulph, and has been since October 1987.

There is over 1100 miles between our two towns.

Situated in the north east Italian province of Ravenna, Fusignano was first named in 1250.

A wholesome meet-up: The Mayors of the two towns meet in 2017, to celebrate their 35 years of being together. (Image - Biddulph Town Council)

This is a whopping 680 years before Biddulph was first put on the map in 1930.

Our populations are similarly small, with 8,152 Fusignano residents, and 19,892 Biddulphians.

Fusignano is 23.05 miles - or just over half an hour - away from the eastern Italian coast. Unlike Biddulph, which is almost twice the length away from our nearest coastline.

Our nearest beach is Wallasey Beach in Wirral, 42.55 miles from our town.

This cute Italian town has been twinned with Biddulph for over three decades. (Image CC Lalupa Unchanged bit.ly/3w8CofR)

Fusignano's most famous citizen is football manager Arrigo Sacchi, who won two European Cup (or Champions League as it is known today) for the football club AC Milan.

For those curious, Milan is a three hour drive north west from Fusignano.

The geography in Fusignano is very flat, with an elevation of just 30 feet, with the town being build around the river Senio.

Whereas Biddulph's highest point is Biddulph Moor which is over 984 feet above sea level.

The two towns celebrated VE Day 75 virtually together in 2020, which was particularly emotional for our Italian siblings, as their town was reduced to rubble across four months in 1945.

(Image - CC 2.0 Elliot Brown Unchanged bit.ly/3Hn2UsM)

Representatives from the Italian comune last visited Staffordshire in May 2019. They also visited in December 2018, to turn on Biddulph's Christmas lights.

More Fusignanesi people came to Biddulph the year prior, to celebrate the 30th birthday of the twinning of our towns.

Biddulph Nub News has contacted Biddulph Town Council, to ask if there are any plans to honour the 35th anniversary of the town's relationship next year.

There is also a Twinning Association, which provides a cultural exchange between our town's schoolchildren.

In pre-pandemic times, Woodhouse academy on Biddulph's Woodhouse Lane participated in a yearly sports tournament with our Italian relatives.

For more information about our Italian twin, please head to their website.

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