PEEBLES and its French twin town of Hendaye are gearing up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their twinning partnership this summer.

A twinning charter between the two towns was signed in Peebles on February 20, 1998, linking them in a partnership that has endured for two decades.

To mark the special occasion, the Mayor of Hendaye and other guests will make a five-day visit to Peebles during Beltane week.

A new facebook page for the Twinning Association has also been launched, plus the group has received the backing of Members of the Scottish Parliament after a motion lodged by Tweeddale MSP Christine Grahame (SNP) was circulated in Holyrood.

Chairman of the Peebles-Hendaye Twinning Association Andrew Grieve said: “We are delighted to be celebrating 20 years of partnership with Hendaye. Our twinning takes the shape of social, cultural, sporting and educational links and has involved dozens of people both here in Peebles and in Hendaye over the years.

“Hendaye is a wonderful place. Situated in the Basque Country in the South West of France, on the Atlantic Coast and the Spanish Border, it boasts stunning scenery, great food and drink and a wonderful cultural scene.

“The French-Basque cultural fusion is unique and we’ve been honoured to host visits in Peebles through the years from the Mutxiko dancers amongst other groups. A lot has changed in 20 years but our friendship with Hendaye has endured and grown. We want it to continue to grow and hope these links can be maintained for many years to come.

“We are absolutely delighted to have the support of the Scottish Parliament in our endeavours as we look forward to the future.

“We want to be as inclusive as possible and if anyone in Peebles fancies getting involved in the twinning association, we’d be delighted to hear from them. You can reach us by email at grieve5@btinternet.com or get news and updates on the newly-launched Peebles-Hendaye Twinning Association Facebook page.”

The Scottish Parliament motion, which has been signed by 15 MSPs, was lodged in both English and French in the spirit of the partnership between the two towns.

And to help mark the 20-year bond, Peebles band Lazy Man’s Burden are also set to perform in Hendaye on March 17.

The three-piece folk/roots group, made up of Sam Guthrie, Sam Mundy and Andy Lumb will head to a special St Patrick’s Day event held by Iparraldeko Prod at Plage d’Hendaye.

They have recently played a series of gigs around Southern Scotland, including Innerleithen and Linlithgow Folk Festivals and Celtic Connections.