Push to increase ties between Reading and Barbados

Reading has a number of twinned cities and towns, including Dusseldorf in Germany, Clonmel in the Republic of Ireland, and San Francisco Libre in Nicaragua.

The town is also twinned with Speightstown in Barbados, which is the second biggest city on the island.

Reading and Speightstown officially became twins in 2003, with discussions preceding that in the 1990s.

Councillor Glenn Dennis, the deputy mayor of Reading, went on holiday to Barbados this autumn and is coordinating efforts to ‘reinvigorate’ the relationship.

Cllr Dennis (Labour, Kentwood) said: “There was talk of twinning being done quite a while ago in the early 90s and it’s kind of fallen by the wayside over the years.

“I went out to Barbados on a personal trip but I thought maybe I could try and get this twinning arrangement reinvigorated.

“I went to the Barbados embassy and with Colin Jordan, the MP of St Peter, who represents Speighstown.

“Me and Rodney Harewood from the Barbados and Friends Association trustees board went to meet the MP. We had a discussion with him and a call with other local dignitaries.

“We felt there should be a planned committee with three people from each place to discuss closer links in relation to sports, culture and education.

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“That’s where it is at the moment.

“Mr Harewood will be in contact with Speightstown representatives, they can then work on planning some events to really cement the twinning of the two towns.

“Beyond that, it’s still early days.”

Cllr Dennis also thanked Betty Lewis for her hospitality and help in arranging a meeting with Clement Armstrong a historian and pub owner in Speightstown.

Glenn Dennis, the Deputy Mayor of Reading with Betty Lewis and historian Clement Armstrong in Barbados. Credit: Glenndennisrdg Instagram

He added that increasing ties with twin towns is part of a mayoral project alongside cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) the Mayor of Reading, who visited Dusseldorf in Germany for the Invictus Games in September.

Cllr Dennis explained: “This is a mayor initiative. Tony and I have picked this up. It was opportunistic as I was going out to Barbados for a holiday.

“We had really good discussions and want to get this twinning back on track. There should be more happening. Hundreds of people from Speightstown settled in Reading.”

Councillor Tony Page, Mayor of Reading for 2023-24 with Cllr Glenn Dennis, Deputy Mayor. Credit: Reading Borough Council

Reading has seen a large amount of immigration of people from Barbados over the years.

Hundreds of Barbadians began coming to Reading in the 20th Century.

By 1971, there were over 600 Barbadians living in Reading, and the town began to be known as being home to the largest Barbadian community outside the Caribbean.

Barbadians played a big part in the Reading Carribean Carnival, with many of those on the parade waving the flags of the nation when it was last held in 2019.