Former Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley is a huge advocate of rekindling links between the city and its German twin Erlangen. Here, in light of Prime Minister Kier Starmer’s visit to Europe to explore trade opportunities, she explains why re-igniting the relationship is the right move for businesses and, also, talks about the value of speaking a modern foreign language.
“Around four decades ago, I was involved in the initial talks to set up a twinning agreement in Stoke-on-Trent and Erlangen.
At that time, we were still building better links between the UK and Germany after World War 2, so it was very important.
The then Bürgermeister of Erlangen was also keen to build a relationship with a place like Stoke-on-Trent, because it had a very different industrial make up to his own city, which is home to major tech companies like Siemens.
As someone who studied German at school – and been on exchanges to the country – I was able to speak with the delegation who came over and helped broker the agreement.
From that point the twinning links started and a whole cohort of people from Stoke-on-Trent went to Erlangen in many different capacities.
We had some wonderful exchanges, particularly focused on health. One in particular I remember was a project to look at the care for older people and a link up with the geratology department at Keele University and the NHS.
The cultural and sporting links were strong too and there was even a street named after Stoke-on-Trent in Erlangen.
However, over the years the relationship declined – particularly after austerity and Brexit.
I think many people believed it was dead and buried.
Then earlier this year I was contacted by a long-standing officer in the Erlangen local government who was facing retirement but didn’t want all the work that had been done to go to waste.
So in January, I accepted an invitation to go out there with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent to see what could be reignited.
It was all about economic growth and how we could benefit from better links with Erlangen in terms of its industry, its institutions and its culture.
Immediately my mind was blown by what they had achieved, including a ‘new world city’ campus built by Siemens, which is set to become a centre for innovation and technology.
There is so much goodwill towards us, such a desire to rekindle the relationship, and so many mutually beneficial opportunities open to us.
Of course, since Brexit, UK businesses wanting to invest in Europe or vice versa may struggle because the framework isn’t there or it is more difficult to navigate.
So the best way to go about striking a deal and getting the dialogue up and running in the first place may well be through local connections. This is where a twinning agreement comes into its own as it is likely the best way to build business and cultural relationships.
Stoke-on-Trent’s twinning arrangement with Erlangen really could help us steal a lead and reap the economic benefits too.
The other positive side of this is the opportunities it brings to study German. Taking a modern foreign language can really add value to an individual in the employment market.
Workplaces are crying out for it too – a recent survey showed that 64 per cent of employers are not satisfied by language skills of school leavers entering the workplace and 55 per cent with graduates.
Despite these requirements, what I was finding in Stoke-on-Trent were real concerns that teachers couldn’t be recruited to teach modern foreign languages. In certain cases, some schools were in danger of stopping teaching German because of the shortfall.
St Margaret Ward Academy in Tunstall has already benefited from this renewed interest in modern foreign languages. Through the renewed links, I was able to put them in touch with people in Erlangen and the Goethe Institute – which works with the British Government to assist and support the study of modern foreign languages at the school.
Pupils are now engaging with the Goethe Institut, teaching staff are focused on the role of language learning and talks are underway to connect with a school in Erlangen.
I was delighted to hear this news – and also honoured that, as a result, the school has introduced the annual Joan Walley Award for modern foreign languages.
St Margaret Ward Academy is a great example of what can be achieved and there is the chance for others to follow.
There is funding available via the Goethe Institute for school language hubs to be set up and I think it would be great to see Stoke-on-Trent spearhead hub status for the teaching of German.
Alongside that, Keele University is working with the Chamber to carry out an audit of languages being taught across Staffordshire in both informal and formal settings, and to survey funding opportunities for language and cultural development.
This is a great starting point and will help work out what language needs businesses and other organisations have – and how we go about filling those gaps. “
