THE future of an historic association has been hanging in the balance this year, a council meeting has heard.

Members from Kendal-Rinteln Association, which was officially created in 1992, told Kendal Town Council it was struggling to keep going for several reasons.

The South Lakes town has been twinned with Rinteln since 1991.

The association has worked tirelessly over the years to promote Kendal and its values to Rinteln residents and its surrounding villages.

For nearly 30 years hundreds of people from the region of Lower Saxony have come to visit the area and many have developed close family friendships with local residents.

However with a number of events organised throughout the year, vice-chairperson Frances Corrie said the association wasn’t getting the support it needed in order to thrive and continue.

“We were getting very worried,” she said. “As an association we felt we weren’t getting enough help.

“There’s always been generous financial support from the town council but we need more physical support.

“We have a number of events planned throughout the year but we need a helping hand so that they can be carried out properly.”

However, following a meeting with the town council, on Monday November 11, Mrs Corrie said she left feeling ‘very positive’.

“It went really well,” she said. “We all came away feeling really positive about the future of this association.

“We really want to keep this going for the future and it’s important for the community to have a society like this one.”

As well as hosting visits and organising groups to visit Rinteln the association has also helped to form strong educational links between the two places - including welcoming exchange students.

Also, as part of an annual tradition last week Kendal Town Mayor Alvin Finch paid a visit to Rinteln’s Christmas markets.

“Kendal Town Council are in full support of the Kendal-Rinteln Association and we would like to encourage people to get involved,” he said.

“I have just returned from a trip to Rinteln to attend their Christmas Market.

“It’s a fantastic and welcoming place to visit and we are very proud that Kendal is Rinteln’s twin town.”

Members from the Whinfell Office Skills Project, a Kendal organisation for adults with learning disabilities to learn new skills, were also at Rinteln and were selling a variety of products at the town’s Christmas market.

Despite a successful meeting with the council Kendal-Rinteln Association are appealing for new members and volunteers to be involved with the society.

If anyone was interested or wanted to know more information about the society to contact peter.corrie@talktalk.net or visit www.kendal-rinteln.co.uk/