Oldhamers fondly remember Kranj twin town exchange trips

However, it is Kranj – winner of the 2023 European Destination of Excellence – which sticks in the memories of some born and bred Oldhamers.

ALSO READ: Oldham sister city Kranj is European Destination of Excellence.

Pronounced like kran, the city, the third largest in Slovenia, was twinned with Oldham Country borough back in 1961.

One of its major thoroughfares, Oldhamska cesta, is named after Oldham.

In return, St Mary’s estate in Oldham even had a Kranj Way, mentioned in the lyrics of a song by The Oldham Tinkers, though it appears it has since been lost.

What hasn’t been lost are memories of the exchange trips which used to take place – which offered Oldhamers a chance to see the city for a modest fee.

Janice Plant, a born and bred Oldhamer, remembers her visits to Kranj fondly.

Now aged 63 and living in Turkey, Janice went on the exchanges three times – and liked it so much that she visited Kranj subsequently.

Janice Plant now lives in Turkey (Image: Janice Plant)

Going on her first of three trips aged 18, Janice said the first two times, in the late 1970s, the group travelled by train.

She said: “Even the travelling was exciting, because on two of the occasions I went we travelled by train overnight, through many European countries.

“One year, I remember we woke up in the middle of Munich and there was a huge fair going on, we were all hanging out the window and talking to some local people.

“Mr Shepherd, who ran the trip, heard us and said ‘right ladies, come on now it’s time to go back to sleep.’”

By 1981, the groups were travelling by train, and Janice travelled with her husband.

She said: “I think we were the first married couple who actually went on one of the trips.”

On the trips, groups were told they were representing Oldham – and visited cultural and industrial landmarks, such as factories.

Janette Kolilai lived in Oldham until she moved away for university aged 18.

She met Janice on the 1981 trip to Kranj while she was a university student at Portsmouth, after her mum encouraged her to go on the exchange trip over the summer.

Now living in Greece, Janette kept a memento of her trip – a knitted hat with pins from the places they visited.

She thinks the trips, which she says cost around £80 and included food, travel, and accommodation, had a positive impact on Oldham.

Janette still has a memento from the trip (Image: Janette Kolilai)

Janette, 61, said: “I think it’s a good thing to do, it’s good for young people to go and see how other people live in other cultures. I was only in my early 20s.

“On the Sunday on the trip, we were all invited to a local person’s house for something to eat, to spend the Sunday with them.

“I went to this farmhouse and they’d cooked a little piglet – I’d never seen anything like that, a whole piglet was on the table. I mean, I’d seen it on King Henry VIII on television, but never actually seen it in real life.

“I didn’t really appreciate it – I was a bit shocked at seeing that, but that’s how people live in other countries and I think at that age I didn’t really appreciate how much effort they’d gone to and how much that little piglet would have cost to buy and cook it. I didn’t appreciate it at 20.”

The exchange trips no longer take place – both Janette and Janice thought they should come back.

Janice said: “In all honesty, that first trip gave me confidence - I was ever so shy.

“If I think back, I think my trips to Kranj helped me for my life now.

“Let's hope that somebody decides to try and start doing the trips again. I think that would be a good thing for Oldham now, particularly with the climate as it is and the economy. I think if somebody could get that going again, I think that would be a good thing for Oldham.”

Councillor Amanda Chadderton, leader of Oldham Council, said: “Oldham has been twinned with Kranj since 1961, and twinning became popular after WWII.

"The hope was that twinned towns would build links and bring reconciliation across Europe after years of conflict.

“The former exchange trips were a great way to reinforce this message and in modern-day it has become more about sharing the cultural ties.

"We’re therefore thrilled that the town has been crowned European Destination of Excellence for 2023.”