The Mayor coun Cox in the parlour with, from left Rosa Matheson, director, Swindon Community Arts Fund, Chris Hamblin, Viv Hamblin, Matt Holland, Daphne Knock, Swindon Council multi-cultural education department, Celia Yeoman of Swindon Artscape

An e-mail from Chris and Vivienne Hamblin, who run Twin Arts Educational Trust, in Zimbabwe in June to www.swindonlink.com, led to a meeting with the Mayor of Swindon in early September. Closer cultural contacts between the town and the capital Harare could develop as a result.

Chris contacted us for information about Thamesdown Community Dance Studio where Vivienne tutored in 1983. Chris is involved in teaching music in Harare schools and coordinates multi-cultural string orchestras, whilst Viv is very involved in teaching dance. Both organise summer schools and performances and contribute to arts festivals.

When we discovered that they were visiting family in Britain, we asked the Mayor councillor David Cox if he would be willing to meet them and chat about cultural issues. Even though the political situation is tense there, he was keen to discuss the possibility of building relationships with Zimbabwe. We also invited a number of other people from Swindon to learn about arts activity in Harare and discuss how interchange can be fostered. All were enthusiastic about the possibilities.

Matt Holland, director of the Swindon Festival of Literature, said, "there is an appetite in Swindon for links which cross national and cultural boundaries."

Marie McClusky, director of Swindon Dance, said she was keen to see how youth dance exchanges could take place and Rosa Matheson, director of Swindon Community Arts Fund thought there could be international dimensions to Swindon's first folk festival planned for next year.

Coun Cox said he was very encouraged to hear of what's going on in Swindon and Zimbabwe. "It's brilliant that people will be able to make links and develop associations at lots of different levels."

Chris was very pleased that he and Viv had been able to make contact with Swindon. "There is a sense of isolation in the arts community in Zimbabwe, so we were very pleased to meet people. It was a positive meeting and we return encouraged by the enthusiastic reception we had in Swindon. Who knows what could develop?"

Visit Twin Arts at www.samara.co.zw/twinarts