Bristol to Bordeaux school exchange trip cancelled

School exchange visits planned between Bristol and Bordeaux next year have been cancelled because their organiser is ill.

The pupil exchange trips between the twinned cities were due to have taken place in April and July 2009.

But organiser Debbie Richards had to drop out because she is recovering from an illness.

With no one else available to manage the exchanges, they have been cancelled.

About a dozen students had already signed up for the trip.

They will each have their £150 deposit returned and other schools in Bristol have been informed that the exchange is no longer going ahead.

Alix Hughes, Bristol International Twinning Association co-ordinator, said: "Debbie was the key person running this and now is a crucial time for the exchange.

"The trips would need promoting in schools and we only have until the middle of November to build up enough people.

"But Debbie has been really ill and she there is no way that she could manage to oversee the organisation of the exchange at the moment."

Last year saw the 60th anniversary of Bristol's twinning relationship with Bordeaux.

Since then, parties of school pupils have travelled to the French city almost every year to learn about the language and culture.

The exchange is highly popular in Bordeaux and is something of which the people of the city are extremely proud.

"It's doubly disappointing because we had a year where we really looked at it in detail and tried to get it on a secure footing," said Mr Hughes.

"The French are gutted as well because they thought it would be all systems go.

"They are saying that if there are individuals who want to get in touch then they will try to help out but our message to teachers and schools is that it's not going ahead.

"Hopefully people who have already registered will be understanding and apply again next year.

"It's disappointing but there is no one to blame and we hope to get it back up and running again for 2010."