A CHEERY wave and they’re off!

A party of 68 prepare to leave Oxford for a nine-day visit to the Dutch twin city of Leiden in 1967.

They are pictured outside the St Giles Hotel, in St Giles.

The hotel was a favourite arrival and departure point for groups, because it was owned by two twinning link members, Rita and Peter Oxford.

The 1967 party travelled by coach to Southend Airport, before flying across the North Sea to Rotterdam.

It included the Lord Mayor, Frank Pickstock, seen left of centre, and the Sheriff, Henry Nimmo, who is seen standing right of centre.

Many readers will also recognise the woman on the left – Mollie Bateson.

She was a founder member and treasurer of the Oxford-Leiden Link, but she was probably better known as Oxford’s leading swimming instructor.

Thousands of children will remember her booming voice from the side of the pool as she taught them to swim.

Others who travelled that year included 20 swimmers, 12 cyclists, 18 athletes and four members of the Oxford Housewives’ Club.

The Oxford-Leiden Link was formed as the Anglo-Netherlands Sports and Cultural Association, at a meeting held at Oxford Town Hall in 1946.

It was one of a large number of twinning links established at that time to foster peace and friendship in Europe after six years of war.

Although many have since folded, the Oxford-Leiden Link has continued to flourish and celebrated its 60th anniversary in style in 2006.

It is the oldest of Oxford’s five twin city associations.

The latest party to visit Leiden will leave Oxford on Saturday, May 2, for a five-day visit to the Dutch university city.