Twin City Whitby, England
This page describes the city of Whitby, in England, which has a twinning arrangement with the suburb of Whitby in Porirua City.
Whitby is a coastal town in North Yorkshire, England. It has a proud maritime tradition and is where Captain James Cook got his inspiration for the Endeavour - the designs of this famous vessel were based on Whitby's durable flat-bottomed boats. Bram Stoker also wrote the famous story of Dracula,while holed up in a Whitby B&B in 1897. The town, which is twinned with Porirua, remains an important fishing village on the North East English coast and is also a major holiday destination thanks to its seafaring past and gothic appeal.
The Porirua suburb of Whitby was themed after Captain James Cook, with the localities and schools named after his ships, streets named after people and places, and objects found on sailing ships.
On 7th March 2002, a twinning agreement was entered into between the two Whitbys, the purpose of which was firstly to formalise the various community to community links already under way, and secondly to provide stimulus for an increase in opportunities for clubs, organisations and individuals to exchange ideas and possible visits.
Since the twinning agreement was signed, a number of groups and organisations in Whitby, Porirua City have engaged with their Whitby, England counterparts. Several school, sporting and cultural links are now firmly established, and the ongoing development of this community-based relationship is assured.
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