THE Ilkley-Coutances Twinning Association is delighted to announce the opening at Ilkley Manor House of the first exhibition to be staged in collaboration with the Musée Quesnel-Morinière in Coutances.

It focuses on the period of German occupation in the early1940s, when food shortages were rife in Normandy, as elsewhere in France.

“300g, that’s all you get” was the message to the population as to their bread ration. The team at Ilkley Manor House has devised three spaces for the show: a street, featuring contemporary posters exhorting people to economise, a kitchen and a shady black market area. These recreate the atmosphere at the time and evoke the privations suffered by the Coutançais.

The exhibition opens on Saturday, October 21 and runs over three weekends until November 5.

The Manor House is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm. On weekdays, there are opportunities for schools to arrange a private visit; a number of appointments are still available.

For further details, please contact Judith Dunn at judithmdunn@gmail.com or Jenny Howarth on jennyhowarth52@gmail.com