A SPECIAL flag from one of Malvern’s namesake communities is being flown in the town as a symbol of friendship between the two areas.

The state flag of Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA, can currently be seen on the top of Malvern Hills District Council’s building in Avenue Road and will remain there for the next week.

The flag has previously been flown above the American Malvern's state capitol in Harrisburg. It was presented to Cora Weaver and Dr Bruce Osborne, founder members of the Malverns Worldwide project, during a visit the pair made in May.

They passed it on to the district council, along with other gifts, to keep on behalf of the people of the town. Council officials then decided to fly the flag above the Council House in recognition of the newly developed friendship between the two Malverns.

The borough of Malvern, Pennsylvania dates back to the 1600s. It is built on high ground with wooded slopes and its natural springs were utilised to serve the inhabitants. It is possibly the area that most closely resembles the original Malvern. It is not known how it got its name but one explanation is the Welsh immigrants who settled there named it after the Malvern Hills. Today, about 3,200 people live there.

The Malverns Worldwide project aims to identify as many other Malverns around the world as possible and create a bond of friendship between them. So far 24 have been identified.

Cllr Chris O’Donnell, chairman of Malvern Hills District Council, who raised the flag, said: “We wanted to fly their flag as a gesture of friendship and a visible symbol of how much we value the link between our two communities and indeed, the bond we share with all the other Malverns around the world.”

Cora Weaver, from The Malverns Worldwide Project, said: “The giving of a flag by one Malvern and the flying of that flag in another Malvern the other side of the world; well, how lovely is that.”