Merrick Corfield on RYLA

President Elect Christine Crowe was in the Chair for today’s meeting.

Barrie Jones announced that the takings from the Car Park on the Barony during the Food festival were £1770, of which 10% will go to the Festival Committee for the provision of signage, barriers etc and the balance will go to Rotary Foundation.

The Speaker was Rotarian Merrick Corfield, a member of Oswestry Borderlands Rotary Club and District Youth Chairman.

Merrick described how a Rotary programme known as Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is carried out in our Rotary District. The programme is aimed at young people aged 16 to 18, male and female, and seeks to develop confidence and leadership skills through an annual residential course over six days at Arthog on the Mawddach Estuary in central Wales. The courses are run by permanent staff at Arthog, a residential centre operated by Telford Borough Council.

Teams, usually four with 8 to 10 members, are formed to carry out a number of activities in a semi-competitive environment. The activities range widely; canoeing, hiking, climbing and raft building being typical, and require both physical and mental abilities. However, above all the intention is to develop peoples’ organizational abilities to get the best results for the whole of a team.

Prospective participants are nominated by Rotary Clubs in the District. To date it has been possible to accommodate those nominated. Rotary Clubs sponsor nominees at a current cost of £425 per person.          

Mike Houlston