INTERNATIONAL cooperation was very much in evidence when the Ledbury Rotary Club facilitated their first youth exchange as part of the reciprocal agreement between Ledbury and Osaka. The youth exchange programme enabled local girl Georgina Hobden who lives in the New Mills estate, to visit her host family in Japan for two weeks and for Kyoko Okura from Osaka to reside with the host family in Ledbury.

On her return to the UK Georgina (Georgie), gave a brief report on the amazing time she had spent in Japan, describing the cultural differences, foods, lifestyle and visits to famous sites, including the shrine at Hiroshima. Although she has been studying the Japanese language for two years, Georgie was delighted to be met at the airport by the president of the Rotary Club of Osaka-Sayama, along with her host family and her Rotary counsellor. However following a brief rest Georgie found she had to make a speech to the Osaka Rotary Club the same evening – in Japanese!

Visiting Scholar, Kyoko Okura, was met by Rotarians at Birmingham airport and transported to Ledbury to join Georgie and her family. With family members and Rotarians, Kyoko had the opportunity to improve her spoken English when she visited Oxford, London, and many local heritage sites such as the cathedrals in Worcester, Hereford, Gloucester and Tewksbury Abbey, taking in the Castles at Eastnor, Hampton Court and Goodrich. There was a trip to Much Marcle Church and the 1500 year old Yew tree and a visit to Hellens. A keen bibliophile, Kyoko visited Hay-on-Wye and had a traditional fish and chip supper. The Ledbury walking tour ensured she saw historic buildings and was introduced to the town’s mayor, Annette Crowe who showed the mayoral chain of office to Kyoko. Rotary president, Bernie Robertson, gave a speech in Japanese. Bernie remarked that the purpose of the exchange scheme is to develop international cooperation for mutual benefit coupled with fellowship and friendship between countries. This first venture into youth exchange proved an enormous success for the two teenage girls, and both Georgie and Kyoko agreed they would never forget the amazing and precious experiences afforded them through the Rotary Youth Exchange Programme.