A Rotarian living just outside Shrewsbury has spent a week hosting and entertaining a visiting Vocational Study Exchange Rotarian from Finland. The VSE team of four was led by Tom Jansson who stayed at the home of Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club member Colin Sharp during his visit.
One of the highlights of his stay was a barbecue that Colin and his wife Jane hosted for their guest and which was attended by16 Rotarians and partners. The members of the VSE team had the opportunity to experience something of the culture of Shropshire by visiting local businesses; the historic aspects of the towns of Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth; noteworthy attractions such as Stiperstones, Blists Hill Museum at Ironbridge and the Severn Valley Railway. They had the gastronomic experience of sampling British fish and chips at a restaurant and in paper from a ‘Chippy’.
The team were also able to share with members of the Telford Centre and Bridgnorth Rotary Clubs aspects of their lives in the archipelago in the South West of Finland.
The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange programme is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business people and professionals between the ages of 24 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. This was the first VSE team visit since Covid-19 and was a return visit following a group of Rotarians visiting Finland in 2019.
Anyone interested in learning more about Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club can email gdmw@hotmail.co.uk
Tom (left) presents Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club president John Yeomans (right) with a Rotary Finnish pennant. John presented Tom with a book about Shrewsbury on behalf of the club.
Members of Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club and partners together with Tom (third left) and Colin (far right)